Carlson PhotoCapture
Carlson PhotoCapture - Leading Photogrammetry Software Solution for Land Surveying, Mapping & Civil Construction projects
Carlson PhotoCapture is advanced photogrammetry software designed for surveyors, civil engineers, and construction professionals who need fast, accurate surface models and measurements from aerial or terrestrial imagery. Using advanced digital photogrammetry captured by RTK drones, mobile mapping, or 3D scanners, Carlson PhotoCapture transforms images into precise 3D point clouds, contours, and CAD-ready surfaces—without the complexity or cost of enterprise photogrammetry systems
Built to integrate seamlessly within the Carlson Software ecosystem, PhotoCapture enables AEC teams to extract reliable data for topographic mapping, site analysis, earthwork planning, and construction documentation
Turn Ortho Images into Accurate Survey Deliverables
Carlson PhotoCapture enables users to process overlapping photos and generate georeferenced 3D models suitable for professional surveying and construction workflows. By combining photogrammetry with optional ground control points (GCPs), surveyors can achieve survey-grade accuracy for a wide range of applications
Key outputs include:
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Dense 3D point clouds
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Digital terrain models (DTMs) and surfaces
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Contours and elevation data
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Orthophotos and scaled imagery
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CAD-ready deliverables compatible with Carlson IntelliCAD and AutoCAD® platforms
Ideal for Surveyors, Civil & Construction Professionals
Carlson PhotoCapture is trusted across the AEC industry for applications such as:
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Topographic surveys and site mapping
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Construction progress documentation
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Earthwork planning and volume calculations
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Stockpile measurements
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As-built modeling
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Pre- and post-construction analysis
This makes PhotoCapture an excellent solution for land surveyors, civil engineers, site contractors, and mapping professionals seeking a practical photogrammetry workflow
Seamless CAD Integration with Carlson Software
PhotoCapture integrates directly with Carlson Survey, Carlson Civil, Carlson Point Cloud, and AutoCAD®-based workflows, allowing users to quickly move from image processing to drafting, surface modeling, and quantity takeoffs—without data conversion headaches
Carlson PhotoCapture Advantages
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Professional photogrammetry software without enterprise complexity
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Compatible with RTK drone, mobile 3D scanners, or terrestrial imagery
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Survey-ready outputs for CAD and surface modeling
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Ideal for mapping, construction, and civil workflows
Smarter Mapping from Aerial Imagery
Whether you’re capturing as-built conditions, measuring stock pile volumes, or documenting construction progress, Carlson PhotoCapture delivers a reliable, cost-effective photogrammetry solution built specifically for land surveying and construction professionals
Project Creation
- Polygon selection and removal of unwanted images with one click
- Project splitting with polygon selection tool (large project into small projects)
- Visualize project area before processing
- Ground Control Point (GCP) import (landxml, .csv, .txt)
- Manual Ground Control Point (GCP) input
- Ground Control Point Validation
- Metric, Feet, and US Survey Feet support
- Global and local coordinate system support (1000’s of supported projections)
Project Processing
- Nadir & Oblique support
- Self-Calibration – automatic determination of camera IOP and EOP
- Fixed-calibration – use your own calibration parameters for processing
- Automated bundle adjustment, point cloud densification, DEM generation, contour generation, mesh generation, and orthomosaic generation
- Accuracy Report
Project Outputs
- Export orthomosaics in GeoTIFF, jpg, png formats
- Export DEM in Geotiff, jpg, png formats
- Export 3D point cloud in .las, .xyz, and .ply; 3D mesh in .ply, .obj, and .glb formats
- Contours available in .dxf and GeoTIFF formats
- Accuracy report option in PDF format
- In-Browser volume calculations
Collaboration
- Web visualization of all data products
- Visualize 2D maps and 3D models using any web browser
- Cesium 3D tile integration
- Instant measurement of distances and surfaces
- Share projects with annotations via a simple link
- Embed project output in a webpage
- Visualize site changes over time in 2D and 3D with Project Timeline



