What is a virtual tour?
A virtual tour is a sequence of panoramic images that are ‘stitched’ together to create a ‘virtual’ experience of any location. Once created, the viewer is able to experience what it is like to be somewhere they are actually not. This virtual experience can be viewed on computers, tablets & mobile phones. Some virtual tours also include points of interest or “hotspots” that can be clicked on to to give the viewer additional content such as photo galleries, videos or web links to products or services.
How are they made?
The Photography
The photographs can be produced in two ways. Firstly by using a conventional digital camera such as a DSLR fitted with an ultra wide angle fish eye lens. The camera is placed on a special tripod which allows it to be rotated to capture a series of images from the different angles that make up a 360° panorama. The resulting photos are then “stitched” together in to one equiretangular panorama.
Secondly the photographs can be produced using a dedicated 360° camera such as the “INSTA360 One R” or the “Ricoh Theta Z1”. Dedicated 360° cameras have two 180° lenses pointing in opposite directions, this enables them to capture a full 360 degree panorama instantaneously. In most cases the camera also stitches the 2 images in to a single panorama that is suitable for use in the production of a virtual tour.
The resulting images can also be used to make Tiny Planet style photographs.
I use the Ricoh Theta Z1 as it is widely regarded as having the best image quality of any dedicated 360° camera.
Making the tour
Once the panoramas have been captured they can then be arranged in a sequence. This is done using any one of a number of commercially available software packages. The software then uses the photographs to produce a virtual view of the scene that has been captured. At this point of look and feel of the tour can be designed. Hotspot points of interest can be introduced to to give the viewer more information as they navigate trough the virtual space.
Hot Spots Examples
The user can click or tap on the hot spot to get additional information.
External links can also be used as hotspots in this case you are taken to the businesses Google map listing.