769 
EXPERIENCE USING NON-METRIC CAMERAS IN PHOTOGRAMMETRY. 
Bernardino Deni Díaz Rodríguez a , Sandra Haydeé González García b , Yoelbis Benitez Piñero, 
GEOCUBA IC, 3ra у 4, Playa. C.P. 12200, CH, Cuba, Phone: (+) 537.209 6094, 
bdiaz@geocuba.co.cu ; b sandra@geocuba.co.cu 
KEY WORDS: Close-range photogrammetric, Architectural heritage conservation, Non-metric cameras, Camera calibration, 
Experiment, Accuracy. 
ABSTRACT: 
The use of images obtained with digital non-metric cameras to metric surveying three-dimensional photogrammetric of objects, 
it’s investigated at the moment in the world by the specialists of the field, constituting a very current thematic and of great interest. 
In the presently work is exposed the results reached by the author in experiments developed in this thematic with the means and 
available systems in the country. The work presents results of surveying two objects of interest for the conservation of the 
architectural and cultural patrimony of the Old Havana; the final verification of results is made comparing magnitudes measured in 
the original photogrammetric with the corresponding direct measures on objects. 
1. DEVELOPMENT 
When the non-metric digital cameras are used for 
photogrammetric works, the technical characteristics of utmost 
interest are the metrics qualities of the objective, where the 
magnitudes of the distortions should be known and they cannot 
be extreme, other aspects of interest are the dimension of CCD 
(Charge-Couple Device) and the dimension of pixels, they 
impact directly in the accuracy of the results and they define the 
area of covering of the possible object to get up with less 
images. 
To investigate and to control the geometric precision of the 
cameras the calibration it is made, that is usually made in a 
calibration bank or using a polygon as pattern. They become 
generally serial several calibrations to determine their stability, 
that its function of the variability of the results obtained in each 
test, in these investigations the Elements of Interior Orientation 
and the distortion of the objective are determined; parameters 
that we should know to develop the works in the 
Photogrammetric Digital Stations with the accuracy that the 
applications Photogrammetric demand. 
Cuba doesn’t have photogrammetric digital cameras, but have 
photographic digital cameras non-metric with a resolution of 5 
and more megapixels, that subjected to an investigation process 
in which the elements of interior orientation and the distortion 
of the objectives are determined, they are used to develop works 
of digital Photogrammetric, particularly for applications in the 
field of the close range photogrammetric. 
During the developed investigations were carried out two 
practical experiments that are exposed next: 
The getting up of the decoration to relief of the Theater Marti, 
work of patrimonial and historical importance in The City of 
Havana is in restoration phase and it is interest of the office of 
the historian of the city. Before beginning the cartographic 
works it was carried out a study in the place of the object, 
starting from which the procedure was planned to continue to 
develop the works of photographic rising and the development 
of the base of points that serve as support in the 
Photogrammetric works. The measuring to determine the 
coordinates of the points were made using a total station Leica 
TPS -1200, realizing with the specifications demanded to assure 
the required accuracy, they were carried out the measuring in 
two cycles towards the objective of controlling possible rude 
errors. The photographic takings were made at a distance of 2 m 
of the object with a focus of 28 mm, using for it the scaffolds 
installed for the restoration of the theater. 
The cabinet (restitution) work was developed in a station DPS 
DeltaGeoSystem, subsequently we proceeded to the edition to 
give an appropriate termination to the restored graph, and the 
final results are shown in the figures 1-4. 
When concluding the works, to evaluate the finally achieved 
accuracy, it was carried out a control where magnitudes 
corresponding to the same elements of the object were 
compared measured in the field and in the photogrammetric 
original. The fields measuring were made with a tape metallic 
metric not deformable of 5 m, with the scale recorded in 
magnitudes of up to 1 mm. The accuracy obtained (3mm) 
allows the restoration of the object with a good quality, if we 
consider that this are makes in a way of the handmade one 
where the measuring don't have accuracy better than 5mm. 
The second experiment consisted on the surveying of the facade 
of the Convent Santa Teresa, of patrimonial interest, in 
restoration phase by the office of the Historian of The City. 
Initially it was made a study of the object in the field, where the 
characteristics of the facade, their dimensions and their 
relationship with surroundings were valued, starting from these 
information and considering to achieve a three-dimensional 
representation of the elements with an accuracy of 1.5 cm, it 
was proceeded to the projection of the fieldworks. 
The three-dimensional coordinates of the points in field were 
determined completing the demands exposed in the previous 
experiment. The photographic digital images were take with the 
camera Leica Digilux 2, using a focal of 50 mm at a distance of 
taking of 9 m, in this way was covers the area of interest to 
surveying with the smallest quantity of images. 
The restitution of the elements of the facade was made in a 
station DPS DeltaGeoSystem, the results show up in the figure 
4.