123D testing

Spanish version here


A few days ago I found a new software from Autodesk to make 3d models from normal 2D fotografies. Today i had some free time so I try the software to see how it works.

It is call 123D Catch and it is still a Beta version. You can download it from Autodesk main site for free. It doesn´t need almost any resource from your computer because it works in the "cloud".

After you install the software the process is very easy:

1- Take the pictures and uploaded on your personal computer.

2- open 123D Catch and star a new project

3- select the images

4- Click on Create a scene

5.-Wait (the waiting time will depend on the amount of picture that you upload) In my case it was like 3 minutes for 24 pictures. This was the result:


The software interface will show in the bottom the used images and the place where it were taken. We can move the image and orbit around it, like any other 3d software. As you can see on this image, the background of the object has a lot of weird things in the back. You can erase them by simply selecting and using the erase bottom.

After creating the model, we have different options. We can create a video and directly upload it to Youtube, or create a 3d mesh to export to other software like AutoCad, 3dMax etc

I tried to upload  an scene that  I made direct to youtube but it gives an error.

I tried to export  the video and there was no problem. The size of the file is 240Mb in HD so i guess that is the reason for the youtube error.

I wanted to export an DWG in order to open in Autocad, but the file is empty...  Then managed to import the file in 3d studio, and this was the result:

It doesn't only export the object, it also export all the camera angles, so you can also switch between every real camera view.

Personal opinion:


- A software than can be very powerful if they fix all errors from beta version. I would like to try it in a bigger scale, maybe to use it on some project presentation in Architecture, so we don´t have to spend a lot of time making the surrounding model


- Measuring tool is very useful, you just need to know the distance of two different points then it resized the whole model so you can measure after.

-I don´t like the fact it works in the cloud. I prefer software that you install in your computer even if they need more resources. I don´t like to depend on an Internet connection to work.

-Where is the UNDO command?  when i was cleaning the model i accidentally erase more than I needed, at that point it was not turning back, so I had to start again.

-The export/import to other programs did not  work as good as I expected

- I hope it will always be free, something weird talking about Autodesk