Intro
Rock Mapper uses rock face photographs as base maps for Mapping and Sampling. The better the quality of the image, the easier it is to map onto it. Additionally, face photographs allow to capture geological detail which a) can't be captured in a sketch and b) would otherwise be lost as soon as the development face is blasted.
👉 For best image quality, follow these steps:
- Use a powerful, rugged LED light (see recommended LED lights) with a light output of at least 1,500 lumen. More light, better pictures, even with a small camera such as the one used in the the iPad (Pro).
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Hold the iPad with both hands when taking a picture. This will help to mitigate motion blur which can be an issue when taking pictures in low-light environments.
- Use a 1-second timer delay when taking pictures (can be set in the app by tapping the timer icon below the shutter button, see details here). This means that the image is taken 1 second after you have pressed the shutter button, therefore mitigating any movement that is associated with the button press itself.
- Headlamps can cause overexposed/bright spots in the picture. Therefore, turn off headlamps and only use the rugged, high-power LED light to illuminate the face.
- If possible, turn off orange flashing lights of any nearby vehicle or wait until vehicle has left the area.
- Always take pictures in landscape format.
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Check image quality straight after taking the picture. If the picture is blurry then capture a new one.
- Stand in the centre of the drive and orient the camera perpendicular to the face when taking a picture because the iPad's built-in magnetic compass is capturing your view direction which is then used as face heading value for georeferencing (see details here).
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Adjust the distance to the face so that the face height stretches over the whole image height (no need to show much of the floor on the photograph).
- If face is covered in dust and/or dirt, then if possibly hose it down before taking a picture.
- Make sure that the drive direction laser point OR reference point is visible on the face photograph so that it can later be used for georeferencing purposes.
- Make sure that the iPad's camera lens is clean (free from dust & dirt and not fogged up).
- Don’t use flash when taking pictures but a powerful continuous LED light instead. By default flash is turned off in Rock Mapper.