Hi,
I just received the 12-camera Optitrack package last week and I am spending time cleaning out my garage to convert that into a mocap studio. Major thanks go out to everyone at Naturalpoint for shipping so quickly.
I wanted to ask about the positioning of cameras. I'll be mounting the cameras to the walls using security camera mounting brackets, but because of the position of certain structural elements in the garage, I'm going to have to position cameras in something other than a perfect rectangle. I just wanted to ask advice on my planned setup before I started attaching the mounting brackets to the walls.
My max height will be 8 feet on one side due to the garage door rails, and as much as 10' on the other side. The garage itself is 20' x 20', but because of a furnace in one corner, I'm limited to 16' on one side.
If I follow the recommended pattern for a 12-camera setup, it will be something like this:
NE Cameras: 2 Cameras mounted at 0 feet deep, 8' high and 4' high.
SE Cameras: 2 Cameras mounted at 0 feet deep, 8' high and 4' high.
NW Cameras: 2 Cameras mounted at 16 feet deep, 8' high and 4' high.
SW Cameras: 2 Cameras mounted at 16 feet deep (but could go as deep as 18'), 8' high and 4' high.
And also the following:
North Camera: Mounted at 8' deep and 8' high.
West Camera: If mounted on the wall, then 20' deep and 8' high, or can be mounted on the ceiling at 16' deep and 10' high.
South Camera: Mounted at 8' (or up to 10') deep and 8' high.
East Camera: Mounted at 0' deep and 8.5' high (to clear the door) and offset by 1' from centre to clear the garage door opener.
Ideally, this provides at least an 8'x10' capture area.
I welcome any and all suggestions and comments on this. I'm looking forward to starting to mount everything this weekend.
RJ
Capture Space and Camera Positioning
Re: Capture Space and Camera Positioning
Hello:
That sounds really exciting! I think you will have a fine setup as mentioned. I would probably raise the lower cameras from 4' up to 5', we have had more luck with a slightly higher placement.
Keep in mind that all cameras should generally be pointed towards the center of your capture volume. You can aim the upper cameras a little high and the lower ones lower, but they all need to overlap in their fields of view, that is key to a good calibration.
Also, please remember to strain relief the cables, pulling on the cameras isn't good.
We have recently started shipping 30' sync cables, maybe you got them, if you got the 15' variety, I might suggest picking up some inexpensive RCA cables and couplers to extend your sync cabling, if needed, to prevent cable strain.
That is about it, good luck!
That sounds really exciting! I think you will have a fine setup as mentioned. I would probably raise the lower cameras from 4' up to 5', we have had more luck with a slightly higher placement.
Keep in mind that all cameras should generally be pointed towards the center of your capture volume. You can aim the upper cameras a little high and the lower ones lower, but they all need to overlap in their fields of view, that is key to a good calibration.
Also, please remember to strain relief the cables, pulling on the cameras isn't good.
We have recently started shipping 30' sync cables, maybe you got them, if you got the 15' variety, I might suggest picking up some inexpensive RCA cables and couplers to extend your sync cabling, if needed, to prevent cable strain.
That is about it, good luck!