[photo-3d] Re: LLL ASCII demo

["John Goodman" <jgood@xxxxxxxx>]

Garry Nored wrote:

> ... you gotta guess, cause you can't view the image in 3D on
> the computer while you're building the image. 

I don't wish to be dissonant, but in my experience, building 3-D 
images with a computer means viewing them *actively*, i.e. 
watching various details move in relation to the stereo window 
(or watching the stereo window move, if you prefer), while 
viewing the computer monitor, in real time, as you manipulate 
the relationship between the left and right elements. This can 
be done in various ways, easy as pie. If you can see stereo at 
all, you can see stereo when mounting, and use your eyes to 
set the stereo window appropriately.

Using a dedicated program, such as Stereo Image Factory, as 
your "viewer", you can select your preferred viewing method 
(cross-eye, parallel, anaglyph, etc.), and watch your stereo 
window adjustments in real time. I find the anaglyph display 
method very convenient, and use it without colored glasses, not 
seeing the image in stereo, since the plane of the stereo 
window is shown by portions of the image that have congruent 
red and green elements. You have to play around, but it soon 
becomes very clear that if the red portion is to the right of the 
green, it will appear in front of the stereo window (or vice 
versa). These adjustments can be manipulated down to the 
level of individual pixels, by using a glass magnifier to look at 
the monitor details, or by using display magnification.  

Or, using an image manipulating program such as Photoshop, 
a similar active mounting procedure can be carried out. Just 
make a pair of identically sized new image files (a bit smaller 
than the pixel dimension of your source images), and position 
them adjacently for cross-eye or parallel viewing, whichever 
you prefer. Copy and paste in your source left and right 
images, then use the move tool to adjust the vertical and 
horizontal positions within the image frames, just as you would 
move chips within the window frames of an actual mount.

While viewing in stereo and using the keyboard arrow keys, 
you can perceive stereo window movements, gross and fine. 
You can also check "LLL" details monoscopically, match 
homologous points vertically (using the fine trigger wires if you 
have a Trinitron display) and play around with other details at 
your leisure (and never worry about scratches, dust, or 
fingerprints).  :>)  Even a smallish (15") monitor is like having 
a nice pair of magnifying lenses when working with actual film 
chips.

> I can't always check the originals 

But your image files (scans) are faithful reproductions, right? 
Who knows... your originals could be damaged or lost, but 
you'd still have the computer files. If they're sufficiently high 
quality, you needn't weep.  :>)

> Still, I ask "is it all really worth it?" I mean, who
> notices the window anyway?   ;-> 

In a word, YES! Who notices anything? Only those who care.

> Enter flames, stage left, right, and center!

After the fevers of doubt, or blush of embarrassment subside, 
quench yourself in the cool delight of stereo windows under 
your control. As others have written, having them just right can 
make a big difference.

jeg

 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/