Just finished my new website, any thoughts

www.myvirtualagents.com

Hi there,

my first and most obvious thought is the fact that your images (2 sph) have colour and light differences. It would be worth looking at your image workflow to correct this issue. eg do you have auto white balance set?? you shouldn't. Do you have a set exposure time?? you should.... What kind of cam set up are you useing?? Otherwise your site is easy to use and informative. Very nice.

phoenix,

what is your auto white balance setting? how do you work it?

myvirtual,

in one of your pages i clicked on the home button and got

http://www.myvirtualagents.com/default.html  404 page.

i like your order form script, where can i get it?

VT360,

I am still working out the kinks on the photos, with the white balance.  It seems tougher to set up the virtual pictures than doing the whole website.

The order form was set up using a software that I purchased from Godaddy.com.  The software is called Website Complete Edition Deluxe.  It is very simple to use.  I set up the basic pages using that software and then edit the background images and web buttons.

phoenixrising,

I am using a Fuji S7000 with a Nikon FC-E9 Fisheye lens with an IPIX rotator bracket.  I do have a very hard time getting my AE to lock for the same exposure on both sides.

vt: I don't do auto white bal. Many do this in error causing colour hue/light differences bewteen spheres. As Thomas says... you really need to set everything to manual. This is what I do when I take a pano.

CP4500 FC-E8 Agnos MrotatorA Manfrotto tripod and Bogan 338 leveler.

• Set Cam to M for manual
• Set to infinity ie mountain symbol
• set f to a high a number as possible f=8.5 (u need good depth of view especially with the FC-E8 due to lens softness)
• Set white bal to the lighting conditions ie sun, cloud...
• I then zoom in so that I have a 140 x 180 image ie the sides are cropped and the top and bottom of the image just touches the edges of my view screen. (This results in around 85% chip usage, therefore lots more image = better/sharper image)
• I then take 3-7 shots every 120 for 3 shot stich. 3-7 shots with differnt exposure times mind you so that you have enough images for PS blending.
• Import my shots to PS and blend accordingly (hi lights, lo lights) and save as bmp.
• stich in PW4 and save as bmp (I like to stich in 1500x3000 pixels for most webwork as I have a lot more image to work on and then I'll resize down later)
• reimport to PW4 and convert to cubic to sort the ceiling/tripod/stiching issues out ( though often I just import a floor cap for own advertising) and save as bmp.
• reconvert to equirectangular image.
• Back in PS I'll do any colour correction needed before saving the draft pano.
• The draft pano is my backup. I'll reszie as required for pano work eg 750x1500 and use noise ninja for sharpening and noise reduction. (I love noise ninja)
• Finally I'll save for web as jpg

Most have similar workflows... (Thomas... I'll look into the vignetting/chromatic aberation issue and add it to my flow)

Hope this helps

Rob

Rob,

Big question, lets say you take 5 virtual shots, after you have capture the photos, how long would it take you to edit and complete the 5 Virtual Scenes.

My problem is that the market I am in, Virtual Tours are very low in price.  The only way I can generate business is to offer nice virtual tour packages between $50 US and $100 US total.  Anything over $100 US Real Estate Agents will look the other way.  The way I am doing my pictures now, it takes me about 45mins at the house to capture the photos and about 1 hour to set up the tour.  If I spend to much time editiing pictures, etc, then my profits are very slim. 

I have thought about switching equipment to get better images.  I am using a Fuji S7000 and it does not seem to be too Fisheye lens friendly.  I use an IPIX rotator and the lens is a FC-9E.  I have thought about switching to a Nikon 8700, which I hear Nikon is much compatible with fisheye lens.

Thanks for your input and if you have any other advice, it will greatly be appricated.

By the way, when I set up to capture the photos, I set the camera on A apeture mode around 2.5.  I have the macros switched on.  I take the images in the 6 MP option and tried shooting using RAW image format at 12MP, but I do not see much differance in the final Virtual image.

Hi there,

I don't know your camera... however if you need to save time and therefore will only do a 2 shot hemi... (forget RAW... for u this makes little sence. Deffinatly set to fine and largest picture the cam will do)