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3-D Photography |
| The basics |
| Stereo vision is the equivalent of
stereo audio, where two channels are recorded and played back back through
a pair of speakers or headphones. In stereo photography, two photos are
taken from eye distance apart and viewed with a special viewer. It's also
possible to train your eyes to view them without a viewer. |
| We can view the two images using a
viewer. The two lenses magnify and separate the left and right images so
the left eye sees only the left image and the right eye sees only the
right image. Our brain then fuses the two together, computing volume and
distance information to give an amazing sense of depth and hyper-reality.
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| Taking digital stereo photographs
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| There are digital camera modules now
commercially available. Two conventional digital cameras are combined into
one unit and electronically synchronised. This is not a cheap arrangement,
but by far the best solution if you want the immediacy and convenience of
digital photography. It's also possible to take stereo photos of static
subjects using any camera digital or film by taking a pair of photographs
from eye distance - approximately 6cm apart, or greater. |
| A slide bracket is available which
allows you to shift the camera from one position to the other. You can
take only static subjects using this method. I've tried using a pair of
digital cameras, but found it difficult to get the cameras to fire at
precisely the same moment and to get colour and zoom settings to match.
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| The Loreo beam splitter can be used with
SLR cameras, but it is only suitable for full frame sensors. |
| Image capture tips |
| The two photos have to be exactly
vertical and exactly at the same height in relation to each other.
Remember our eyes are level and we see both images horizontally. Even the
smallest variation in height or angle will make the images difficult, even
painful to view. Only static subjects are suitable for the 'shift camera'
method. Rooms, rock formations, statues, sculptures, buildings are fine,
but not trees, people, water or anything that moves. For that you require
a stereo film camera. |
| Viewing |
| The best way to view a stereo photo is
to make a 6x4 print and place it in a stereo viewer. More advanced viewing
options include shutter glasses and the amazing SeeReal display which
requires no glasses and costs several thousand rand. |
| Stereo imaging can also be used to add
an extra dimension to computer games. You can use it to bring added
realism to Microsoft Flight Simulator. You can also view the Harry Potter
movies in stereo on your computer. Stereoscopy is used by molecular
scientists, medical researchers, in aerial photography and on the Mars
landers. I hope that soon it will come back into widespread use for
creative photography. But until we have a usable digital stereo camera,
and a cheap and hassle-free viewing method, that won't happen.
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