Capturing large environments in Polycam allows you to create highly detailed 3D models of spaces such as outdoor areas, rooms, or even entire buildings. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to capture environments effectively using Polycam.
What Capture Type is Right for You?
Polycam offers several modes for capturing environments, depending on your device:
- LiDAR Mode: Available on iOS devices equipped with LiDAR sensors (iPhone 12 Pro and later). This is ideal for capturing large spaces like rooms or outdoor areas quickly and accurately.
- Room Mode: Specifically designed for capturing indoor environments. It provides a detailed map of interior spaces with accurate measurements.
- Photo Mode (Photogrammetry): Uses high-quality images to reconstruct a space. This mode works well for environments with detailed textures or objects but requires more time and a stable internet connection for cloud processing.
- 360 Mode: Allows for the capture of panoramic views, ideal for large-scale environments like landscapes or expansive rooms.
Best Practices for Capturing an Environment:
- Move Slowly and Steadily: Rushing through the environment may result in incomplete or inaccurate scans such as raised areas and bumps in the scan.
- Ensure Overlap: For Photo Mode, make sure each image overlaps with the previous one to help the software stitch them together.
- Ensure Even Lighting: Natural light is ideal for capturing environments. If capturing indoors, use artificial lighting to fill dark areas and avoid harsh shadows.
- Avoid Overexposure: Bright sunlight can create overexposed areas. If capturing outdoors, aim for times of the day with softer lighting, such as early morning or late afternoon.
- For Large Environments: Stay about 6-10 feet (2-3 meters) away from objects. This provides a good balance between capturing the overall space and retaining sufficient detail.
- For Smaller Details: If you need to capture intricate details of specific areas, move closer—around 3-5 feet (1-1.5 meters).
- Wide-Area Scans: For larger open spaces, maintaining a consistent distance (about 10 feet or more) from significant objects helps ensure a smooth scan and minimizes distortions.