Capturing Panoramas

Panorama Capture Modes 

There are three modes available for capturing Panoramas with NavVis VLX:

• Manually (Manual Mode): you press the trigger to manually capture panoramas where precision is needed.

• Automatically (Auto Pano Capture Mode): device decides when to trigger based on movement and distance

• Continuously (Continuous Pano Capture Mode): device captures at a steady cadence while you keep moving

You can tap the AUTO (A) or MANUAL (M) or CONTINUOUS (C) icon on the top bar to change between automatic, manual or continuous camera triggering. They can also be changed in the Settings menu. 

Manual Pano Capture Mode

In Manual mode, you choose when and where to capture each panorama.

Use it when precise panorama placement and image clarity are important, such as at points of interest, equipment labels, room junctions, tight spaces, and stair entries or exits.

Stop and hold the device steady when capturing a panorama to minimize motion blur.

How to capture panoramas in Manual mode

1. To switch to Manual Mode, tap the manual capture mode control on the top bar or via Settings.

2. Stop at areas of interest and stand facing the points where you need to capture panoramas.

3. Once the device is still, press the trigger button above the handle to capture a panorama.

You can manually trigger at any time during scanning, except when adding a control point (the trigger is reserved for that action).

Best Practices

• Aim for repeatable placements: junction centers, room centers, near equipment labels, and at corridor intervals you can recall.

• Avoid very close occlusions: step slightly back from walls, glass, and mirrors before triggering.

Auto Pano Capture Mode

In Auto panorama capture mode, the NavVis VLX automatically decides when to capture panoramas along your path. At every pre-configured distance (for example, 1.5m or 3m) and when stability conditions are satisfied, a panorama capture is triggered. 

How to use Auto Mode

1. Tap Auto mode on the top bar or the Settings menu. You can adjust the distance between triggers as required in the Settings.

2. Maintain a steady pace of walking. When you hear the capture signal (beep sound), pause and hold the device steady for the automated panorama capture. Once the capture is complete, proceed scanning.

Best Practices

• Set longer distance between panorama capture in uniform corridors; shorten spacing in high‑detail zones. 

• Plan for loop closures along your path to enable SLAM and colorization consistency.

Continuous Pano Capture Mode

Continuous Pano mode automatically captures panoramas while you move, so you can focus on scanning instead of triggering each panorama.

It reduces the effort of managing panorama capture, helps avoid missed panoramas, and can save time on site.

Use Continuous Pano mode as the standard for large scans in good lighting conditions.

Setting the Continuous panorama distance

During scanning, use the camera settings in the device to adjust the distance between Continuous panoramas. The default is 3 m and has an adjustable range of 1–99 m. Shorter distances capture more panoramas; longer distances reduce panorama count and processing effort.

Important details and image quality

Continuous panoramas can be darker or blurred, particularly in low light. Stop and capture an additional Manual panorama for readable signs, labels or other critical details. Manual panoramas can be captured while Continuous mode remains active.

See Manual and Continuous Panorama Capture.

How to use Continuous mode

1. On the top bar or in Settings, toggle to the Continuous mode.

2. Walk steadily at a consistent pace. Avoid sharp turns and sudden stops near capture moments to reduce the risk of motion blur.

Choosing the panorama modes

When planning a scan, choosing the right panorama capture mode ensures you balance speed, image quality, and the planned scanning path and workflow, for the specific environment you’re scanning.

For more information on best practices for captuing panormas refer to Capture Panoramic Images - NavVis VLX.

NavVis VLX Cameras’ Field Of View

During stitching, input from all four of the cameras is taken into account to achieve a full panorama view. The cameras are arranged on the head of the NavVis VLX in a fixed position to enable their fields of view to overlap as much as possible.

The illustrations show there are blind spots close to the camera head where none of the cameras can "see". This is how the operator is hidden from the images.

It also means that if there is an object (wall or other) closer than 70cm to 1m to the mobile mapping system, image information will be missing. This is shown as "holes" in the panorama image. Because those images would then have to be discarded manually, the stitching algorithm is not run on capture locations where an object was too close to the mobile mapping system.

Note: Aim for a minimum distance of 1 m from walls and other objects to be on the safe side and achieve a high panorama image quality.
Tilting the device does not improve image clarity beyond approximately 50 cm, as the cameras already operate within their optimal focus range; closer details (for e.g., floors or walls) can be captured using other closer-range imagery if required.