From there you upload them to the cloud where your Pix4D Cloud account processes your model and delivers a LAS point cloud along with an FBX or OBJ format mesh model that can be viewed in the Pix4D Cloud viewer. When complete you check the button to finish the capture, and your images are placed in project folder on your device. Pix4DCatch takes advantage of your device’s GNSS and IMU data for the generation of scaled and georeferenced 3D outputs. You will see key points on the screen that are fixed to the objects as you move the camera, along with the current number of images captures. From there, all you have to do is move the camera around the object and as you do so, it automatically captures the required images. Once signed in, and the app is running, just point your device camera at the desired object you wish to capture and press the camera button.

The app is very simple to use with very few options. The app is tied to your Pix4D Cloud account with a valid license, and your cloud allowance will be debited based on the number of images processed. Pix4DCatch is an app based product and is available on the Google Play Store and the Apple App store for your device.

I tested both of these products out using my personal smartphone, a OnePlus 8, but the process should be the same for any phone. I will explore both products and compare differences and similarities, plus some things to watch out for. Both products deliver surprisingly good results with little effort on your part. You will get back a 3D model of the captured object in the form of a point cloud and mesh model.

In both programs, you use your mobile device to take a series of photos around an object that get transferred to a cloud server for processing. In this post, I want to point out two great products for quick object reality capture using your smartphone or tablet, Pix4DCatch and Autodesk ReCap Photo.

Recap photo pro