Details Capture | Photometric Stereo

Introduction

Details Capture is software for creating maps with professional photometric stereo techniques, such as albedo, normal map, and height map from multiple images taken from the same angle of view with lights from different angles. It is capable of capturing subtle details on the surface of objects and is mainly used to scan fabric, leather, leaves, etc. with far greater efficiency, higher quality, and lower cost than photogrammetry.

Supported Environment

Windows 10, Windows 7

UI Description

Section 1

• Light File, loading light files.
• Textures, loading the imported textures. 
• Output, setting the output location.
• Filename, setting the name of the images to be output.

Section 2

• Chrome Ball Mask, used to draw, delete, and save the chrome ball mask.
• Light Position, used to draw and delete the mask of the light.

Section 3—Output Settings

Light File

• Light File toggles outputting light file on and off. 

• Auto-loading controls whether the generated light file is loaded automatically in the text field of the Light File. 

The light file can be used repeatedly if the lighting environment is fixed so that the chrome ball doesn’t need to be applied always.

Note: The order and number of the lights in the light file should be the same as the order and number of the lights in the imported textures, otherwise, the result will be wrong.

Normal Map

• Normal Map, whether to output normal maps.
• Z, the depth of a normal map.
• Sigma, used to correct non-parallel lighting. Two methods are available.
• Pre-correct, used to execute lighting correction based on the original textures.
• Post-correct, used to execute lighting correction based on the generated normal map. 
• Two normal formats are available, OpenGL/DirectX Normal.

Albedo Map

• Albedo Map, whether to output Albedo map.

• There are two algorithms available—Based on Normal and Lighten. Based on Normal is recommended, since it’s more accurate than Lighten. Lighten is suitable for the textures taken with a polarizer. 

Height Map

• Height Map, whether to output a height map.

• There are two algorithms available—Height Map1 and Height Map2.
  

• Export, used to execute export.

• Stop, used to stop the computation.

Section 4—Footage Manager

• Delete Selected, deleting the selected items.
• Delete All, deleting all the textures.
• Chrome Mask, assigning the chrome mask.
• Texture Mask, assigning the texture mask.

Tip: Users can apply a texture mask image. It is not necessary but can reduce the amount of calculation by removing unnecessary areas.

• Remove Mask, removing assignment.
• Move Up/Down, changing the order of textures.

Section 5—Menu Bar

Section 6

Information Bar, showing the working duration.

Section 7

Scroll wheel to zoom the texture in/out, middle click to move the texture, right click to make it fit the view.

Usage Guide

A few suggestions for texture capturing

1. It’s suggested to give a polarizer to the camera lens and a linear polarizing film to the light to remove highlights from the subject, and apply a chrome ball for light calibration.

2. Take at least 8 textures with the object lightened from different directions by a fixed camera. The more images, the better the generated normal and height map will be. 
3. It is recommended to apply a color target so that the images can be calibrated correctly, and calibrate the colors of the images with Lightroom or Darktable, and then export the images in 16-bit png, or tiff format.

Dive into Details Captures

1. Drag and drop the texture folder into Details Capture, or click File -> Load Textures from the menu, or click the button on the right of Textures. Then the textures can be imported and can be checked through the texture manager.
   

   

2. Click Draw under the Chrome Ball Mask to paint a mask for the chrome ball. Also, the mask can be saved as an external file.
   

   

3. Set the mask map to Chrome Mask.Note: If a texture name contains “_mask”, then it can be recognized automatically. And Details Capture prioritizes the use of drawn masks.
   

   

4. Assign the texture mask. Note: If the texture name contains “.mask.”, it can be recognized automatically.

   

5. Check Light File to load the light file automatically. 
6. Check the required output, such as a light file, normal map, albedo map, and height map.
7. Click Export. Click Stop if needed. Please check the information bar if there is something wrong.

Changelog

v1.5.3

2021-10-03

1. Add the function of recording the position and size of the user interface.

2. The UI adapts to a 4K screen automatically.
3. Modify part of UI text.

Activation

1. Hit Help → License Manager in the menu.
2. Copy the machine code and send it to vfxgrace@gmail.com.
3. We will send you a registration file within 12 hours.
4. After that,  come to Help → License Manager in the menu, and then click Register to load the registration file.
5. Activation is done. Please save this registration file for future reactivation.

Service

Any purchasers can enjoy our one-year free update and permanent after-sales service.

Notice

• The trial period is for half a year. It's for evaluation purposes only, no professional or commercial usage allowed.
• The indie license and professional license are both for individual users. One license can only be installed and activated on one device. Please contact us additionally if you need a team license for multiple devices/users.

More 

https://www.vfxgrace.com/details-capture