What if you could use the cloud to create 3D models of anything you photographed? Well now it is possible. Read on to learn more... I found something very interesting created by a company called Autodesk. Autodesk is one of the big software companies along with Adobe and Microsoft.
They designed one of the applications that I have installed but hardly ever use: Maya. Maya is a 3D program that is very complicated and powerful. It has the largest learning curve I have experienced in any program. It is used for high-end animated movies and although I have the Mac version, it is optimized for very large production houses that use the Linux operating system. I first learned about this company when I took a semester of 3D animation at my high school. But what is really exciting to me is the newly-released software available that is designed for the consumer.
They have many 3D modeling programs available that are all named Autodesk 123D. The coolest one is 123D Catch, a package that allows you to stitch multiple photographs together to create a three-dimensional scene on the computer. It works surprisingly well with faces, objects, buildings, and interiors.
It can be downloaded without cost for Windows or iPad. If you have heard of photofly this is it under a new name. Also available is the Mac-compatible 123D Make which provides a simple way to convert your computer models into printable models.
So download Catch and then please leave a comment about how it worked for you.
Editor Note 2018: Autodesk discontinued their 123D line of apps in 2017. This means that 123D Catch is no longer available for download.