Camera Groups? for multi-camera & multi-mission?

[CheeseAndJamSandwich]

Does separating cameras into groups change the resulting alignment in MS?

I have a multi-camera rig for underwater reef scanning. Two GoPros on a 3m pole.  Pointing down/normal to the reef/slope/rock, they're unsynchronised but are both taking time-lapse photos at 2s intervals.  So i get a track with two lines of cameras.  With lots of overlap going forward, and good overlap to the side.

Should these photos be put into one Camera Group, or two?


I also have done many missions/dive/scans, over several days.

Should these missions be in separate camera groups too?


Does MS change how it aligns the photos if they're in Camera Groups?

[Alexey Pasumansky]

Hello CheeseAndJamSandwich,

Using camera folders in the Workspace pane has no effect on alignment results, unless you switch the camera folder type to Station (which would mean that all the images in such folder have been taken from the same location using calibrated nodal head).

If you need to allow the calibration of several groups of images with the individual sets of parameters, you need to split the calibration groups via Tools Menu -> Camera Calibration dialog. In your case it may be reasonable to use two calibration groups per number of different cameras used.

[CheeseAndJamSandwich]

Gotcha.
I'm swimming along with my 2 GoPros, so i'm basically a human drone.

I'll spit the missions (pairs of camera tracks) into folders just for ease managing them then.

My two GoPros do not match (sadly)... they're a 7 and an 8.  Tho they're almost identical sensor/lens wise i think...  These automatically appear as two calibrations groups... Which i haven't touched...  I assume i don't need to?

Would using two identical camera models make any meaningful difference to MS's dealing with my two camera rig's tracks?

Cheers.

[Alexey Pasumansky]

Hello CheeseAndJamSandwich,

If the images are split into separate calibration groups automatically, then you do not need to do that manually.

And I don't think that in such scenario it would be a good idea to put the images from different cameras to the single calibration group, as there always could be some difference between lens for consumer grade cameras. Especially in underwater conditions.

[CheeseAndJamSandwich]

Gotcha, thanks.

I'll leave them alone.