What to do with Sphere Mode final image?

[TxSpark2017]

Hello everyone,

I have a question regarding the new Spark Sphere mode. I saw it available on my latest download and wanted to give it a try. So yesterday I gave it a while. That and the pano mode. I must admit that it was pretty awesome seeing the Spark hold steady as it rotated here and there making the 40 something photos it needed. Pretty cool.

After it was done, I hit the 'play' arrow and it began stitching and putting together the Sphere image. After it was done, it looked really cool. My question: What do I need to do to see it after I power off the Spark and connector? When I do this, the sphere image isn't on the sd card (only the 40 something images it took to make the sphere) and when I look at the images on my iPad, all I see is a very distorted (presumably the sphere image) image that is flat and does nothing. While beforehand, when everything was on and connected, the sphere image looked super cool, rotated, etc.

What am I missing here? In other words, is there a final step I'm not doing to actually see/use the sphere image down the line, etc? Do I need a special plug in or filter? Please help.

 

[nazorbeats]

Hello @TxSpark2017! It is not possible to save 3D projection of your sphere directly. See this post about other options of stitching and viewing 3D spheres:
What program can be used to develop the 46 spherical images with a Mac ?

 

[TxSpark2017]

Hello @TxSpark2017! It is not possible to save 3D projection of your sphere directly. See this post about other options of stitching and viewing 3D spheres:
What program can be used to develop the 46 spherical images with a Mac ?

Appreciate the reply. While I understand what you are saying, I guess the question I ask myself is, "If I can't save the sphere, then what's the point of the new feature?"

 

[nazorbeats]

Appreciate the reply. While I understand what you are saying, I guess the question I ask myself is, "If I can't save the sphere, then what's the point of the new feature?"

Well the point is that u can share your sphere to skypixel or view it in go4 app's album. I find it quite limiting, but on the other hand, there's not much we can do to view any 3D spheres besides those options that I described in that linked post.

 

[TxSpark2017]

First attempt at the Sphere mode. A 'still' from the sphere; not interactive obviously. Wasn't concerned with scene. Just wanted to test out the new function as I am like crazy new to drones. Really think this feature is pretty cool.

 

[TxSpark2017]

Well the point is that u can share your sphere to skypixel or view it in go4 app's album. I find it quite limiting, but on the other hand, there's not much we can do to view any 3D spheres besides those options that I described in that linked post.

Totally get it. Appreciate your feedback. Thank you.

 

[Ronsenvy]

Hello All, I just uploaded the new firmware, But exactly how do you tell into the new feature of sphere on go 4, can anyone walk me thru it? Ron

 

[TxSpark2017]

Hello All, I just uploaded the new firmware, But exactly how do you tell into the new feature of sphere on go 4, can anyone walk me thru it? Ron

Check out the video in this first post. Right at the 1:55 minute mark, he shows exactly how to set up the Sphere mode. Hope this helps.

The new Sphere Mode is awesome!!

 

[Wombatclay]

Appreciate the reply. While I understand what you are saying, I guess the question I ask myself is, "If I can't save the sphere, then what's the point of the new feature?"

It does a great job of taking a 360 degree pano.... use MS Ice to stitch the 46 images together, then use MS Paint to create a 6000x3000 pixel version of the pano, then need to use a website to make meta data that Facebook recognises as a 360 degree camera. Then when you upload it to Facebook it will be a 360 degree VR picture.

Took me 4hrs to figure it all out.

 

[Deleted member 3185]

Download and use the Theta+ app to view your Spark 360s outside the DJI app. I also use the Hangar360 app (for IOS devices only) to shoot a different style of 360 panoramas with the Spark. Give it a try...

 

[webvan]

It does a great job of taking a 360 degree pano.... use MS Ice to stitch the 46 images together, then use MS Paint to create a 6000x3000 pixel version of the pano, then need to use a website to make meta data that Facebook recognises as a 360 degree camera. Then when you upload it to Facebook it will be a 360 degree VR picture.

Took me 4hrs to figure it all out.

That's interesting because I've been trying (and failing) to make MS ICE output a 360x180 (2:1) pano so I could import it in Theta+ for smartphones. By default it outputs to 19456x7181 pixels. Have you found a way of filling the missing top part in MS Paint or in another app ? Thanks !

When you save a sphere from the DJI app you get a 4000x2000 pano so the ratio is ok but the resolution could be better of course...

 

[sdharris]

There is a lot of conflicting information about this mode, but generally speaking:-

1. Take your 360 sequence of images using DJI GO;
2. Land, stay in DJI GO and with the Spark still powered on push the play icon on the bottom right of the screen;
3. You'll see a photo with the little sphere symbol and as soon as you click on there it will stitch/process the image;
4. Once stitched you can save to the camera roll of your phone, or upload/share to Sky Pixel.

If you want you can do 2 - 4 when you are back home rather than wait around in a cold field.

Option 1 - camera roll

Once in your camera roll you can use a viewer such as GoPro, the Theta S app etc. If you transfer that to your computer you can use exiftool (available for Mac and Windows) to add an attribute which will make the file compatible with Facebooks 360 viewer e.g. exiftool IMG_2551.jpg -ProjectionType="equirectangular"

There is also an app called Exiffixer designed to do this automatically.

Option 2 - sky pixel

Sky pixel will host the image and when viewed will start with a tiny planet and then 'fly in' to the landscape allowing you to look around. From Sky pixel you can share on Facebook.

Or Option 3.

Download the individual files and use Hugin (free), Microsoft ICE (bit outdated) or Autopano Giga (expensive as hell).

 

[Wombatclay]

That's interesting because I've been trying (and failing) to make MS ICE output a 360x180 (2:1) pano so I could import it in Theta+ for smartphones. By default it outputs to 19456x7181 pixels. Have you found a way of filling the missing top part in MS Paint or in another app ? Thanks !

When you save a sphere from the DJI app you get a 4000x2000 pano so the ratio is ok but the resolution could be better of course...

Save it in ice as normal with the high resolution. Then I have found I have to use a image converter to convert it to .bmp so MS Paint can use it. Then in MS Paint I resize it to 6000x3000 which Facebook allows as the maximum size. Then after resizing I use that website theXifer.net - Just a Web Based EXIF Editor for Local, Cloud, Flickr, Bootstrap to input the Ricoh Theta+s meta data, save to my pc then I drag and drop it on the posting section in Facebook which converts it to a 360degree image. There are a few YouTube clips on how to do it also.

 

[webvan]

Thanks for detailing your steps. Yes these methods work but that leaves you with a big gap in the sky as ICE outputs a 360°/134° picture so you're missing 46° to build a nice TinyPlanet animation with Theta+.

DJI Go's trick to add a blueish sky (does it use some kind of median color?) is not bad but it's limited to 4000 pixels in width vs the 19000 you can get with ICE.

 

[sdharris]

If you use Facebook you don't need to fill in the missing portion of the sky, its not very particular.

 

[sdharris]

DJI Go's trick to add a blueish sky (does it use some kind of median color?) is not bad but it's limited to 4000 pixels in width vs the 19000 you can get with ICE.

It seems to use something similar to Adobe Photoshops content aware fill, it seems to do a half decent job.

 

[webvan]

Yep it's pretty decent and good enough to produce nice content with Theta+. Will see if I can do the same with PS then.

Yes for FB no need to worry about that, in fact I've found that ICE + Exif Fixer works straightaway.

 

[Floyd-Spark]

Guys please help if you can. I updated my iOS go4. Took the Spark out, captured a few 360 pano’s. All good. But when I try to stitch in go4 it progresses most of the way, then thI stitching process slows down and the app closes. I have deleted the app from my phine and reinstalled but no luck. I cannot get the stitching process to finish without the app crashing near the end. Very frustrating after seeing everyones awesome pics.

 

[webvan]

Sounds like a memory problem, what's your phone ?

@sdharris - thanks for the hint about PS's "context aware", spent a good 3 hours last night exploring it and also adding sky overlays, hehe ;-) It works pretty well but it's a lot more elaborate than what DJI Go does with mixed results sometimes. I almost wish there was an easy "blending" option like DJI's on a desktop tool too.

 

[Floyd-Spark]

Sounds like a memory problem, what's your phone ?

@sdharris - thanks for the hint about PS's "context aware", spent a good 3 hours last night exploring it and also adding sky overlays, hehe ;-) It works pretty well but it's a lot more elaborate than what DJI Go does with mixed results sometimes. I almost wish there was an easy "blending" option like DJI's on a desktop tool too.

Its an iPhone 6. I have the Crystalsky 5.5 but it has not been updated yet with the 360 pano mode so I have to use the phone. I have over 10GB free on the iPhone.