Trying Out Something New with Our Pictures - Western Electric A1 - 360˚ Picture

[AE_Collector]

Without having discussed this with other Moderators....since it isn't going to be a picture format that everyone will begin posting most of their pictures in (since special equipment is required) and since our forum (like eBay) doesn't support the uploading of these pictures, I dont see a problem with uploading a regular picture of the phone along with a link to the 360 degree picture of the phone. We like to avoid pictures hosted elsewhere but in these relatively few examples there isn't another option and it is a novelty to see them this way. That isn't the same as not wanting to be bothered uploading a regular picture directly to the forum and hosting it elsewhere instead.

So not trying to dissuade you Matt, it is very interesting and thanks for showing some of them to us. As phone Collectors, we know you can't fight technological change and sometimes it takes awhile for other technology to catch up!

Terry

[Dan/Panther]

Can you imagine how much nicer that would make eBay auctions to be able to look at an item 360 degrees.

D/P

[TelePlay]

I agree with Terry. My point was the SMF software will not allow it and 3rd party code embedded in the server software is a not safe.


Members do that all of the time on the forum, post a picture or two of an eBay listing, maybe include a screen capture of the eBay listing to record the price, seller, seller location and where it ships from, maybe the description and then the eBay link (which will go dead in a few months). Auction contests do it all the time and most of the eBay links are dead but the basic info is still in each contest.

I used IPIX in the mid 1990's which was software they sold to me, a 180 degree fish-eye lens and a tripod. Take two pictures, run them into the software and it created a 360 degree view of a room including up and down to see the floor and ceiling. It also had zoom in ability. Once created, I could put the image(s) on a 3.5" disk and hand them out at showings or open houses. That was the first ever such software to do this. It's gotten a lot better since then. The Home Depot stove (for example) does rotate, top, bottom and zoom .

For reference, the IPIX set up cost me $1,000 in 1994 including the camera, lens, tripod and software. Each image I produced cost me $10, license was 10 - 360 degree images for $100.

They still exist and offer a demo of their cloud "ball" images at this site:

     https://www.ipix.com/#Demo

Still basically the same equipment and stitching technology, complete camera cost is $2,500 plus another $1,000-1,400 for the software plus about $1,000 a year to post the images on their cloud.

Maybe Matt can give his costs. Has to be cheaper than IPIX.


Big different with IPIX is this is a stand in one place and look around. Arqspin is rotate an object in front of the camera.

This link I posted above

     Possible IPIX Example

shows the center looking out IPIX type of view.

[AE_Collector]

Can you imagine how much nicer that would make eBay auctions to be able to look at an item 360 degrees.

D/P

Yes, probably like this but rotating!

But...yes I agree, it would have the capability of seeing an item from so many angles would certainly be an improvement over some of the pictures posted to eBay! And as this technology improves I wouldn't be surprised to see something like these 360 pictures on eBay.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=3908.0

[mazda_matt]

As long as its okay with the mods, I would like to continue showcasing these 360 spins. However, I will upload a regular picture of the phone as well as a link to the spin.

As far as pricing goes, here it is:

I went with a 24" turntable which normally costs $349.95, but I was able to get it for the price of the 12" table at $199.95. They also had a 20% discount and free shipping on top of that. Arqspin's requires a monthly subscription which costs $19.95 per month, but I received my first month free. So at the end of the day my bill was $175 USD ish.

My camera is a Nikon D5300 with 18 - 55 kit lens. Picked up on Black Friday for $700.00. I hadn't used a DSLR in about 8 years, it was nice to get back into it.

Lighting was around $100 for 2 hoods on Amazon and my new white backdrop + stands was around $100 as well. I use 8 x regular household LED bulbs from Canadian Tire (5000k I think). I have another hood that I think I will mount above the phone shinning down.

-MM

[TelePlay]

As long as its okay with the mods, I would like to continue showcasing these 360 spins. However, I will upload a regular picture of the phone as well as a link to the spin.

I think I'm speaking for all the moderators (having done a bit of PMing on this and other stuff today) when I say what you propose above is just fine. Maybe three still images, one from the left front corner and one from the right front corner and one of the bottom would document the phone on the forum quite well should the spinning link every fail.

Do you know that if you stop paying the monthly fee, do all of the uploaded videos disappear?

Pricing is good. I remember the first competitor IPIX had was a company that did the same thing you are doing but in reverse, they put the camera in the center of the room and rotated it a bit more than 360 degrees to see the room. They did not offer the up and down feature of IPIX but they also charged/cost a lot less.

I haven't used IPIX since the late 90s but still have the tripod. Bought a nice, standard head for it for about $25 and now have two pro-quality tripods, one upstairs and one in the dungeon. If I were selling real estate today, I would not go with IPIX due to the cost.

[mazda_matt]

I think I'm speaking for all the moderators (having done a bit of PMing on this and other stuff today) when I say what you propose above is just fine. Maybe three still images, one from the left front corner and one from the right front corner and one of the bottom would document the phone on the forum quite well should the spinning link every fail.

Do you know that if you stop paying the monthly fee, do all of the uploaded videos disappear?

Pricing is good. I remember the first competitor IPIX had was a company that did the same thing you are doing but in reverse, they put the camera in the center of the room and rotated it a bit more than 360 degrees to see the room. They did not offer the up and down feature of IPIX but they also charged/cost a lot less.

I haven't used IPIX since the late 90s but still have the tripod. Bought a nice, standard head for it for about $25 and now have two pro-quality tripods, one upstairs and one in the dungeon. If I were selling real estate today, I would not go with IPIX due to the cost.

I am really not sure about that, good question. I feel as though they are saved in a public cloud and they should still be available, but I will ask them about that.

-MM