Stereo Images from Juneau

November 2, 2009 3:25 AM

Stereo Images from Juneau
posted by yegga (13 comments total)

These always do look so amazing. The stereo-pair images always make me mentally give my brain a thumbs up for combining the signal sucessfully.

I searched around and found a great little stereo-pair video here on Vimeo of the Moab desert. Does anyone else know of any other good stereo-pair video examples?
posted by Static Vagabond at 4:30 AM on November 2, 2009 [3 favorites]

posted by Static Vagabond:
"Does anyone else know of any other good stereo-pair video examples?"

There seems to be a handful of these via Googling, but the quality of that Moab one you linked to was awesome--that is, until the headache kicked in. Whooh!
posted by not_on_display at 6:56 AM on November 2, 2009

"Does anyone else know of any other good stereo-pair video examples?"

Here's one where the "related videos" are all stereo.
posted by interrobang at 7:15 AM on November 2, 2009

As usual they show best when it's well separated depth objects rather than a smooth flow.

Still they all look more like multiple flat objects at different depths rather than a full 3d scene.
posted by HTuttle at 9:12 AM on November 2, 2009

Here's a cool video about a glass blower and her work.
posted by not_on_display at 9:18 AM on November 2, 2009 [1 favorite]

That can't be Alaska, I can't see Russia anywhere.
posted by empath at 9:45 AM on November 2, 2009

This reminds me of the View-Master I have in a box somewhere.
posted by shinyshiny at 10:16 AM on November 2, 2009

Is there some secret to the cross-eyed method that I'm not aware of? I've always found parallel view to be intuitive and easy, but I can't comprehend how I can cross my eyes without limiting my focus to just a few inches in front of my face. Never mind that I can't get the (out-of-focus) images to overlap very easily in my field of vision either.

I always get a little frustrated when things like this come up because they're both really cool and frequently impossible for me to use. I did enjoy the images of Juneau that were in parallel, though.
posted by invitapriore at 1:44 PM on November 2, 2009

Man, that's inspiring stuff. I gotta bust out my macro rail and try a bit.
posted by polyglot at 8:31 PM on November 2, 2009

that glass video is stunning. My eyes are killing me now, but I feel like I just got warped to another world.
posted by rubah at 11:00 PM on November 2, 2009

posted by invitapriore:
"Is there some secret to the cross-eyed method that I'm not aware of?"

Funny -- I've never been able to do the parallel, "wall-eyed" method. So, with all those 3-D posters and books from the early 90's, I would get frustrated as all my friends would say "OMG it's a parrot and a monkey on a bicycle!" and all I would see is scrambled whatever. But I was thrilled when I discovered the cross-eyed stereoscopic stuff; I've always been able to cross my eyes. (So being a class clown DID pay off, ha HA!)

For the cross-eyed method, try this:

1) Sit about 2 feet from the screen.

2) Touch the center line, in between the left & right picture, with your index finger.

3) Slowly bring your index finger toward your nose. Focus your attentionon your index finger, but keep the picture in view. You should detect, but not look directly at, the stereo-picture splitting into two stereo-pictures, and each one floating away from the other as your finger gets closer to your face. Keep your eye on your finger though.

4) When the stereo-picture gets to the point where it looks like there are three pictures instead of two, that's where the picture you now perceive in the center is comprised of two pictures overlapping each other: the left side of the original (seen with the left eye) and the right side of the original (seen with the right eye). You may need to tilt your head a teeny amount to get the pictures to align more correctly. But: keep looking at your finger!

5) Now take your finger quickly away, but try to keep your eyes where they were. If you lose that center-combined-image, put your finger back where it was, and focus on your finger again.

Another method to keep the pictures aligned, once you've gotten the knack, is to make a frame around the center picture, obscuring the images on the left and right with your hands.

Good luck, and if you get a headache, try again later. IANAD, but your face won't freeze like that.
posted by not_on_display at 11:39 AM on November 3, 2009 [1 favorite]

Thanks a lot, not_on_display. I'll give your method a try once I get back to the privacy of my own home.
posted by invitapriore at 1:13 PM on November 3, 2009

Whoops, a correction on (4):

...the left side of the original (seen with the left right eye) and the right side of the original (seen with the right left eye)
posted by not_on_display at 1:54 PM on November 3, 2009