Microsoft launches 3D wonder Photosynth for consumers
Photosynth, a technology demo from Microsoft Live Labs, has graduated from its "ooh, that's pretty" status to being a viable Web service for consumers.
The technology, which takes a grouping of photographs and stitches them into a faux 3D environment, can now be implemented with photos you've taken on your digital camera or mobile phone, and converted right on your computer. Previously, the process of stitching these photos together took weeks of processing on specially configured server arrays. With its latest version, Microsoft has managed to shrink that into around the time it takes to upload your photos.
Microsoft is giving users 20GB of online storage for their Photosynth collections. Photosynth product manager Joshua Edwards tells me this can easily fit 60 or more "synths" made up of around 150 to 200 photographs apiece--the higher end of what's recommended for what Edwards calls an optimum or "synthy" experience. Users who are making really neat collections will be granted additional space.
I spent the past few days building my own Photosynths and finally managed to get the knack for how to shoot correctly by the third one. While Microsoft has largely pushed it as a way to build jaw-dropping 3D-like environments, I'd argue to say it's a far simpler way to take super detailed shots of a wall or single room without breaking the bank on a high megapixel SLR. That said, Photosynth will take any resolution of photos you throw at it.
This synth I created uses close to 300 photos, although you can make ones with many less. Part of the creation process involves learning how to take photos for it to recognize how objects relate to one another.
(Credit: CNET Networks/Josh Lowensohn)One of the most impressive parts of Photosynth is how damn fast it is. Over a decent broadband connection you'll immediately see large thumbnails that quickly begin to sharpen as data fills in the missing pixels. You can continue to zoom into these areas and they'll sharpen up even more on some of the super high-resolution shots.
The streaming and rendering technology behind Photosynth is Seadragon, another project from the Microsoft Live Labs universe. Users have always had to download a special Seadragon-based plug-in to view other people's synths. The new twist with the latest plug-in now comes with a desktop uploader that can be used to add your own collection to the Photosynth universe. This runs with complete autonomy from your browser, so you don't have to worry about it stopping if you close out your browser. It also works in both IE 7 and Firefox 3, making it cross-platform--at least for Microsoft. If you're a Mac user looking to get your hands on some Photosynth action you'll have to keep waiting. The focus on Photosynth will remain on the PC for the time being.
One thing that's missing from this version of Photosynth is a way to synth pre-existing photo collections, or sets of photos taken from community sites. This is the most useful for things like common landmarks, and is clearly something that can be done with the right photo database--something we saw in that really nifty video from Siggraph last week. In the case of Photosynth, once you've uploaded a batch of photos you can't simply upload more to it later. Gary Flake, who heads up Microsoft's Live Labs, says this is something that's coming later on down the road. For now, you'll just have to plan ahead.
Note: We've got a video coming up soon with Flake chatting about the technology behind Photosynth. In the meantime, if you want to explore my synth of the outside of the CBS Interactive offices in downtown San Francisco, go here.
Update: Here's the video.
Update 2: Photosynth has been up and down since early Thursday morning. You can check for the status of it on the Live Labs blog.
Update 3: Site's back up.
Josh Lowensohn writes for Webware.com, CNET's blog about Web applications and services. E-mail Josh, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Josh. 
I can see a future where you can submit your photos of a famous location and find related content, or submit a photo and find where it is on earth...
@W1dget Hah! But... no. Photosynth likes edges and static scenes. Porn, or any image collection that's mostly curvy and moving living things, not architecture, is much harder to "synth."
It won't even run on Fusion or Parallels in a virtual PC environment. Typical.
IOW, aside from the "ooh, lookit - it's on the cloooud!" aspect, this is not exactly an innovation, you know?
Canoma was part of a group of apps (the other three are Bryce, Poser, and Carrara) that do 3D/CG.
You would have to "pin" every single object over however many photos using Canoma to get a similar affect. Good luck with that. The photo recognition technology on display with Photosynth is really what all the hype is about - and it really is well deserved.
Since when does the OS or browser an application runs in defines it as innovative or even "good"? That's like saying all of the new cars coming out this year are "the suck" because they don't run on electricity.
It's free so what are you complaining about? Oh, my bad -- that's right you are complaining because it came from Microsoft. Sorry I forgot.
If you run a mac, then you should know you are not Photosynth target. Also, Mac has software that runs ONLY in a MAC. But, hey, It's Microsoft, we MUST hate them, right?
Congrats MS!!
PS: I do respect the MAC and all its users just the same way I respect PC users. Be objective.
dave jennings - quit bro'in out. it's a party, and you're no longer invited. take your things and get the hell out of my house.
Not on a Mac? WHO CARES? Let the 3% club fondle their iMovie & Final Crap Pro.
Better yet, let the fix MobileMEss instead. Way to go, Microsoft!
Although the subject matter is Really dull, the synth by Josh is at least more complete, and flowing. Maybe if it somehow catches-on, and professional photographers agree to take hundreds of shots surrounding their intended subject, some nice wrap-around panoramas might end-up on the sites. But what's there now is just plain dull.
I'd like to see someone at Nasa synth together some panoramas from the Mars rovers, now That might be cool.
- by goodspeed8701 August 26, 2008 12:09 PM PDT
- the apple this a[[le that. i dont see them making good softwares for every one to enjoy. besides its microsoft u are never liking them so i am no suprised u like the someware only that the mac gives u limited computer abilities
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