3D coffee related images

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3D Anaglyph Image Gallery

Why on earth would you want to do this….well it's just a little bit of fun, but perhaps it has some uses. Either way, it's free and I like stuff that's free. I was in my local Argos on 2 October 2008, wandering round looking for presents for my Twins Birthday (they will be 6 years old). As a parent you start to notice kids stuff….and there they were…(near the customer services counter) Red/Cyan 3D Glasses…absolutely free. It was part of a Disney promotion for Hannah Montanna, a singing group, due to be broadcast in 3d and some 3d games and video clips on the Disney web site. I got to thinking that there's quite a bit of 3d stuff on the web and my kids would enjoy it.

When I got home a little research on the web and I thought that I could have some fun with these (my Kids have not got their hands on them yet)

They are simply cardboard with red and cyan plastic sheeting as lenses.

See more about Anaglyphs here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereoscopy
http://www.jessemazer.com/3Dphotos.html

There is quite a bit of free software on the Internet and after trying many programs I think the easiest to use software with the best quality results so far is SteroPhoto Maker The software is of course FREE and you can get it from here:http://stereo.jpn.org/eng/stphmkr/index.html

A few small tips, the images can easily be repositioned for best results using the keyboard arrow keys, just quick presses, have the resampling on, when resizing the images ALWAYS check the positioning again and when saving ALWAYS check the "no compression ghosting" option before saving. in addition you can try the Dubois method of anaglyph colour, in some situations it gives you a superior result. Also Greyscale images can be stunning sometimes (due to very little ghosting). I use a compression ration of 70-80% to keep reasonable quality and good image sizes.

Another essential pice of software to allow automatic image alignment is Autopano http://user.cs.tu-berlin.de/~nowozin/autopano-sift/. This will Stereophotomaker to use it's autoalign function (it's pure magic) to align and remove distortion, its so good that I have done many stereo images with no tripod, handheld and with the stero separation of the camera estimated. Auto alignment should be done again after an image resize and can be done more than once. To work properluy the autopano files have to be installed directly in the same directory as StereoPhoto Maker (and not in a subdirectory or folder). If you don't see the Auto adjustment option become available in StereoPhoto Maker, then you have not installed autop[ano in the correct way.

With the Free Glasses, the free software and of course your digital camera, you too can take 3d images of your favourite machine, grinder, or espresso shot and publish them, for all to see.

Some tips for succesful 3D photography.

2 Pictures have to be taken 6 cm apart (see 1/30 rule). The camera must be kept in exactly the same plane and orientation, but moved left or right 6cm for the (left right image), I always move mine right after the first picture, saves me forgetting later.
1/30 rule: Sounds a bit complex, but is actually quite simple. 30x 6cm = 180cm so objects 1.8 mtre or more away and you move the camera 6cm. Objects that are closer need less movement. e.g. an object 100cm away will only need the camera to be moved 3.3cm.
Use as small an apeture as possible for a BIG depth of field, unless doing close up 3D
Don't resize the finished pictures in before 3D processing and definitely don't resize any 3d images you have created in your favourite image program, do all resizing in the 3D application
use a tripod
Plastic bodied 3d glasses with much better lenses can be had for around £5.00 from http://www.imago3d.co.uk/homeFrame.htm