January 22nd 2017 - v3, i added the 2 missing texture files for the remap-and-stitcher plane prop
note that normally you replace those 2 images with the 2 fisheye images you rendered in the previous step
August 27th 2016 9:21 PM - V2 mcjRemapAndStitch can now create the twin-camera and mirror device and the camera+panel device
August 26th 2016 - V1 initial release
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Installation
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The zip package is found at the bottom of this page
unzip it in your daz content folder,
typically :
C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\DAZ 3D\Studio\My Library
once installed, it will appear in your content library, under
The Daz Scripts will be found in My Library / Scripts / mcasual
The props will be found in My Library / Runtime / Libraries / Props / mcasual
The Camera presets will be found in My Library / Presets / Cameras / mcasual
The material presets will be found in My Library / Presets / Materials/ mcasual
Starting with Windows 7 if you right click on the downloaded zip file
and select the [Extract All ....] pop-up menu item
you simply browse up to your Daz Studio Content Folderand the files will fall in the proper folder
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Rendering your scene as two fisheye images
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Building the mirror based twin fisheye cameras
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We will render the whole spherical panorama in only 2 renders
We need 2 very precisely positionned cameras and a bi-convex mirror prop
New in version 2
Starting to version 2, you can load the bi-convex mirror and the two cameras using 1 button
start the mcjReMapAndStitch script found in your Daz Content folder, in the scripts/mcasual folder
click on the "Create Twin-Fisheye Camera" button
In your scene, there sould now be 2 cameras pointing at a lens-shaped object
The mirror is setup for 3Delight renders,
if you intend to use this kit to render using the iRay engine
click on the "Fisheye Camera is For Iray" button
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The old way to create the mirror-based twin fisheye cameras
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Load the mcjBiConvexMirror prop which should be in your Poser Content library: Props / mCasual
The lens-shaped object should appear in the center of the daz universe at 0, 0, 0.
Load the two cameras by applying the preset mcjHemiCams which should be found in in your Daz Studio Content library : Presets / Cameras / mCasual
Since this is a poser prop, the mirrors are more like a piece of chalk.
if you plan on rendering your scene using iRay, apply the Uber - Polished Aluminum shader
which should be in content library, in the Daz Studio Content section under Shader Presets / iRay / Daz Uber
if you plan on rendering your scene using 3Delight, apply the mcjMirrorMaterial preset which should be
Daz Studio Content section under presets/materials/mcasual
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Time To Render The Fisheye Images
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If you plan on filming from a different location, you must make sure the relative positions of the cameras and mirror don't change by even just a millimeter!
You could parent the two cameras to the mirror and use the mirror to move the whole apparatus.
Note about my demonstration setup - By default the biconvex mirror and the cameras are centered at { 0, 0, 0 }. I loaded one of my sky-sphere props, and if it was not already there, i moved the center of the sphere to { 0, 0, 0 }. This makes sense because the camera used to take the (real world) photo of the photosphere was at the center of that sphere. Since the camera was sitting quite high on a tripod or stick, maybe 6 ft above the ground, i had to move my 3D figure dancers down. Their floor is at { 0, -186, 0 }. If you used a photosphere from google streetview it could be 18 ft below the biconvex mirror.
note about backdrops: With 3Delight, even if you add an backdrop color or image, it will not be visible in the mirrored image. So you may want to use one of my mcjSkySphere props as a backdrop . Be aware that in the parameters tab of any object you can set the "cast shadows" parameter off, this way you can prevent the mcjSkySphere from blocking your distant lights. Version 2 has a button to load an mcjSkySphere ! The funny thing is, the mcjSphere is designed for exactly the type of image we are about to produce. You can Google for 'sIBL archive' to get some of those images.
Set the render size to a square image ratio, example 2000 * 2000
From the point of view of our two cameras, the mirror should fill almost entirely the field of view
You must not move the cameras and you must not change camera parameters. Else the fisheye images won't be usable.
Render the two fisheye images with names like scene000_Top and Scene000_Bottom.
If you intend to make videos, render your fisheye images as a sequence of images, not a "movie"
