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Splatworks - Synthetic Gaussian Splat Capture

by Ben Hornibrook·Workflow

Images © Ben Hornibrook. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

Splatworks stands out for tackling Gaussian Splat capture at the pose level. It passes Blender's exact camera positions to the trainer rather than asking a solver to recover them, which is where clean synthetic renders tend to trip up Structure-from-Motion.

What is Splatworks - Synthetic Gaussian Splat Capture?

Splatworks - Synthetic Gaussian Splat Capture is a Blender add-on for producing Gaussian Splat training data from synthetic renders. Rather than relying on a photogrammetry solve, it samples every camera position straight from Blender's matrix_world, so the exact poses are recorded with no camera-tracking or solving step.

The workflow is to pick a target, set a camera count, and render. A one-click Fibonacci-sphere rig handles subjects like a bust on a turntable, while dropping in a custom proxy mesh distributes cameras across its surface, each facing inward and evenly spaced. You can preview the sparse point cloud as a mesh in the viewport before exporting, adjusting point count, bounds, and subject filter and seeing the result instantly. A Check Frustum Coverage tool raycasts from every camera and selects any that don't see the subject.

When rendering finishes, Splatworks exports a complete dataset: a NeRF-format transforms.json, a sparse_points.ply coloured from materials, standard COLMAP files, and a capture_info.json settings snapshot. It works with any Gaussian Splatting trainer that accepts transforms.json or COLMAP format.

Who is Splatworks - Synthetic Gaussian Splat Capture best for?

Splatworks - Synthetic Gaussian Splat Capture is best for blender artists generating synthetic Gaussian Splat datasets from rendered scenes without a photogrammetry solve.

How much does Splatworks - Synthetic Gaussian Splat Capture cost?

Splatworks - Synthetic Gaussian Splat Capture is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Samples every camera position directly from Blender's matrix_world, recorded without a camera-tracking or solving step
  • One-click Fibonacci-sphere camera rig, plus custom proxy-mesh rigs that distribute cameras across a surface, each facing inward and evenly spaced
  • Live sparse point cloud preview in the viewport, with adjustable point count, bounds, and subject filter
  • Check Frustum Coverage tool raycasts from every camera and selects those that don't see the subject
  • Exports NeRF-format transforms.json, a sparse_points.ply coloured from materials, standard COLMAP files, and a capture_info.json settings snapshot
  • Works with any Gaussian Splatting trainer that accepts transforms.json or COLMAP format
  • Documentation included

Tags

#gaussian-splatting#point-cloud#colmap#nerf#camera-rig#3d-scanning#photogrammetry#synthetic-data

Frequently asked questions

Does Splatworks work with Blender 4.2?

Splatworks runs on Blender 4.2 and later, and has been tested on 5.1.1. It's available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. On the output side it works with any Gaussian Splatting trainer that accepts transforms.json or COLMAP format, so it isn't tied to one specific pipeline. Check the developer's page for the download and any setup notes, and refer to the included documentation for details on getting started.

Which Gaussian Splat trainers does Splatworks support?

Splatworks exports datasets in formats modern splat pipelines accept, so it works with any Gaussian Splatting trainer that reads transforms.json or COLMAP files. It produces a NeRF-format transforms.json, a sparse_points.ply point cloud coloured from your materials, standard COLMAP files (cameras.txt, images.txt, points3D.txt), and a capture_info.json settings snapshot. You drop the capture folder into your trainer of choice and load the finished dataset from a single panel.

How does Splatworks set camera positions without photogrammetry?

Splatworks samples every camera position directly from Blender's matrix_world, so the poses are recorded exactly as they sit in your scene. That removes the camera-tracking and solving steps photogrammetry normally requires, along with the drift and dropped frames that come with them. Before rendering, its Check Frustum Coverage tool raycasts from every camera and selects any that don't actually see the subject, letting you fix coverage gaps first. The poses are then written out in NeRF-format transforms.json and COLMAP files.

Is Splatworks free to use?

Splatworks is listed as free in this catalog, so check the developer's page for current licensing details. Its source code is released under the GNU GPL v3, and a separate Purchase Agreement included in the download covers commercial sale, support, and per-seat pricing. There's an Indie tier for individuals and small entities, and a Studio tier, priced per seat, for larger teams. Review that agreement to confirm which tier fits your situation.

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