9 Free tools to create your own stunning 3D photos

In this blog post i will tell you about the 9 most powerful and free tools to create your own 3D views of your photographs. Photographs can be taken with any type of cameras, even your phone and can be converted to panoramic or photosyths 3D views. So prepare yourself for some intense and stunning stuff...Enjoy

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What is the difference between a Panorama and a Photosynth?

Panorama:
It makes a 360 view from a single point. This works when you take photos standing at a single location.

Photosynth:
It creates an even more realistic experience as if you are walking in the view.

An Example of Panorama: Diablo Lake Overlook

An Example of Photosynth: National Geographic - Sphinx

Free tools to convert your collection of photos into stunning 3D views:

Microsoft Photosynth

URL: http://photosynth.net/

This tool is from Microsoft Research and its all Free. You can either make a photosynth of your photos with this photo. Not only that you can also post your work for the whole world to see, appreciate and comment upon. Apart from photos from normal cameras you can even make 3D views using a cool iphone app like this:
Made with iphone app (iPhone 3Gs, iPhone 4, iPad 2, and the 4th generation iPod Touch)
Col de rousset, France

Image Composite Editor

URL: http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/redmond/groups/ivm/ice/

Another tool from Microsoft Research. With this you can create panorama of your photos like the one shown at the top. This software installs on your system and therefore it is quicker to make panoramic images. It works with Windows as early as Windows XP.

Dermander

URL: http://www.dermandar.com/

Works online and again you can show your work as well.

Hugin

URL: http://hugin.sourceforge.net/

With Hugin you can assemble a mosaic of photographs into a complete immersive panorama, stitch any series of overlapping pictures and much more. It actually is GUI for Panorama tools. There are other GUI tools but they are not free like PtGUI.

Windows Live Photo Gallery

URL: http://explore.live.com/windows-live-photo-gallery?os=other

Another tool from Microsoft. It is a part Windows Live. Apart from other features it also has ability to create panoramic images. Works only with versions later than Windows Vista including it.

Pixmaker

URL: http://web.singnet.com.sg/pixaround/index.html

It is an installable software and has both paid and free versions. I have not tried it so i cannot recommend it but its free!

OpenphotoVR

URL: http://openphotovr.org/

It is open source can be. Works by uploading photos on there website and then it generates a 3D transitional effect. The whole sourcecode can be downloaded and it can incorporated in your own website, but it lacks the features of other programs mentioned above.

Bundler

URL: http://phototour.cs.washington.edu/bundler/

It is a command Line Utility, but has lot of features and its sourcecode is available as well, thus it has unlimited potential for those who know there way around coding.

Plugin for Photoshop to make panorama images

URL: http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/redmond/groups/ivm/HDView/HDPhotoshopPlugin.htm

This would excite all the Photoshop lovers. This plugin directly converts photos from Photoshop. It is made available by Microsoft Research as well.

How to make a panorama:

How to make a photosynth:

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