FAQ

How to activate the software?

1. Save activation file, we send you after purchasing, to your hard drive. This is zip archive with activation txt file inside. Unpack it.
2. Open demo version. Activation dialog appears.
3. Press Open… button and select activation txt file.
4. Press Activate button.
Don’t use copy-past operation when activating. Use Open… button in Activation dialog to upload activation key

Do you have any Guidance and/or some pieces of advice concerning production technology from start to end?

A detailed, step by step description of production process is in the software User Guide (HELP). Demo versions of the applications are accessible for downloading from the site and it includes full guidance with the software work description, pieces of advice and hands-on examples. It is possible to download the guidance from the site separately. Also, a lot of useful information is in the articles, published on the site.

What is the purpose of the pitch-test?

It is necessary for the exact determination of the encoding step. Lenticular lens step in LPI could slightly change in different lots. Temperature in the room and other factors influence on characteristics of the lenticular material. Besides, the encoding step depends on printer’s characteristics and kind of paper. That is why it is recomended to execute pitch-test everytime when you work with new lots of lenticular sheets. Pitch-test allows exact encoding step, which provides the best result, to be defined. Derived value is used when encoding images for lenticular sheets from tested lot.

Is it necessary to prepare images in Photoshop?

If you have a series of source images (for instance, a sequence of frames of multiview stereo shooting or a pair of frames for a flip image), what you need is just open source frames in 3DMasterKit and execute encoding. If you need to adjust relative position of source images, you can easily do it in 3DMasterKit.
Photoshop or some other editor may be necessary when working with StereoTracer. This application generates series of frames out of one regular “flat” picture and “depth-map” (a gray-scale image, coincided in size with the source image and on which distance to objects is designated by their brightness). A depth-map may be created and edit in any graphic editor.
The process of the depth-map creation is in details described in the StereoTracer guidance.
StereoTracer generates series of frames on the base of one regular image and a depth-map, then, that series can be saved and opened in 3DMasterKit for the further encoding and creating stereo image.

What is the templates' purpose? How to work with them and is it necessary to use Photoshop to process templates?

A template is a file prepared in Photoshop with image elements (objects) devided on layers.

Method of creating stereo photo with templates is generaly used by photografers for the quick creation of child’s and wedding pictures in colorful decoration.
A series of the ready-made templates (vignettes), created by professional designers can be purchased in addition to the software.3DMasterKit application provides ample opportunities in adjustment of the template. You can exchange layers’ places with each other, replace, scale and rotate elements of a template at any angle. The control of layers and pictures is executed in convenient interface using a mouse. A special technology, that allows any number of modifications to be executed without loses of quality, is used in the application 3DMasterKit (in Photoshop it is vise vers A: every rotate operation causes feathering of image). Besides, all modifications can be canceled or repeated (many-stage feature Undo/Redo).
Sequence of operations in work with templates:

  1. Launch 3DMasterKit application.
  2. Open a file with a template.
  3. Add any photo, that you’d like to decorate by a stereo-template.
  4. After a template is adjusted, generation command may be executed. 3DMasterKit creates a sequence of frames for encoding.
  5. Sequence of frames for lenticular screen can be encoded or saved for further processing.
  6. Adjusted template can be saved as a “project” for further use.

It is also possible to combine templates with each other, create new out of existing ones in 3DMasterKit. You can open a few templates in the application and compile a new theme, which then can be used for the photo decoration. You can create new graphical elements in Photoshop, which then can be easily added into existing templates or create new ones.

Is it possible to use lenticular lens without any adhesive layer and how should it be attached to image in this case?

Generally, it is possible. Transparent double-sided scotch tape is used to conjoin lenticular lens with image (it is sold by rolls of about a meter wight). Firstly, it is attached to the lenticular lens (by means of laminator), and then, by other side, to the printed encoded image. Actually, lenticular lens with adhesive is the lens with the same scotch type attached to it in the factory conditions. You can buy lenticular sheets without adhesive and then stick the scotch type on them by yourself. In this case there is a possibility of spoilage appearing exists. The process of the adhesive application requires special, clean conditions. Otherwise, each fleck of dust will be seen under lenticular lens.

What is the purpose of laminator, and is there any special requirements to it?

Laminator is needed for high quality attachment of encoded image to lenticular lens adhesive layer. Any laminator with the function of cold laminating is suitable.

Is it possible to watch stereo effect, which has to be seen after lenticular lens attaching, on the monitor screen?

You can watch supposed stereo effect on the monitor screen in the anaglyph mode, before printing image. Special red-turquoise glasses are necessary for viewing anaglyph stereo images. Anaglyph glasses are included into Triaxes tools kit.
Also, you can create a stereo pair from source images for the direct view. Such mode is also provided in 3DMasterKit. There is no any special devices are necessary to watch stereo pair from the monitor screen in that mode. What you need is just defocus your sight in such a way, that each eye looks at it’s own picture in a stereo pair.

How to choose lenticular lens?

Lenticular sheets with vertical lens orientation are used when making STEREO pictures. When you use vertically oriented lenticular lens ( with lens disposed along the longer side of a sheet and marked as “V”), you will get stereo pictures with “Portrait” orientation. When you use horizontally oriented lenticular lens (marked as “H” and having lens, disposed perpendicularly towards the long direction), you will get stereo images with “Album” orientation.

Any lenticular lens will be suited when making FLIP images, but horizontally oriented lens (towards the horizon line) are used traditionally. When you use vertically oriented lenticular lens, you will get flip images with “Album” orientation, and when horizontally oriented – “Portrait”.
Lens selection depends on what you are going to make with their help, because, different lenticular lens are meant for different works.

Lenticular lens differ in three parameters:

  • a number of LPI
  • lens thickness
  • visual angle

1. Lens per inch (LPI). The more LPI, the thinner the lenses, correspondingly there are more of them in one inch. Lenticular sheets with high LPI (60-100), are generally used for the viewing from the short distance, for creating small formatted production (from the size of a small calendar to pictures of 50×70 cm). Lenticular sheets with low LPI (10-20) – for viewing from the distance more than 3 meters, usually used for works of big formats (advertising panels, light-boxes, sign plates). The higher index of LPI, the thinner lenses of lenticular screen, the more demanding image for such lenticular lens to the print quality.

2. Lens thickness connects with index of LPI, in general, the more LPI, the thinner lenticular sheet. Lenticular screens of 60-100 LPI are mostly thin. They can be firm or flexible. Flexible lens are used for souvenir production, labels, greeting cards, covers; firm ones are better suited for pictures, portraits and so-on.
Lenticular sheets of 10-40 LPI are more thick and firm, and they are used for making large-formatted production.

3. Visual angle of lenticular lens. The smaller lens’ visual angle, the more depth of stereo image on such lens. Lenticular lens are divided by this character into following types:

  • all-purpose (visual angle 44-45 degrees) – suits for stereo as well as for flip images, but stereo effect will be mean.
  • 3D lens (stereo lenticular lens with the angle smaller then 30 degrees) – it is better to use it for stereo, because stereo effect comes out very impressive, but flip comes of mean quality.
  • Flip lens (flip lenticular lens with the angle greater then 45 degrees) – it is for all kind of flip effects such as simple flip, morphing, animation (motion), zoom. 

Which printer it is better to use for printing stereo and flip images.

It is better to use ink-jet printer with high resolution, for instance, printers EPSON, Canon, HP with high printing resolution, gave a good account of themselves. Also, offset printing is widely used.

Should digital mini photo laboratories (MPL) be used for printing stereo and flip images?

Yes, they should. Our clients are successfully use digital minilabs Konika R2Super and D-Сarrier D4. To know, whether equipment of the other trademarks suits or not, it is necessary to make a test. For that, lenticular lens and an image, prepared in 3DMasterKit application are needed. Such image can be pitch-test, created in the demo-version of the software, which is available for free download from our site. The process of creating pitch-test is in detail described in the software guidance.
It is necessary to take into account a peculiarity, when printing encoded images on minilabs: minilabs make autoscaling to standard “optimal” (from the minilab’s point of view) sizes. It is necessary to switch off this option and print images in the scale 1:1, as it was generated by the application.

What is the difference between resolution in PPI and DPI?

Printer’s resolution is specified in DPI (dots per inch). The values, specified by printer producers may be up to 9600 and more DPI. Resolution of the digital image in program processing is measured in PPI (pixels per inch). One pixel is displayed by several dots when printing, that’s why printers resolution in DPI is usually high. Printer’s driver takes in images to process in the definite resolution in PPI (so-called physical resolution). For the Epson printers this resolution is usually equals 720 PPI, for Canon printers – 600 PPI. You can find out printer’s resolution on the Preview page.

If I purchase 3DMasterKit Home at the beginning, and then I decided to buy 3DMasterKit Photo, should I pay full cost of the Photo configuration, or just the difference in costs?

When you upgrade configuration of the software (for instance, from 3DMasterKit Home to 3DMasterKit Photo), you should pay only difference in costs. If you purchase one more application, for the work on the second computer, you will pay second application with the 20% discount. The percent of the discount is rising depending on amount of the purchased software.

Is it possible to install purchased software on the several computers ( for instance, on a stationary PC and on a laptop)?

According to the license agreement, you may install and use only one product’s copy of the Start and Home configurations for the noncommercial purposes. For the Photo, Photo plus and Professional configurations, it is permitted to install one copy on the working computer for the commercial usage and another one on the laptop or home PC for noncommercial purposes.

Is it possible to use the same activation code, if a PC was upgraded (or simply changed) or Windows was reinstalled?

Yes, it is possible, but after Windows was reinstalled, reinstallation of the software or activation may be needed.

Is there any discounts, in the case we need 2 or more applications for the work in the same company, but at the different “points”?

Yes, there are discounts in such cases. It is 20 % discount, when purchasing second application 3DMasterKit, 3rd work station – with 30% discount, 4th – with 35% discount, 5th – with 40% discount. Please contact our sales team.

Isn't it easier to print encoded images in any photo studio, and then just attach image to the lenticular lens?

It is possible to print images in photo studios but only in some of them. The exact of printing is very important when printing encoded images for lenticular lens, otherwise, you won’t get high quality image. Not all of the photo studios have corresponding equipment. Laser printer doesn’t suit for printing encoded images. Some of our customers are successfully print on their own digital mini photo labs Konika R2Super, D-Сarrier D4 (thermo-sublimate printing method). To know, whether equipment of the other trademarks suits or not, it is necessary to make a test. For that, lenticular lens and an image, prepared in 3DMasterKit application are needed. Such image can be pitch-test, created in the demo-version of the software, which is available for free download from our site. The process of creating pitch-test is in detail described in the software guidance (HELP).

It is necessary to take into account a peculiarity, when printing encoded images on minilabs: minilabs make autoscaling to standard “optimal” (from the minilab’s point of view) sizes. It is necessary to switch off this option and print images in the scale 1:1, as it was generated by the application. That way , minalab should be adjusted for the printing of encoded images every time, you want to print an image. Not every studio will consent to spend their time and strength on photo labs’ equipment testing, though everything depends on the orders quantities. Anyway, it is much easier to purchase ink-jet photo printer for personal usage.

How to get a discount on a product?

To get a discount it is necessary to enter a discount code that you will find on the page of the product you want to buy. When checking out in the online store, as it is shown below, you will be prompted to enter your coupon code, which is your discount code. Then, all you need to do is just enter the code and get your discount!

 

 

 

 

 

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