The iconic Huey featured in CAM’s main 602 hangar. Although visitors can look through the side door and peer inside, we decided to add some tour imagery for those unable to visit or crawl inside the rear.
I undertook 4 scans overall; 2 external and 2 internal.
I used the SpheronVR SceneCam plus ScanLight attachment for all the scans, the ScanLight ensuring a consistency of illumination for all the scans. This was useful, as this corner of the 602 hangar is probably the darkest (being the furthest from the hangar front).
Capture Challenges
As with any cramped interior, camera placement was considered to avoid significant blurring due to minimal focus distance of lens and aperture choices. Smaller apertures would improve depth of field, but increase image noise.
Scan Resolution
All scans were shot at maximum resolution which would generate a usable image of in excess of 50 mega pixels
Capture Time
Scanning time is consistent with the ScanLight attachment; typically about 6 minutes per scan.
Image Processing – HDR
The initial conversion of the raw image being handled by Spheron’s native Image Processor. This converted the native .SPH file format into a cropped, bi-linear radiance file format, saved as a 32-bit HDR file.
Tone Mapping
The resultant HDR image was then tone-mapped to allow a single image with fixed (and balanced) exposure to be produced. I used PhotoMatix Pro 5.1.3 for this purpose, which provides a healthy range of processing options. I tended to find the Default tone-mapping option worked best, as I found the Photographic option yielded images with too great a contrast range (my preference was for less contrast).
Sample Equilateral Projection Image (Full Resolution) (10806 × 5403 pixels)
Above : Bell UH-1H-BF Iroquois (Huey) Cockpit shot
Completed Tour
To experience the full tour for the Beech, please visit the Combat Air Museum website, or click the link below
Bell UH-1H-BF Iroquois (Huey) virtual tour produced using the Spheron SceneCam
Professor Huw THOMAS 