Viewing Methods

 

 

Physicist David Brewster invented a binocular type stereoscope. This involved mounting the stereo images onto card then placing them into the stereo viewer, the binocular combined the two and created the illusion of a depth. This was an uncomplicated device for viewing daguerreotypes and it was this that was presented at the Great Exhibition held in Crystal Palace in 1851 and was a great success with the public and Queen Victoria.

 

To be able to view the binocular type stereoscope you have to have binocular vision. Binocular vision is when we use both eyes together. Because we see differently with each eye we are able to combine two images into one. However, some people can use a technique to view this without a stereoscope. This is called free viewing and cross-eyed viewing. To free view you have to relax your eyes and look through the images and then the two images should double becoming four and then two of the images should combine into one.

 Another process for viewing 3D images is the Anaglyphic technique. The anaglyphic technique is the same principle as stereoscopes with the taken images being taken from the view of each eye. The difference between the two however is an anaglyph uses two colours to be able to see in 3D. The left image red and the right image and images have to be viewed with glasses that have a different colour filter on each eye. This technique is quite popular because the paper type glasses can be produce cheaply.

 

A problem with anaglyph’s is when the luminance of the two images is not seen the same with each eye. This is called Retinal Rivalry and makes it unpleasant for the viewer with a image appearing to flicker making the eyes feel heavy or dull. 

Main advantages of this technique however, is that it’s cheaper. It is frequently used in children’s books and magazines; this is because anybody with normal vision can use anaglyphto see a 3D image. This is the main advantage over the free viewing or cross-eyed technique of the stereo views. The anaglyph technique is still used today in books and films however it can be seen as unfashionable typically with the anaglyph glasses being flimsy in structure because it’s made form cardboard. This makes it easy to be damaged and can be seen as disposable.

This leads onto the modern day use for films is the polarization method. This method is used in films today with Pixar announcing that all new films would be made in 3D.

 

Polarised method is when two images are synchronized using projectors onto a screen with each being a different polarization. The glasses then only allow you to view one image in each eye because they contain different polarized lenses.