Fred is a Genius!

[Pezman]

Fred Johnson PM'd me a link with some stereo photos that he took using two inexpensive cameras and they look pretty darn good.

The underwater photos are the most amazing, because the 3D effect of the photos really captures the sense of being underwater.

I'd post a link, but I'd hate to see folks overwhelm the server. I'm hoping that Fred will post a "how to" because the photos are amazing.

 

[fuzz]

what's a stereo photo

can you upload a smaller picture to the forums using the attatchments function?

 

[Pezman]

Ok, here is an example -- taken from Fred's site w/o permission.

Here are the instructions that he provides for viewing:

IN ORDER TO VIEW THESE 3D YOU HAVE TO BRING THEM INTO FOCUS, BUT DOING SO BY SLOWLY CROSSING YOUR EYES. As you first start to cross your eyes, you may see 4 pictures. You have to keep bringing the center 2 pictures together until you are viewing 3 pictures. The one in the center should be sharp, and in 3D, so focus on the center picture and disregard the 2 outside pictures.

 

[Adrian]

Those are real stereo pics!

Wow! That is the coolest thing! They came into focus pervfectly. At first I went close to the monitor, but found best results around 1.5 feet, then once in focus I could even settle back in my chair.

I'd love to have that link Pez. I used to make stero pictures with a home made stereo pnhole. Underwater it's not feasable as there were long exposure times.

Fuzz, a stereo picture is a photographic subject taken from two distinct points/angles, normally just a few inches apart. When you "blend" them together, in this case with the cross-eyed act, you get a 3D effect with depth.


Adrian

 

[fjohnson]

Pez, you're too kind.. genius?? I don't know, but lucky on a few photos.
In a nutshell here is what I did.. I bought two kodak disposable underwater cameras.. the ones good to -50' for $9 u.s. a piece, Wal-mart. At home I laid them out with lens' up and the bottom of the cameras together, aligned the lenses up as best I could using a straight edge and sighting. Applied a line of hotmelt glue along the two cameras bottom edge as they were touching, then turned the cameras over so the lens were down.. I had to prop them up on a plastic box of 22 rimfire shells so that the two lens had a flat surface to rest on..and the shutter release or whatever part of the camera it was that wouldn't let it sit flat on a table could sit out in mid air. I applied pressure and twisted the cameras a bit to bring the lenses flat on the box of shells and then applied another line of glue along the bottom edge of the cameras that hadn't been glued yet. Laid on another line or two of hotmelt glue on both edges. (I was able to easily peel off and remove the glue for processing after using a hot knife to cut the cameras apart)
From what I read distance between lenses should be about 63.5mm but by just putting the camera bottom edges together I ended up with about 60+mm. As everyones distance between the eyes is different I didn't think this would be a problem. Maybe next time I'll put a popsicle stick between the two cameras just to get a bit closer to the 63.5mm that is suggested.
While taking the photos I did my darndest to press the shutters at the same time and still hold the camera's steady.. even on the pictures when I head dual clicks from uneven shutter releases the pics turned out fairly good.
Here's where I got my "how to" http://www.stereoscopy.com and thanks to Pez for mentioning Stereo photos in one of his posts as that got me started.
Fred

 

[Deepdown]

4 pictures? then 3? Man how do you do it? I don't seem to be able to see more than 2 pics, and they seem sfocuses to me. What am I doing wrong? I'd really like to be as excitedabout this as you guys are.

please advise.

Gerald

 

[Adrian]

Gerald,

I stare at the screen at around 1.5 feet away and start crossing my eyes. Youl'll start seeing three images. Try to bring the center one into focus, by crossng your eyes more, playing around with the focus and/or by changing the distance to from your eyes to the image. You'll just have to play around. I took a pic of myself looking at the stereo image to see how crosseyed I was and it turns out that hardly at all! So it's a subtle thing.

Adrian

 

[fjohnson]

Gerald, keep trying.. mabye you'll get it. It's like equalizing... once you do it, it just gets easier and easier... but for some it can be darn near impossible.

I just finished putting together 2 more cameras..I really was pleased with how the first set of pictures turned out so I'm going to give it another go. This time I used pieces of hotmelt glue to increase the distance between the two cameras. Here's a pic of the cameras.
Fred

 

[tamoshee]

took me about 5 seconds to get it, and its gotta be said it really works ! very clever, most impressed!

 

[tylerz]

Great idea and awesome pictures. Those disposable cameras are expensive though or have you found a way to replace the film inside? Maybe I will try to get two cheap 2-3 MegaPixel cameras and try this.

I thought you guys might appreciate something I came across this weekend at my Father's. My Grandmother had found some old memorabilia and this little unit was one of them. I would love to make one of them and then pursue some photography along the lines of what fred is doing.

This viewer is just two lenses and a wood frame, but works amazingly, same as cross-eyed. I will try to determine what the lenses are but I image something similar could be achieved by buying those $8 reading glasses that are sold in pharmacies.

Thoughts?

 

[fjohnson]

Tyerz,
sorry I didn't see this post until now.. to make a steroscope (like what you found at your fathers) you need to use magnifying glasses.. here's some detailed instructions http://www.stereoscopy.com/library/waack-ch-8.html scroll down to the article about "A stereo viewer for paper pictures". That will tell you what you need to know.

Now... check this out. Here's an image I created.. these are 3D that you need 3D glasses to view.. the ones with red/blue lenses. You could get it to work if you have red & blue camera lenses or even red and blue cellophane to look through. The red goes over the left eye, and blue over the right eye. If you happen to rent spy kids movie in 3d you can use those classes or anything similar.
Works pretty good.
Fred

 

[DeepThought]

Damn, either you have some unique "eye bending" abilities, or that this thing is a lost cuase for me.

I was born crossed eyed (the docter claimed to fix that though), maybe that's the reason why I never managed to watch stereo shots, lncluding those collections of dots called 3d pictures that were in fashion about 10 years ago.

"It's a schooner!"
(who ever recognizes the quote first gets a spiritual prize.)

 

[tylerz]

haha just realized I have some Stereoscopic Virtual I-Glasses (Head mounted display) that have been sitting in my storage for 4-5 years now. Pulled them out and they work! Wohoo.

Thanks for the info Fred, who knows one day when I am really sick of this computer I will probably want to make the more traditional type!

Cheers,

Tyler

 

[Erik]

Originally posted by DeepThought
"It's a schooner!"
(.)

I think that's from a Seinfeld episode, where Mr. Pitt (Elaine's boss) is trying to figure out what the hell the image is on a 3D picture.
Yes?
Erik Y.

 

[Erik]

I actually learned about this 3D effect when I was a kid.... I put 2 televisions with the same size screens side by side and watched 3D TV!
Erik Y.

 

[octopus]

This is brilliant...come on...give us the link!

By the way, if you have problem focusing...this is called x-eye...you can always exchange places of photos to get parallel stereo photography...but in that case you have to focus "behind" the screen, with each eye on coresponding photo...

 

[DeepThought]

Originally posted by Erik
I actually learned about this 3D effect when I was a kid.... I put 2 televisions with the same size screens side by side and watched 3D TV!
Erik Y.

Well, I remember that episode, though I don't remember what was in the picture. The quote is from elswhere unless they've made a homage to seinfeld as well.

Mentioning Seinfeld is a worthy enough reply though, the spiritual prize will be expressed in cypberpoints over your karma gauge. (quiz is still on though).

By the way, putting 2 TV's side by side is smart, but I think that as long as the movies on them were not shot from 2 different angles, it might not work as good as IMAX. or did it?

 

[Paul Kotik]

3-D

So, what, am I the only one who uses a stereoscopic low-volume mask for freediving ? You really ought to try it. You see things in a very different light down there.


Paul Kotik
Florida, USA

 

[Adrian]

Re: 3-D

Originally posted by Paul Kotik
So, what, am I the only one who uses a stereoscopic low-volume mask for freediving ? You really ought to try it. You see things in a very different light down there.


Paul Kotik
Florida, USA

You lost me there Paul, either that or you have two heads?

Adrian

 

[Pezman]

Oy, you should have pitched something a little harder. That setup is like playing t-ball.