[Radiance-general] camera ball taking 360 degree panoramic photo

[Lars O. Grobe]

Hi Ji Zhang!

> http://jonaspfeil.de/ballcamera
> 
> The camera ball designed by Jonas Prefli can take 360 degree panoramic
> photo.
> 
> I wander how this device can be utilized in daylight research if it can
> take HDR photos.
> 
> - Cheers, Ji

Exciting...

The concept of throwing a camera (or 32 of them) into the air for taking
pictures makes it hard to shoot a series of images from the same
location - for later assembly into a HDR image. The device is using
small CCD cameras ("mobile phone cameras"). So the whole setup is
optimized for speed (capturing panoramic scenes with moving objects,
thus one-shot panoramas), not dynamic range.

One might translate the idea into something similar, allowing to shoot a
full panorama HDR image by combining cameras mounted e.g. on a tripod.
These either would need a very high dynamic range - or again shoot a
sequence at varying exposure times. Typically not that much of a problem
in daylighting (clouds are _usually_ not moving that fast). Question is
whether 32 mini-cameras are that much better in doing so then 3 proper
compact cameras with fisheye lenses, covering the same field (sphere) of
view.

Maybe to be discussed on the HDRI list? Cheers, Lars.