It's Easy -- You Can Create Your Own
- You only need one digital camera if your subject doesn't move (building, car, etc.)
- Take one picture, move the camera a few inches to the right, and take another. If you are taking pictures of something big like a building, you can move up to one feet to increase the effect.
- Try to keep one part of the subject (say, one particular window of the building) at the center in all images.
- With your favorite image viewing program, display the first (left) image on the right and second on the left side by side for cross-eyed viewing.
- If you can print the two images (the first image on the left for parallel viewing), then you can use an inexpensive ($2) True-Vue 3D viewer mentioned below.
Stereo Viewer
I bought the True-Vue 3D (R) viewers from American Paper Optics, Inc. (3080 Bartlett Corporate Drive, Bartlett, TN 38133, 1-800-767-8427 , 901-381-1515 , Fax 901-381-1517). It is only $2 per unit. You can fold it and send it to your friends with stereo pictures as a greeting card. I figured out that having two sets of stereo pictures printed in 5" x 7" and cutting them in half will make perfect 5" x 3.5" stereo picture cards for the viewer.
Creating Stereo Images
I wrote a few Photoshop scripts to make it easier to create stereo images. The scripts can be downloaded from here. You may need to install the Photoshop Scripting plug-in from the Adobe site. I use Photoshop 7.0 with the Scripting plug-in v.1.0.2a.
Of course, if you are familiar with Photoshop (or another image editing tool), you can do the steps below manually without using the scripts.
Align the left/right images and crop
If the two images are not aligned (that is usually the case), the images need to be cropped. Photoshop's layer and opacity features are very useful for aligning the images and trimming them.
The script ComposeImagesToLayers.js takes two open images and create a new image with two layers named "Left" and "Right". The "Right" layer is set to 70% opacity to make it easier to align the images. The image document that was active (topmost) when this script is run will be the "Left" layer unless the name of one of the images explicitly ends with "_Left".
- Open two images - one for the left eye and the other for the right.
- Bring the image for the left eye to the top (make it the active document).
- Choose File > Automate > Scripts..., select "ComposeImagesToLayers" and click on "Run Script"
- Select the Move Tool, move the "Right" layer and align the images.
- Hide the "Left" layer (to see better), select the Rectangular Marquee Tool, mark the area where two images overlap and crop.
Save the aligned and cropped images
You can save the result from the steps above as a .psd file but the file size tends to be big. I use the script SaveLeftRight.js to save the layers into two separate JPEG files. If the image is named "Foo", the new files will be named "Foo_Left.JPG" and "Foo_Right.JPG".
Create images for cross-eyed and parallel viewing
For cross-eyed viewing, the two images must be laid out side by side with the left eye image on the right. For parallel viewing, the left eye image should be on the left.
ComposeStereoCrossEyed.js and ComposeStereoParallel.js do each job, respectively.
Create a 5" x 7" image for printing for the viewer
Compose5x7Stereo.js takes two open images (names must end with "_Parallel") and creates an image with the 5:7 aspect ratio. The layout looks like this image below.
Printing
Since the stereo pictures in the True-Vue 3D viewer will be looked at through magnifying glasses, the print quality makes a big difference. Use a good printer with photo paper or use online print services such as Shutterfly, Snapfish and RitzPix.
Stereo Cameras
The image below shows my first pair of stereo cameras that I set up (circa 2001). I created my cheap stereo camera support out of a ruler and screws. I super-glued the wing nuts on 1/4" x 1" socket screws (coarse thread) and used them to secure the cameras on the ruler. I would just use both hands and try to press the shutter buttons at the same time. Later on, I used two Olympus cameras and used one remote to release shutter on both cameras. There was still timing lag.
I also used Loreo 3D Lens in a Cap for my digital SLR for a while. This product allows one camera to take a stereo pair image. You can freeze the water from the fountain and capture the 3D image for instance.
How I Got Hooked
Many of you must have played with ViewMaster (R) as a child. I had forgotten about it until someone at work showed me his ViewMaster 3D slides that he made on his own. I just happened to have a sample of a 3D viewer called "True-Vue 3D" from American Paper Optics, Inc. and I realized I can easily make my own 3D pictures for that Viewer using my digital cameras, Photoshop and Ofoto.com. That friend also told me a nice story: his aunt used to take stereo pictures way back when his parents were dating. So he got to see his parents before they even got married in 3D.
Gallery
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How to see stereoscopic images using Cross Eye Method 
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How to see stereoscopic images using Parallel Method
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Cross Eye Method
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Parallel Method
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Cross Eye Method
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Parallel Method
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Cross Eye Method
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Parallel Method
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Cross Eye Method
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Parallel Method
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From Trip to Japan 2002-2003
From Trip to Cancun
Castillo de Kukulcan (Kukulcan Castle) |
Cross-eyed Parallel |
Castillo de Kukulcan (Kukulcan Castle) |
Cross-eyed Parallel |
Las Monjas |
Cross-eyed Parallel |
Caracol Observatorio (Observatory) |
Cross-eyed Parallel |
Tulum |
Cross-eyed Parallel |
Tulum |
Cross-eyed Parallel |
Tulum |
Cross-eyed Parallel |
April 21, 2009 - Komei Harada