Topics

1

General / API + Documentation Issue: CaptureDistance

« on: July 25, 2025, 01:47:06 AM »

chunk.capture_distance

 
Alexey-
The current Python API docs for Metashape 2.2.1+ still include the property:

Code: [Select]

chunk.capture_distance however this does not exist for the past few versions.

I've also attempted to set this at the chunk-level using

Code: [Select]

chunk.meta['CaptureDistance']` Unfortunately this doesn't have any effect on the chunk's Capture Distance.

Some time ago you added an additional option of setting the capture distance of each photo.  I don't believe that's in the docs yet.  Regardless, I'm hoping to understand how to set this at the chunk level.

This is a two part request:
1. Can you explain how `chunk.capture_distance` is to be set in Metashape Python API for 2.2.1+
2. You may want to update the documentation, removing the old approach and replacing with the answer from this post?

Thank you in advance

2

Python and Java API / API Use: alignCameras > min_image

« on: July 06, 2025, 03:50:15 AM »

Back in 2019, Metashape released 1.6.0 and added the attribute `min_image` to the `AlignCameras` function.

I realize this sets the minimum projections per tie-point to be created during the Alignment, but I don't believe this exists anywhere in the UI to test without using the API, is that correct?

I've often wondered if using this is valuable in high-overlap jobs.  My thinking is that if I set the minimum higher, then the tie-point limit is only used by higher quality tie-points, whereas without the limit (implicitly indicating a minimum of 2 photos per tie-point, minimum) -- the tie-point limit could ?theoretically? cutoff higher quality tie-points while keeping lower quality tie-points.

However, there is a chance that Metashape locates tie-points in order of those with the largest number of matching photos first, in which case, this setting would not have much effect on the quality of photo alignment.

In that event, I wonder if it's better to ignore this parameter and only reduce tie-points by photo-count after the alignment is complete.

@Alexey - can you share any more insight about this parameter?  For example, in high-overlap jobs with a tie-point limit in the alignment stage, would it be useful to fill the limited tie-points per image with higher quality points?  Or would it be better to ignore this parameter any only use it once the photos have been aligned, in the gradual-selection stage with iterative optimizations?

Thank you in advance