Creating 3D Models in Agisoft Metashape

Welcome to our quick guide on creating 3D models using Agisoft Metashape. This post is aimed at beginners and provides straightforward steps to turn photographs into a 3D model. Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

1. Getting Started with Agisoft Metashape
   1. Opening the Program and Adding Photos
   2. Checking Image Quality
   3. Aligning Photos
   4. Adding Scale (Pro Feature)
2. Processing the Model
   1. Resizing the Model Region
   2. Building Dense Cloud
   3. Creating the Mesh
   4. Adding Texture
3. Final Steps and Exporting
   1. Reducing File Size
   2. Exporting the Model
4. Conclusion

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Getting Started with Agisoft Metashape

Step 1: Opening the Program and Adding Photos

• Initiate: Launch Agisoft Metashape.
• Add Photos: Navigate to Workflow > Add Photos. Select your desired photos and click Open.
• Remove Unwanted Photos: If you’ve uploaded photos by mistake, simply select them, right-click, and choose Remove Items.

Step 2: Checking Image Quality

• View Details: Click the Change View icon and select Details.
• Estimate Quality: Select all photos (CTRL+A), then go to Estimate Image Quality > Selected Cameras > OK.
• Quality Rating: A quality rating will appear in the photo details. Remove or disable photos with a quality less than 0.5 to ensure proper alignment.

Step 3: Aligning Photos

• Alignment Process: Click Workflow > Align Photos. Choose your desired accuracy level and check both Generic Preselection and Reference Preselection boxes before clicking OK.
• Result: After alignment, a sparse cloud model appears. Save your project at this stage.

Step 4: Adding Scale (pro feature)

• Marking Reference Points: Double-click a photo with clear scale bars or reference points. Right-click on these points and select Create Marker.
• Creating Scale Bar: Under the Reference tab, select both markers, right-click, and choose Create Scale Bar. Enter the known scale distance and accuracy.

Processing the Model

Resizing the Model Region

• Resize Region: Click the Resize Region icon and adjust the region corners as needed.
• Navigation: Use the navigation bubble to check the region’s height and width.

Building Dense Cloud

• Initiate Process: Select Workflow > Build Dense Cloud. Choose the desired quality level and start the process.

Creating the Mesh

• Build Mesh: Go to Workflow > Build Mesh. Select Arbitrary for Surface Type, Dense Cloud for Source Data, and choose your desired Face Count.

Adding Texture

• Texture Process: Navigate to Workflow > Build Texture. Select Generic for Mapping Mode and Mosaic for Blending Mode.

Final Steps and Exporting

Reducing File Size

• Decimate Mesh: If needed, reduce file size by clicking Tools > Mesh > Decimate Mesh. Enter the target face count.

Exporting the Model

• Export Model: Click File > Export Model. Choose Wavefront OBJ as the file type and ensure all export parameters are set correctly.

Conclusion

That’s it for our beginner’s guide to 3D modeling in Agisoft Metashape. Practice these steps to improve your skills, and refer to the User Manual for detailed guidance. Thanks for reading, and happy modeling!