In my search for background information about object photography I have found a company who is using an amazing image server so you zoom in on the object.
see an example of www.360foto.dk The hardware is produced by a Danish company called www.yawah.com It is pretty amazing :o)
They are using a technology like zoomify. The concept works as follows. You have a large image that is split into multiple pieces. When the viewer (plugin) needs a piece of the puzzle it goes and gets it.
I have been trying to nail a concept like this for our Flash viewer, but I keep running into technical roadblocks with the quality of the spin.
Matt Smith
PhotoSpherix
317.396.5791
Starting a Revolution in Photography
Indianapolis, Indiana USA
http://www.photospherix.com