Hello
I am sure this question has been asked many times, I am trying to decide upon a good camera and lens and have a couple of questions.
What is the best prime lens for general photogrammetry, ie photographing objects on a turntable and statues?
Should I turn off image stabilisation?
would a Sony Alpha 6500 be a good choice of camera or is it better to get a full frame DSLR camera ?
Many thanks in advance
Simon
Hi simon,
you are absolutely right, many many times! 
And there are even more answers to the question!
It all depends on what you want and/or need.
If I am sure of anything, then that there is no one-fits-all solution.
For example I am lately more and more convinced that a full frame camera is not the best choice for all purposes because the larger the sensor, the shallower your DOF will be. And especially with spacially difficult objects that can be quite an issue. I only noticed this because I gradually movend to larger sensors and came across difficulties I never had just because of that.
And finally the easy one: If you shoot from a tripod, then turn IS off!
Hi Gotz
Thanks for your reply, that is very helpful, I think I will look at the Sony A6500, and turn off the IS when using a tripod/mono.
Simon
Hi simon,
no problem!
the A6500 is certainly not a bad choice if you’Re on a budget.
However, I also got quite good results aith a 10 year old Panasonic superzoom camera with tiny 10MP sensor and a more recent LX-100 with 12MP. Important is most of all god lenses for sharp results and a sensor with little noise.
Thanks again Gotz
Budget is a factor as I have to buy a couple of cameras, regarding the lens is there a lens that you would recommend, we will be taking images of things like objects on a turntable, walls and sculptures for use in videogames
Many thanks Simon
Sorry, can’t give you any concrete advice on that!
Other than that for training purposes why not consider a good compact camera like the LX-100?
Saves lots on budget and works very much in the same way as any larger camera…
On the lens front, there’s a lot or recommendations to stick with a focal range of around 35mm (from 24mm to 50mm), but it depends on what you’re trying to capture.
I’ve used super wide angle lenses (12mm and 14mm) as well as telephoto (135mm and 200mm) and most lenses in between, and they’ve all produced decent results.
If you want to capture large spaces, having a wider lens will capture more data, but the details are not captured as cleanly. If you want to capture objects on a turn table, a more normal lens of 35mm of 50mm may be sufficient.
If you need the reach, and capture details from a distance, then a telephoto is the only option.
For the uses you’ve mentioned, evaluate if a lens around 35mm or 50mm will be able to capture most of the object in the frame.
Adrian
What about drone? P4P vs Mavic 2 Pro. I work with P4P now, but I need new drone. New P4P is more expensive + there is no more to buy fly more combo. Is there any bvenefit of mechanical shutter in photogrammetry, or ony when capturing moving objects?
Thanks
Nino, it depends on the accuracy you require from the mesh you are generating.
A mechanical shutter gives a much more precise image, which will translate to a more accurate mesh, since there is less distortion in the images. (by distortion I’m talking about rolling shutter distortion, which can’t be compensated for by any software)
Is there a difference between a global shutter (Mavic) and mechanical shutter (Phantom 4 Pro)? Yes, but unless you’re shooting images for crime scene reconstruction or some other research which demands the best quality images, most other cameras will be sufficient.
Now I’m using 3D laser scanner data in combination with a6000 (Sigma 19mm + Sigma 30mm) and P4P V2. Comparing scanner point cloud with photogrammetry data (3D scan + photos) I have accuracy under 1cm. Can I exprect same thing with Mavic 2 Pro? Cultural heritage are most of my projects.
As far as I understand, when using laser scan data in conjunction with photos, the geometry created by the photos is adjusted to fit the laser scan data.
So in your case you might not see much of a difference between the P4P and Mavic’s camera.
Nino, what part of the world are you doing Cultural Heritage captures in?
I’d be interested in having a conversation.
You can email me at aonsen@gmail.com
Adrian
Europe (Croatia).
I’ll send you an email.
Hi Aonsen
Thanks for your input that is really helpful
Simon