3D track marks not sticking and "no depth from a tripod pan solve" message.

Report · Jul 08, 2023

My 3D tracker is not working after two days of troubleshooting including completely uninstalling and reinstalling the program twice. My 2020 128 GB mac is up to date as well as all of my Adobe software. I have referenced every youtube video on how to 3d track/troubleshooting 3d tracking and I don't see any missed steps. I've expereinced with various footage assumed to be best suited for tracking. The footage I am most recently using is the the Adobe footage I downloaded form the Adobe's latest version of After Effects 'Classroom in a Book'. It's the footage form the chapter that covers 3d tracking so, I assume at the very least this footage would track. After analyzing track marks will appeaer but always in the same spot no matter what the scene or footage is. Then those track marks stay in the same spot as if stuck to the camera lens as you scroll though the shot opposed to sticking to one spot in the scene as the camera pans through. Any solutions would be cherrished. Thank You.

Report · Jul 09, 2023

I responding because I see you posted this yesterday and no one else has replied. I've not got the classroom in a book files, so cannot tell if there's an issue there or with your set up. But, try using your phone to record about a minute's worth of footage. Just point at your whole room, making sure you record the floor. Move to the side a little. That should give you a nice, simple tracking shot.

Import this and follow the tracking tutorials (just to check, you are setting a ground plane and origin after the tracking is processed, right?).

If your tracking works, then there's something messed up in the file you were given, so contact the website.
If your tracking fails, try switching your project settings to software only and try again. That would mean there's an issue with your graphics card. If it still fails, post back on the forums with all the steps you've taken.

I've just relooked at your screenshot. You have made a ground plane or camera from when that screenshot was taken. Do the issues persist after you do that?

Report · Jul 09, 2023

Hi SC, thank you for the response! Yes the problems do persist after setting a ground plane and I have expereinced with multiple shots however I will try the room iphone experiment. I don't belive the footage is the hindrance though. I changed the project settings to software only but getting the same results. The markers always show up on the frame the same place every time the tracker analyzes the footage and then they stick to the lens. I am adding two screen grabs. The first is setting the ground plane in the first frame with the crabs. The second is a little later in the shot as the camera pans up the rock so that you can see how the markers stick to the lens.

Report · Jul 09, 2023

Hi SC, I wanted to thank you again and give you an update. The analyization worked with the iphone room footage that you had suggested. I really thought that because I not only used Adobe's tracking example media as well as a lot of simple shots with clear planes, that the footage wasn't at fault. Apparently it is. It's still odd to me though, as I've seen lots of examples using the camera tracking with drone footage of nature which is what I initially set out to accomplish. Thanks a lot for your help, much appreciated!

Report · Jul 09, 2023

To get depth information for any kind of camera tracking, no matter what software you use, you need camera movement along some kind of line in the shot. That will make the parallax change because the perspective changes when you change position. The parallax changing on fixed geometry that AI finds and identifies is used to figure out how the camera is moving and what the focal length should be. The camera's position controls perspective; focal length determines the angle of view. If there is no lens distortion, the perspective on a shot taken with a 24 mm lens that is twenty feet from a subject is exactly the same as the perspective on a shot taken from the same camera position and a 200mm lens. Move the camera 10 feet closer or farther from the subject, and the perspective will change. This change in perspective gives Camera Tracking the ability to figure out how the camera is moving.

When you pan a camera, there is no perspective change in anything, no parallax changes, and, therefore, no depth information. You will have to guess where the trackers are in 3D space to figure out how to use depth of field in the camera. No mathematical formula will give you that kind of information from a simple camera pan. You'll have to move the layers in Z space and adjust the scale to make that work. The camera tracker UI will tell you that no depth information was generated when it detects a camera pan.

Report · Jul 10, 2023

Hi SC, thanks again for your responses. I justed wanted to share a file that I am trying to track that I believe is doing the things you descrived in your last response. It's a drone shot moving toward multiple planes. Does this shot not track due to a lack of subjects in the foreground as it moves toward the earth?

Report · Jul 10, 2023

Hi

It's interesting that the other shot wouldn't track - especially as it's part of the training series. Unfortunately this video is shared only as preview and I can't see how to download it. Can you drop it into dropbox or similar and share a link.

If you don't want to share publically, use the envelop icon and PM me.

Report · Jul 10, 2023

I used your source footage to demonstrate the workflow I use when using the Camera Tracker in After Effects. I almost always att some color correction, usually with Brightness and Contrast, to increase the detail in the shot to give the Tracker a better chance of finding things to track.

Here's the tutorial. It is now public. If I have your permission I will add it to one of my Playlists and give you credit for the video. If you prefer to keep the video private, let me know and I will take down the tutorial. My connection is not very good so it make take a while for the upload to YouTube to complete.

I hope this helps. I had no trouble getting a good track on your shot. I have included an AE.23 project file for you to look at. You'll have to add the footage you shared to the project.

My Quick Tips Playlist

Report · Jul 10, 2023

Hi Rick, thanks so much for creating this video and you absolutely have my permission to post it. It is clear and detailed. However, this is still not working for me. I went step by step through your process of the tracking portion multiple times now. I imported the same way, added the contrast effect and adjusted it to a contrast of 56, I then precomposed with the correct boxes checked (Move all atributtes to new comp/adust comp duration to layer), 3d camera track with detailed anaylis. My result: The same marks and behavior appear in the same spots as before. The same from the scree grabs I had previously sent of the waterfall. This leads me to believe I have some sort of setting off but that would be odd as I have recently reinstalled and reset to default program settings. As I appreciate all your help, the issue I have has been incredibly frustrating for me. I have studied and worked as an editor for the past five years. In between jobs I spend everyday learning features/moves on After Effects and I have never hit such a roadblock in any software. I typically have a good understanding of tutorials and up to this point have succeeded at learning any move that I pursued. Your tutorial is excellent and goes beyond what anyone could hope for when learning 3D tracking in After Effects. Unfortunately my issues seem deeper than the workflow. It's always possible I missed something but, I have gone over it many times now. I am determined to get this to work and am open to any further suggestions you may have as long as it is not an imposition. Thank You!!

Report · Nov 05, 2023

Have you figured out the problem? I appear to be having the same issue no mattter what I do ro what lips I try.

Report · Nov 06, 2023

https://youtu.be/ztEUVna9uMA

Hi Evan, this Video was helpful for me.

Report · Apr 12, 2024

i m facing the same problem (no depth from a tripod pan solve) and i also watched rick yt videoo but didn't helped me its always showing (no depth from a tripod pan solve) that line

Report · Apr 13, 2024

Is your shot a tripod pan? If there is no perceptible parallax shift in the fixed geometry in the shot, you will not get depth information from any Camera Tracking software I have ever used because you need a shift in the perspective in the shot to calculate depth.