COLMAP Sparse Viewer

Visualize COLMAP sparse reconstructions directly inside VS Code, powered by Three.js.

Features

• Reads standard COLMAP sparse models: cameras / images / points3D in .bin or .txt format
• Renders the sparse point cloud with true RGB colors, plus reprojection-error and height color modes
• Draws every registered image with model-aware camera geometry, using the true per-model unprojection (including lens distortion): pinhole-family models get the classic frustum, fisheye models a curved-border frustum that stays correct beyond 180° FOV, and equirectangular panoramas a wireframe sphere; size, line width and color are all adjustable
• Optional camera trajectory polyline (ordered by image name)
• Filters: max reprojection error, min track length
• Click a camera to inspect image name, camera model, full named intrinsics and position — optionally with rays to (or highlighting of) the 3D points that image observes
• Play button to step through all cameras in image id order; double-click the cloud to re-center the orbit pivot
• Handles all COLMAP camera models (IDs 0–17: standard models plus division, fisheye, EUCM and equirectangular extensions), and reads models written by both current COLMAP (16-param RAD_TAN_THIN_PRISM_FISHEYE, 2-param EQUIRECTANGULAR) and older writers (legacy 14-/3-param variants)

Install

• From the VS Code Marketplace, or
• Download the .vsix from GitHub Releases and run code --install-extension colmap-sparse-viewer-<version>.vsix

Usage

• Double-click any cameras.bin, images.bin, or points3D.bin in the Explorer, or
• Right-click a folder (e.g. sparse/0, or any ancestor — the model is auto-discovered up to 3 levels deep) → COLMAP: Visualize Sparse Model, or
• Run COLMAP: Visualize Sparse Model from the command palette and pick a folder.

demo_vscode-colmap_compressed_1.5x.mp4

Sample data

Two sample reconstructions are attached to the v0.1.6 release for quick testing:

• sparse_garden.zip — model in both .bin and .txt flavors
• sparse_store.zip — binary-only model written by a newer COLMAP (also contains rigs.bin / frames.bin)

Unzip one, open the folder in VS Code, then right-click it → COLMAP: Visualize Sparse Model.

Controls

Action	Effect
Left drag	Orbit
Right drag	Pan
Scroll	Zoom
Click frustum	Show image info
Double-click cloud	Set orbit pivot

Development

git clone https://github.com/Vincentqyw/vscode-colmap-viewer.git
cd vscode-colmap-viewer
npm install
npm run build      # bundle extension + webview
npm run package    # create .vsix

Install the generated .vsix with code --install-extension colmap-sparse-viewer-<version>.vsix.

License

MIT © Vincent Qin