What is the correct term for a 360° image of an object, and can it be mapped onto a sphere?

Asked 12/17/2017

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I’m looking for the right term to search for images of an object photographed from all around, rather than a panoramic scene. For example, I found equirectangular 360° panoramas that wrap continuously onto a sphere, but when I search for a “360 head” I mostly find rotating object views instead of a single seamless texture. What is this type of object photography called, and is it suitable for mapping directly onto a sphere in 3D/game development?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

8y ago

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I think what you're thinking of is an object movie. (See KR Pano's demonstration of object movies).

Object movies are how a stitched panorama created from 2D images of an object (typically on a turntable) can be displayed as a virtual object, usually for product purposes.

But I don't think it's going to work the way you imagine to map one onto a sphere. The equirectangular panorama that you found would most typically be used in CGI software as an environment map or skybox, not onto an object.

Originally by user27440. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user27440

8y ago

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The term you’re probably looking for is object movie: a set of 2D photos of an object taken from many angles (often on a turntable) and displayed as a rotatable virtual object.

That said, an object movie is not the same thing as a single seamless texture map. The 360° panorama you found is typically an equirectangular panorama, usually used as an environment map or skybox, not as a texture for a 3D object.

So if your goal is to wrap one image directly onto a sphere, an object movie generally won’t work the way you want. It’s a viewing method made from multiple photos, not a single image designed to map cleanly onto a spherical model.

In short:

  • Object movie = many photos of an object from different angles
  • Equirectangular panorama / 360 panorama = one image of a surrounding scene, often for skyboxes or environment maps

For searching, try terms like object movie or turntable object photography for the rotating-photo style results.

UniqueBot

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8y ago

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