SpheroCam HDR - Benefits

• single scan, full spherical High Dynamic Range capturing
  
• 26 f-stops dynamic range
  
• no bracketing of multiple exposures
  
• no stitching of individual images
  
• complete control through a laptop computer for preview and storage
  
• real-time preview during capture ensures the best image the first time
  

SpheronVR provides a complete High Dynamic Range turnkey solution to create full spherical images: the SpheroCam HDR!

The camera is made in Germany. It is a reliable and handmade piece of precision mechanics, equipped with state of the art electronics and imaging components. Its innovative, bidirectional data flow makes working with the SpheroCam HDR interactive; e.g. electronic spirit level, directional focus or white balance. The compact dimensions of the camera also allow shooting in areas with limited space.

The SpheroCam HDR operates by rotating around its vertical axis. A unique color sensor captures the surrounding scenery as a continuous set of vertical HDR scan lines. The image data is then transferred to the attached notebook computer for display and storage. The results can be inspected in real-time during the scan using tools for display and quality inspection.

The SpheroCam HDR shows its strengths when compared with existing technologies for producing full spherical HDR images:

All present approaches require a sequence of images taken with different exposure times. The media response curve of the camera or film has to be analysed before the sequence can be assembled into the HDR image. Within this procedure, stray light induced effects can cause problems and impair the quality of the result.

Stitching full spherical images from individual photographs can result in geometric and colorimetric inaccuracies. It also adds the risk, that those artifacts are not noticed until it is too late and the scene no longer exists. In combination with bracketing of exposures the stitching of one full spherical HDR image can easily require hundreds of photographs.

The SpheroCam HDR takes a HDR image in just one single pass and thereby avoids lens flare problems. Compared to stitching the results can be inspected instantly.