Photogrammetry Testing 6: Autodesk ReMake

Here’s the original post, and links to all posts

I have previously outlined my goal of testing multiple photogrammetry solutions on a single dataset, and reporting times and results.

I’m using a dataset based on photographs of this Styracosaurus model (I’ve had it since I was quite young):

The dataset has 53 photos in total, and is available from this link. [This will be moved to figshare in due course].

The model is about 12 cm in total length, has texture for the scales, and a reflective brass nameplate on the base. The model was situated on a glass desk, and there may be reflection issues from that.

Autodesk ReMake is free for educational use, but not ‘free’ as such.  Still, as it’s available in an academic setting, I think it’s fair to give it a try and see how it does.

The first thing to note, is that ReMake can process photos either offline or online.  I’ve been running everything offline, using the same hardware specified in the original post, but if you have low-end hardware (and your data isn’t super sensitive) you might consider uploading the photos and processing them in the cloud.

Until fairly recently, whenever I tried an offline reconstruction it failed, but a recent update has finally made everything work as it should.

First step is to select ‘photos’ under Create 3D, and select which one of these you want to use:

After selecting ‘Offline’ in this case, you are asked to browse to the relevant photos and load them:

Options are then fairly sparse, only becoming available when ‘Ultra’ settings are selected:

For this test, I ran ‘Ultra’, with surface ‘detailed’, resolution ‘fine’, and ‘Smart Texture’ selected.  The process too about 24 minutes.  The texture generated this way was 8192×8192 pixels in size (so much larger than I’ve been generating).

Total Time: ~1440 seconds

Here’s the final model, textured and untextured (and in wireframe):

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And here’s the model uploaded to sketchfab:

Summary, Autodesk ReCap

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the model given the ease of use and simplicity of the process.  I’d like to play around with it (time permitting) to test out different settings, and to try out the cloud-based processing [though time may not be permitting sadly].  Some of the detail, particularly on the chest, is really outstanding.  The rear left is a little flawed, as it is with all the software (a combination of poor photo angles and shadows I fear), but it’s still made a pretty good job – arguable a nicer reconstruction there than Photoscan managed.

It was quick too – 24 minutes for the total process.  I have a nagging feeling that the process will slow down quickly with more images, so larger, more detailed photosets may prove problematic.

Overall, quite impressed.  It’s also worth mentioning that ReMake has some nice post-processing features (such as scaling etc) built in – something the command-line based softwares don’t have, and something you have to pay quite a bit extra for in Photoscan (to get the ‘pro’ version).

 

Addendum:

I ran with different settings (smooth versus detailed) and got a very similar mesh in a very similar time.  Here’s a difference map made with ReMake: