3D Stereo Photography - will it ever be a thing?

Hi All - I want to find a way to share and view stereoscopic images online / using a smartphone. I've found 2 ways, one which requires a VR headset, and another which might require some software / coding skills.

I have been taking Stereo photos for the past ~10 years in the hopes that one day a certain technology for viewing these images would become ubiquitous. My experience is that some scenes just can't be captured adequately using regular 2D photography. 3D photography, which uses the 'parallax effect' that your eyes use to sense depth, really makes a scene come to life.

Method 1:

Displaying two images side by side on a smartphone display, and using a VR headset (playstation VR or google cardboard) to view them in 3D. I have done this. It looks amazing, but it's not very accessible unless you have a headset. If i get some interest i can share a few of my images...

Method 2:

Using software such as "facebook 360" to view 3D images by tilting the display. This uses depth information from a 3D 'portrait mode' photo and the accelerometer built into your phone to animate the image to appear 3D.

I like this second option because it is much more accessible to the average person, though much harder to pull off. (it is currently only available on IOS   )

As I have only captured 2 photos, I would need a way get a depth map from the two images, perhaps using a neural network, in order to fill in the missing depth information and get a seamless animation. Alternatively, going forward I could record video and turn that into a seamless animation that uses the accelerometer.

Any ideas on how this could be done?  Perhaps there's a community working on this.

Method 2:

Using software such as "facebook 360" to view 3D images by tilting the display. This uses depth information from a 3D 'portrait mode' photo and the accelerometer built into your phone to animate the image to appear 3D.

Here is a video that explains 3D photos on facebook and IOS:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmRtB3c3ylI

I suggest you repost in the 3D and Stereo Photography forum.

Stereo photography has a long history and was much more popular a century ago than it is today.

I dabbled very briefly in stereo photography about 60 years ago, but rapidly gave up because of the inconvenience of viewing the images and sharing them with others.  Unfortunately that is still the case today, but even more so because it has become ridiculously easy to share images today (via your phone, etc.), but it hasn't become much easier to view 3D images (you still need special equipment).

Until there is a really easy method of viewing in 3D, I think stereo photography will remain of limited interest (except for virtual reality applications).

Yeah, capturing images is not too difficult with a smartphone taking 2 quick successive shots. No point in using dedicated equipment if sharing the images later is impossible. That's my main concern, I guess.

Thanks! didn't realize there was a dedicated forum..

Yes my hope is i can find a workflow and format that allows me to share the images. If you saw the video I posted in my second message, it seems like the technology is here. facebook 360 seems very promising. Because new phone cameras have depth sensors, and accelerometers to animate the images, i wouldn't be surprised if the format becomes more widely used in the next couple of years.

I the original post, I discussed the 2 methods that I know. One using google cardboard or a dedicated 3D headset. The second method is a little more complex and might not rely on just 2 images.

JulMaass wrote:

I the original post, I discussed the 2 methods that I know. One using google cardboard or a dedicated 3D headset. The second method is a little more complex and might not rely on just 2 images.

I understand your uestion to be more interested in how to view them.

• There's this other method, can't remember the name [update: stereograms?], that quickly alternates between the two photos, sometimes uses 3 photos. This is done so fast, like 5 to 10 iterations per second, one gains a sense of 3D.
• There is another where you just display the photos side by side, and either learn your eyes to focus long, or short. This is tricky and doesn't work well if you intend others to see them, and also used with caution as it is eye straining if used too much.
• There re also some old cameras with 3D displays. They are probably cheap. I don't think it's practical, but I have one, and it's great to look at some pictures.
• I think a polarized glass and the right screen would also be very effective, but expensive, and doesn't help others experience them unless they are with you.
• I think the most practical is still the cardboard VR. The headset for the phone that is made of cardboard and can be extremely cheap. But ...shipping
• There are of course 3D screen and projectors, but that's a similar case to polarized.
• Cyan/Red googles. Very cheap. Easy. Not the best quality but works amazingly well.

If anything, I can say display technology is holding stereo back, and large res photography, more than gear is.