This thread is an invitation for iGuide Operators to share their tips about how to minimize time when shooting an iGuide. The tips can include not only using the iGuide camera, but also shooting still images and handling interactions with owners/agents and anything else that helps save time onsite as well as at home using Stitch and doing other post-procesing. Please contribute and we will compile and post a list of recommendations.
You can also include real-life examples on how long it took you to shoot a certain property: provide details about property size, whether it was furnished, had anyone else onsite, whether you took still images, etc. See this post by @DougLogan for an example Using iGuide just for floor plans and measurements.
Communicate to the homeowner/agent that all objects that should not be seen in the photos need to be removed. I’ll ask them to pick a dump room and move everything there (ie. garage, storage closet).
Ask the homeowner/agent to turn on all lights.
Rotate the camera as soon as the final exposure is taken. The camera will say taking picture for a few seconds while it fuses the three photos into a single one. You can rotate the camera while this message is displayed on screen to save time.
Turn off HDR for spaces that don’t require it.
To eliminate taking extra panoramas choose locations that offer a good view for measurement and visuals simultaneously.
I have been doing this step for almost 2 years now with one modification to the process.
Stopping to change the HDR options is a somewhat “precise” task that takes a few seconds to turn off and another few to turn back on because the menu is tiny. It’s somewhat of a hassle to stop and go over and over again just to save a few seconds at a time.
SUGGESTION: Make the HDR Setting Display (upper right corner of the visual) act as a Dynamic On/Off object to accomplish this.
The change I incorporated is this:
HDR ON: Create a floor to capture ALL the Visual Viewpoints that will be shown in the tour on that floor (I use Floor 1); skip the details.
HDR OFF: Create a Floor and backtrack through the house to capture measurement & placement data (details only) to create and collect the connecting puzzle pieces for the property on that floor (I just use Floor 2).
This means you don’t have to activate/deactivate the HDR feature to reduce camera operations over and over again through the entire property. You activate HDR & run with it, then Deactivate the HDR and run with it and Bob’s you’re uncle.
Doing this has cut over 30% off my on-location time vs/ playing with the HDR mode on the fly or over 50% off my time vs/ leaving the HDR mode ON all the time (excessive shutter activations).
STEP 3. STITCH: You need to manipulate & manage the pano data into their proper place. Select all of your 2nd Floor Panos (all measurement/Non-HDR panos) and Batch-HIDE them, then move the 1st Floor panos to the 1st Floor & move the 2nd Floor HDR Panos down to the 2nd Floor.
Batch-hiding and batch-moving the panos in Stitch cuts about 30%~40% off my desk time.