I'm looking for an Eiffel Tower model to be imported and rendered into Poser. Must allow commercial use (which rules out the Eiffel Tower Site's own 3D model). Preferably for free.

Does anybody have an idea of where I can find one? I've done a Google search and searched freestuff here, without much luck.

There's one in 3DS format at Gallery1, and one at NIM Prodaction. I haven't checked their license agreements, but the props should be usable from a technical point of view.

Thanks! I can't find the terms for Gallery1; NIM ProdAction requests that he's contacted for commercial use, so that's what I'll do.

ask in copyright forum, as it may be a problem, regardless of source of model. freebies don't always allow commercial use, and the french have some new rule that may exclude any commercial use of images of models of the tower. any model is still a copy, even if it isn't the official copy. they may allow "transformative use" here, but I consider that a defence, rather than a legal right. I ain't a lawyer.

Nancy: I'm not sure I follow your reasoning.

I've said clearly that:
a- I need it for commercial use, and the French Eiffel Tower website doesn't allow for commercial use of the model they give, so I can't use that one
b- I will contact the creator of one of the freebie models I found to see if he will allow me to use it commercially.

So what is the problem? Or are you trying to say that the French government can forbid any representation of a building that was made more than a century ago? As far as I am aware, buildings are only copyrighted if they were built after 1990, which isn't the case here.

Quote - So what is the problem?

IIRC, they have copyrighted the new night time light arrangement and license use of night time photos etc.

Quote - > Quote - So what is the problem?

IIRC, they have copyrighted the new night time light arrangement and license use of night time photos etc.

But I never said I wanted to use the building in the evening. I just asked for a model, which, considering the type of thing I'm after, will obviously come without the night-time lighting.  From there to suggesting that there might be a copyright issue because I'd asume a freebie allowed commercial usage, or that the model itself might not be usable because the tower itself is copyrighted, there is a LONG stretch.

I'm just thinking back to the times the french have sued writers in "the economist" et al. for various misrepresentations, which reminded me that they might be tetchy about renders of le tour eiffel. :lol: however, I've got no legal standing in the case. you'd hafta ask the site where yer selling the images or whatever, they're the only ones who can say what's o.k. with them.

Quote - I'm just thinking back to the times the french have sued writers in "the economist" et al. for various misrepresentations, which reminded me that they might be tetchy about renders of le tour eiffel. :lol:

Sorry, but I still don't follow you. For what I've read, The Economist was sued by an individual for alleged libel, for an article they published about a french national bank, and copyright had nothing to do with it. What does that have to do with a render and/or photo of the Eiffel Tower? It's apple and oranges.

Having said that, some french news agencies (NOT the French government) sued Goggle for using their photographs and headlines without permission, which won't be the case here. 

Quote - however, I've got no legal standing in the case. you'd hafta ask the site where yer selling the images or whatever, they're the only ones who can say what's o.k. with them.

The person that commissioned the image asked specifically for the Eiffel Tower as a back prop for a bigger scene. I actually need something that roughly resembles the Eiffel Tower, not a 100% accurate reproduction, which is why I'm not too fussy about finding one.  And at this rate, I'll just do a quick and dirty rough model myself instead of waiting for permission.

I know you are trying to help, but I fail to see how bringing up unfounded copyright concerns like the supposed freebie usage, or unrelated issues like the libel lawsuit can do it.

It is highly unlikely that the french government could or would sue someone about using a representation of the eiffel tower in a picture.

Quote - It is highly unlikely that the french government could or would sue someone about using a representation of the eiffel tower in a picture.

Exactly. The company running the place has copyrighted the light pattern, so any night images are out, and that's how they went around the inability to copyright an older building, or at least that is what I've read. So apparently any night-time picture nowadays needs to be licensed.

Anyway, it turns out I might not use it after all, and will go with one of the images I've got in an image collection. And before anybody jumps in asuming anything, this is a commercially available image disk put out by a reputable company, and specifically licensed for usage in this manner, which I've bought directly from them. So please no "you would need to seek permission before using it"; my invoice and license are the permission I need.