# Minimum overlap requirements - image acquisition

**URL:** <https://community.pix4d.com/t/minimum-overlap-requirements-image-acquisition/21727>\
**Category:** PIX4Dmapper\
**Created:** [March 7, 2022, 9:16pm UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/minimum-overlap-requirements-image-acquisition/21727 "2022-03-07T21:16:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ktlnjo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ee59a6/32.png) [@ktlnjo](https://community.pix4d.com/u/ktlnjo)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2022, 9:16pm UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/minimum-overlap-requirements-image-acquisition/21727/1 "2022-03-07T21:16:54Z")

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Hi all,

I am curious about the reasoning for the general overlap requirements (75% frontal overlap and 60% side overlap) for general image acquisition. ([https://support.pix4d.com/hc/en-us/articles/202557459-Step-1-Before-Starting-a-Project-1-Designing-the-Image-Acquisition-Plan-a-Selecting-the-Image-Acquisition-Plan-Type#label1](https://support.pix4d.com/hc/en-us/articles/202557459-Step-1-Before-Starting-a-Project-1-Designing-the-Image-Acquisition-Plan-a-Selecting-the-Image-Acquisition-Plan-Type#label1))

**I understand the importance of overlap, but does anybody know why the algorithm Pix4D uses requires these particular minimum overlaps or how these requirements were determined?**

Thanks!

Katelyn

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**Author:** ![Mike\_K](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/pix4d/user_avatar/community.pix4d.com/mike_k/32/4697_2.png) [@Mike\_K](https://community.pix4d.com/u/Mike_K)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2022, 10:12pm UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/minimum-overlap-requirements-image-acquisition/21727/2 "2022-03-07T22:12:40Z")

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Hi Katelyn,  
There has been nothing hard coded within PIX4Dmapper that says the overlap has to be a certain percentage. Rather, the percentages are a direct function of the texture of the image. Images that have low texture, or are very homogenous in nature, will require higher overlap. This will allow for more keypoints to be generated. Conversely, images that are high in texture, or are very heterogenous in nature, will need less overlap. Ultimately it comes down to the number of keypoints that Mapper can extract.

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**Author:** ![ktlnjo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ee59a6/32.png) [@ktlnjo](https://community.pix4d.com/u/ktlnjo)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2022, 6:00pm UTC](https://community.pix4d.com/t/minimum-overlap-requirements-image-acquisition/21727/3 "2022-03-10T18:00:47Z")

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Thank you Mike.