One of the most significant new products at CES this week is Ortery Technologies’ PhotoCapture 360 series of PC-controlled photography turntable systems. Ecommerce captures a greater share of the world’s commercial activity every year – as we buy more of our needs on line, we will want to verify quality and detail in ever greater granularity via the web and this system enables an internet merchant to provide detailed 360 degree images of their wares at minimal ongoing cost. Three turntables are available at under US$2000 for photographic subjects up to 25 pounds, through to US$8000 plus for photo models up to 700 pounds. The system runs on a Windows PC or Intel Mac and connects to a quality digital camera and an industrial strength turntable. The PhotoCapture 360 software synchronizes turntable movement, camera settings and picture taking to automatically capture up to 200 pictures per rotation then turn it into a 360-degree flash animation r animated gif. Check out this girl, this remarkable double animation, and these other examples as an idea of what’s possible. The PhotoCapture system is of enormous relevance to millions of internet retailers for increasing online conversion rates, plus professional communicators of all hues.
The PhotoCapture 360 software synchronizes turntable movement, camera settings and picture taking to automatically capture up to 200 pictures per rotation then turn it into a 360-degree flash animation or animated gif. Check out this girl, this remarkable double animation, and these other examples as an idea of what’s possible. The PhotoCapture system is of enormous relevance to millions of internet retailers for increasing online conversion rates, plus professional communicators of all hues.
The advantages of 360-degree product animations are obvious, as they give visitors the ability to view a product from multiple angles by simply clicking and dragging an image left and right.
The real advantage of the system is that it simplifies and automates a lot of work, and incorporates a lot of knowledge in creating a flash animation file from scratch. One would have to know a lot about digital photography , lighting, advanced image editing, image stitching and Flash production to be able to do it, or pay a service group handsomely for their expertise, not to mention invest in some specific equipment like a good camera, Photoshop, special tripods and a physical rotation device.
PhotoCapture products come in three different sizes (360, 360L and 360XL) and each creates four types of flash files that can be interactively controlled via click-and-drag
Compelling product shots are a large part of converting online sales – even if you have exactly the same product, the buyer will be looking at the better product pictures, and in the on-line world, getting them to your site is a prerequisite for a sale.
The smallest 360 unit costs under US$2000 and can be used for products up to 25 pounds – ideal for anything from jewellery up to quite large objects and relevant to eCommerce, product development, product design, quality control and business communication. The turntable can be purchased as either 11.4 inches diameter or 15.4 inches diameter.
The mid-rage unit, the 360L measures 22 inches across the turntable and will comfortably handle photographic subjects up to 250 pounds – human size. We can see this being used for creating virtual mannequins so a potential buyer can see how a garment looks on a model from all angles, and just about any consumer or industrial products that can benefit from interactive product rotation by the viewer.
The largest 360 XL costs over US$8000, has a 32.7 inch turntable, and can handle products up to 700 pounds – motorcycle or industrial machine size.
Each integrated system consists of a programmable turntable and system control software. Captured images can be exported as JPG images or automatically processed and stitched in the software to create animated GIF and four types of Flash files. It takes roughly two minutes to capture 20 pictures and Flash file output is typically less than 500Kb.
Features include: A wizard-style image creation workflow; a live camera view displayed on the monitor screen that allows the user to see the object spinning on the turntable so position, zoom & lighting adjustments can be made before taking a single picture; setting crop markers once allows all images to be automatically cropped when taken; confirm image quality and re-take images as needed - the turntable automatically rotates to the correct angle, takes a new picture and replaces the original.
“360-degree product animations will become critical for eCommerce success,” said Sam Shearer, Managing Director, Ortery Technologies, Inc., “and our PhotoCapture series makes it simple and affordable for companies to take control of their photography workflows, to animate their products and ultimately drive eCommerce to the next level.”
Flash product animations offer multiple display options, small file size, high image quality and easy distribution. Their overall effect on eCommerce has been an increase in online revenues through higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction.
Each turntable can spin clockwise or counterclockwise to reach a specified angle or rotate continuously at three speeds. Pictures can be taken in continuous, time lapse or manual modes and the system works with any lighting, background color or texture.
PhotoCapture 360, 360L and 360XL are currently available and compatible with Windows 2000/XP and Intel-based Mac systems running "Boot Camp" or VMWare Fusion®.
Founded February 2003 with offices in California and Taiwan, Ortery Technologies is the worldwide leading manufacturer of photography automation tools for business applications. www.Ortery.com
