Perfect Storm? 10 Tips for Scanning Stairs

I'll define a Perfect Storm staircase as 100 percent scan failure, typically as a result of one or more of the following:

✓ Solid color walls (or glass)
✓ Solid color stairs (shinny paint)
✓ Chrome handrails and banisters (reflections)
✓ Sunlight

You will know that you are in the midst of a perfect storm when scan after scan results in an unsuccessful scan message.

I experienced this perfect storm when scanning a staircase in the Penthouse (above) in a luxury hotel.

If you have have direct sunlight to the camera, scans will fail. You will either need to wait for the sun to pass or block the sunlight (window shades/blinds). And, clouds do not count for blocking the sunset. (Even if you are successful, the scan may be placed in the wrong place.)

For simultaneous solid color walls and stairs, the challenge is the camera can not "see" common points to "stitch" the images together. Chrome handrails and banisters - and glass walls - create the same challenge.

Here are 10 Tips for Scanning Stairs during a Perfect Storm:

1. Use a bubble level
2. Scan with the Camera closer to the previous scan
3. If scanning closer to the last scan does not work, move the camera to the lowest setting on the tripod (and keep the scans closer together).
4. Scan the entire staircase on the lowest camera setting
5. Still not working, try "trimming" the walls and/or banister/railings as a "Window" or "Mirror"
6. Still having a challenge scanning? Add objects to your scans such as plants and pictures?
7. (In Matterport Workshop, you can hide the scans that had the objects.
8. Now, put the Camera at normal height. Rescan every few feet. (Because you have successfully scanned at the lowest tripod height in Step #3, the normal height scans will be successful.
9. If the normal height scans are not successful, keep the scans closer together. (In Workshop, hide the excessive scans)
10. To help avoid the banister and railings from bad stitching, set the Matterport Camera so that when it stops rotating to take photos, the camera is facing the banister (parallel). This helps the stitching be successful.

We Get Around Network Basic, Standard and Premium Members can watch this WGAN-TV Live recording about scanning mirrors and stairs. (Please see your Welcome Onboard Letter for the password.) (Private Message me for the password.)

Got more tips for scanning stairs? Please post them below ...

Best,

Dan


Video: WGAN-TV Live: Scanning Mirrors and Stairs