IE85170B1 - Digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera, 3-dimensional display, 3-dimensional projector, and printer and stereo viewer - Google Patents
Digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera, 3-dimensional display, 3-dimensional projector, and printer and stereo viewer Download PDFInfo
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- IE85170B1 IE85170B1 IE2006/0063A IE20060063A IE85170B1 IE 85170 B1 IE85170 B1 IE 85170B1 IE 2006/0063 A IE2006/0063 A IE 2006/0063A IE 20060063 A IE20060063 A IE 20060063A IE 85170 B1 IE85170 B1 IE 85170B1
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Abstract
ABSTRACT An object of the present invention is to perform matching adjustment between left and rights screens easily and accurately in a digital stereo camera and/or digital stereo video camera at a photographing time or after photographing. A stereo viewfinder 3 of a digital stereo camera 1 is constituted of a pair of left and right liquid crystal displays and eyepiece lenses 10. Such a constitution is adopted that aspect ratios of left and right image display regions of the liquid crystal displays is made narrower than aspect ratios of image capture regions of image capture devices and horizontal scrolling is performed symmetrically regarding the left and right. Images on the image capture devices are horizontally scrolled, while finder images are viewed in stereoscopic manner with both eyes, so that perspective of a stereoscopic images changes and an optimally scrolled image data can be photographed. Scroll adjustment can be performed on image data after photographed, and stereo photographs giving an optimal stereoscopic feeling can be printed from edited image data. Elected Figure. 1
Description
DIGITAL STEREO CAMERA/DIGITAL STEREO VIDEO CAMERA,
3-DIMENSIONAL DISPLAY, 3-DIMENSIONAL PROJECTOR, AND
PRINTER AND STEREO VIEWER
The present invention relates to a digital stereo
camera/digitalstereovideocamera,a3—dimensionaldisplay,
a3—dimensionalprojector,andaprinterandastereoviewer,
and in particular to a digital stereo camera or a digital
stereo video camera, a 3~dimensional display, a
3-dimensional projector, andzaprinter‘andeastereo viewer
which achieve improvement in reproducibility of a
3—dimensional stereoscopic image.
There has been a long history in a 3-dimesional (3-D)
stereo photograph or a 3-D stereo motion picture where a
viewerorobservercanvimdastereoscopicimagebywatching
twoimageswithdifferentviewpointsphotographedatplaces
spaced to right and left individually at his/her left and
right eyes. In order to obtain a preferable stereoscopic
effectinthestereophotograph ,itisimportanttoachieve
positionalmatchingbetweenealeftimageandaarightimage.
When a mismatching occurs, the stereoscopic effect is
reduced or diminished, or considerable visual fatigue is
given to a viewer.
In a conventional stereo camera or stereo slide of
a silver halide film type, many means fortakingmatching images
at 8 ph0t0graPhiDg time Of means fortaking matching images when
a film is mounted on a slide mount have already been proposed
by the assignee of the present application (Japanese Patent
No. 2880131, Japanese Patent No.2880l32, Japanese Patent
No. 3370051, and the like).
As a technique for a stereo photograph in a digital
camera, for example, there is a proposal about a technique
where a prism type stereo adapter having two sets ofleft
and right mirrors is attached to a photographing lens of
an ordinary digital camera having one photographing lens,
and a stereo photograph is taken by projecting images
incident on the left and right mirror on respective left
and right halves of an image—capture device in a divisional
manner (Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-341789)
As a 3-D motion picture appreciating method where
a viewer appreciates a 3-D stereo motion picture projected
on a projection screen by a liquid crystal projector, such
a method has been conventionally implemented that a linear
polarizing processing where a left eye side image and a
right eye side image are orthogonal to each other or a
circular polarizing processing where rotating directions
are reverse to each other and an image is projected on a
projection screen is performed, a viewer uses glasses having
linear polarizing filters or circular polarizing filters
corresponding to the image on the left eye side and the
right eye side to separate the image entering in both the
left and right eyes into a left side eye image and a right
side eye image thereby appreciating a 3-D stereoscopic
image.
When a scanning type electronic display such as a
CRT or a liquid crystal display is used, a 3-D cinema system
wherein.m1interlacescanningconstitutingoneframevdth
two fields, a motion picture is displayed by alternately
scanning a left eye side image and a right side eye image
foreachonefield,andwhenaviewerwatchesascreenwearing
liquid crystal shutter glasses with a left side liquid
crystal shutter and a right side liquid crystal shutter
alternately opened and closed so that a left side image
appears on his/her left eye and a right side image appears
on his/her right eye is known (for example, see
JP—A-H10—l3380l).
For a stereo photograph, it is important to obtain
apositionalmatchingbetweenapairofleftandrightimages
(adjustment of ea distance where a ‘viewer can see a
stereo-composite image). Regarding thelnatching, however,
since there are also various factors affecting visual
matchingincludingnotonlypositionsofmainsubjectimages
on left and right images but alsc>a photographing distance
to the main subject or a distance between optical axes of
left and right photographing lenses, a positional
relationship between the main subject image and other
subjectimagesoratmckground,andthelike,itisdifficult
to obtain an optimal matching by performing a uniform
adjustment.
That is, in orderixaproduceeastereo photograph.with
quality higher than that of a stereo photograph to which
matching adjustment has not been performed, the stereo
photograph to which coarse matching adjustment has been
performed,orthelike,itisnecessarytoperformadjustment
to stereoscopic feeling for each one photograph or for
each production dfeapair of stereo photo-prints or stereo
slides. There is a similar requirement in the 3-D cinema,
wherexnatching adjustment shoulribe performed for each one
scene. However, it seems that an art about a digital stereo
camera or 3-D projector provided with a matching adjusting
unit or means which can attain adjustment to a complete
state has not been known at this time.
Therefore, a technical problem to be solved arises
in order to perform matching adjustment of left and right
screens for a pair of stereo photographs or for each one
scene of a 3-D cinema at a photographing time or after
photographing easily and accurately. An object of the
present invention is to solve the above problem.
Another object of the invention.is to allow accurate
matching adjustment such that a distance relationship
between a stereoscopic image and “a stereo window” (one
virtual window through which right and left image frames
appear at a certain distance in conformity with each other)
is made easily visible ateaphotographing time or at a time
ofnmtchingadjustmentbetweenleftandrightscreensafter
photographing.
A conventional digital silver halide print system used in a photo shop or the
like does not accommodate a stereo photograph, and can not perform matching
adjustment between left and right screens at a printing time. Still another object of
the invention is to provide a printer which allows easy accurate matching adjustment
between lefi and right screens at a printing time, allows printing of one sheet of
stereo photograph on which a pair of left and right images have been arranged
properly, and can provide stereo photograph print service at a photo shop or the like.
The present invention has been proposed in order to achieve the above
object, and viewed from one aspect there is provided a digital stereo camera/digital
stereo video camera which is provided with a pair of left and right photographing
optical systems, one or two image capture devices which individually receive a pair
of images through the pair of photographing optical systems, a pair of lefi and right
electronic displays which individually display a pair of images projected on the one
or two image capture devices with the images erected, and an eyepiece lens,
comprising:
a unit that, when photographed images are displayed on the pair of left and
right electronic displays, sets aspect ratios of image display areas on the electronic
displays to be narrower than aspect ratios of images projected on the one or two
image capture devices to perform displaying while masking one portion of the
images on the one or two image capture devices;
a unit that displays collimation patterns with equal shapes and equal
positions on the left and right electronic displays in an overlapping manner with the
images;
a manual scrolling unit that horizontally scrolls images on the pair of left and
right electronic displays symmetrically regarding the lefi and right to change a
spacing between equal subject images on the left and right image display regions;
and
a unit that outputs an image data which does not include a display signal for
the collimation pattern as a set of stereo image data elements corresponding to a
selected horizontally scrolled display image.
Since the digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera of the present
invention allows horizontal scrolling of a pair of left and right images displayed on
the electronic displays which is symmetrical with the left and right to shoot or save
the images as a selected scrolling state in a stereo viewfinder with an electronic
display configuration, a user or an operator can photograph an image at its optimal
stereoscopic state while looking through the finder to scroll images horizontally or
he/she can conduct editing afier photographing so he/she can produce a stereo
photograph or stereo cinema with a high quality.
Such a configuration can be adopted that data of an original image projected
on the pair of left and right image capture devices and scroll data obtained when
horizontal scrolling is performed arbitrarily are saved or outputted externally.
When a distance or spacing between equal subject images on the pair of left
and right image display regions
is reduced symmetrically regarding the left and right by
the manual scrolling unit and outside ends of respective
photographed images are caused to coincide with outside
endsoftheimagedisplayregionsontheelectronicdisplays,
a distance between optical axes of the left and right
photographing Jmmgggsa such that a distance between
infinite subject images on the left and right image display
regions is larger than a distance between the centers of
the left and right image display regions, so that a screen
loss can be reduced when a stereoscopic spacing can be
adjusted according to scrolling.
When the digital stereo camera/digital stereo video
cameraisfurtherprovidedwithacfisplaycontrolunitwhich
horizontally scrolls left and right display images on the
electronic displays symmetrically with the left and right
in an interlocking manner with focus adjustment of the
photographing lens to control a scroll amount such that
a distance between the centers of equal subject images
positioned on a focused focal length on the left and right
image display regions on the electronic displays is equal
to a distance between the centers of the left and right
image display regions, operation to be performed at a
photographing time can be made considerably easy.
In this case, when such a configuration is employed
so as to control a horizontal scroll amount that, when the
focusedfocallengthisaboutlmeterorfarther,thedistance
between the centers of the equal subject images positioned
at the focused focal lengths on the left and right image
display regions on the electronic displays is larger than
thedistancebetweenthecentersoftheleftandrightimage
display regions, andvdunithe focused focal length is less
than about 1 meter, the distance between the centers of
the equal subject images positioned at the focused focal
point become equal to the distance between the centers of
the left and right image display regions, a screen loss
in a photographable focal length range can be minimized.
Bydisplayingcollimationpatternswithequalshapes
andequalpositionsontheleftandrightelectronicdisplays
inanoverlappingmannerwithimages,changeinstereoscopic
View at a manual scrolling time can be grasped easily and
focusing is made easy. When the collimation pattern is
formed of a plurality of vertical lines, the highest
visibility to a status change can be obtained.
By saving image data which does not include a display
signal for the collimation pattern as a set of stereo image
data elements or outputting the same externally, the
collimation pattern is prevented from being outputted in
anoverlappingmannerwithanjnmgeen:anappreciatingtime
of stereo images or ateiprinting-out time of stereo images
so that any problem does not occur in an image or hard copy.
When the digital stereo camera/digital stereo video
cameraisfurtherprovidedwithacfisplaycontrolunitwhich
sensesoperationstartofanoperationswitchoranoperation
key provided on the manual scroll unit to display the
collimation pattern and stops displaying the collimation pattern alter the operation
switch or the operation key is released or after a predetermined time elapses after the
operation start, the collimation pattern is automatically displayed only when it is
required, which results in excellent operability.
When such a constitution is employed that a data communication interface
connected to a cellular or portable phone, a cellular or portable phone module, or a
telephone modem is incorporated in the digital stereo camera/digital stereo video
camera so that transmission and reception of data can be performed through a
telephone line, stereo image communication can be performed in real time.
In at least preferred embodiments, there is provided a digital stereo
camera/digital stereo video camera constituted such that an image capture unit
provided with a pair of two left and right photographing optical systems and an
image capture device and a stereo viewfinder provided with a pair of left and right
electronic displays and an eyepiece lens are attachably/detachably provided, a
control unit or an external storage device is provided in one of the image capture
unit and the stereo viewfinder, or the control unit or the external storage device is
provided separately therefrom, and the image capture unit and the stereo viewfinder,
and the control unit and the external storage device are electrically connected so that
communication of image data, a control signal and the like is performed.
By providing a control unit which images corresponding to the pair of left
and right stereo image data elements in parallel and performs outputting as a pair of
stereo image print data elements in an overlapping manner with data of a line or a
pattern surrounding a pair of left and right images or a rectangular cutting guide
frame obtained by printing, a stereo photo card can be completed by cutting a
printed photo paper along the guide frame. By forming each of left and right end
portions of the cutting guide frame in an arc shape, loading to and unloading from a
stereo photo viewer are made easy.
According to still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a 3-
dimensional display constituted such that a lefi eye side image and a right eye side
image are alternately displayed for each one field in an interlacing manner using an
electronic display such as a CRT or a PDP and an image on the display can be
viewed in a stereoscopic manner using a viewer provided with a pair of left and right
liquid crystal shutters opened and closed in synchronization with a field switching
timing of the display, comprising:
a unit which sets an aspect ratio of a display image to be narrower than an
aspect ratio of a screen corresponding to original motion picture data to perform
projection while masking a portion of the original motion picture;
a manual scroll unit which horizontally scrolls a lefi eye side image and a
right eye side image on a display region on the electronic display symmetrically
regarding the lefi and right to change a distance between equal subject images on the
left eye side image and the right eye side image;
a unit that displays collimation patterns with equal shapes and equal
positions on the electronic display in an overlapping manner with the lefi eye side
and right eye side images; and
an edited data saving unit which writes in a storage device motion picture
data corresponding to a selected horizontally scrolled left eye side image and right
eye side image as a set of stereo video data elements.
According to still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a 3-
dimensional projector which uses projectors of two right and left systems to project
a left eye side image and a right eye side image on a projection screen in an
overlapping manner, where an image on the projection screen is viewed in a
stereoscopic manner using glasses provided with filters, comprising :
a unit which sets an aspect ratio of a display image to be narrower than an
aspect ratio of a screen corresponding to original motion picture data to perform
projection while masking a portion of the original motion picture;
a manual scroll unit which horizontally scrolls a left eye side image and a
right eye side image on the projection screen symmetrically regarding the left and
right to change a distance between equal subject images on the left eye side image
and the right eye side image on the projection screen;
a unit which projects a collimation pattern with equal shapes and equal
positions on the projection screen in an overlapping manner with the left eye side
image and the right eye side image; and
an edited data saving unit which writes motion picture data corresponding to
the selected horizontally scrolled left eye side image and right eye side image in an
external storage device as a set of stereo video data elements.
Since the 3-dimensional display and the 3-dimensional projector can
horizontally scroll a pair of left and right images displayed on the electronic displays
or the screen symmetrically with the left and right to edit the images in an arbitrary
scrolling state, a 3-dimensional stereo cinema with a high quality which can attain a
proper stereoscopic effect-can be appreciated.
When the 3-dimensional display or the 3-dimensional projector is provided
with a unit which projects a collimation pattern on the left and right electronic
displays or the projection screen in an overlapping manner on an image, adjustment
of a stereoscopic effect can be facilitated during motion picture editing. When the
collimation pattern is constituted of a plurality of vertical lines, it has the most
excellent visuability.
When the 3-dimensional display or the 3-dimensional projector is provided
with an editing point designating unit which can perform mot ion picture editing for
each frame, a stereoscopic effect can be adjusted for each one scene.
When the 3-dimensional display or the 3-dimensional projector is provided
with an image data outputting unit which outputs an arbitrary frame of stereo video
data edited and saved as a pair of lefi and right stereo photograph data elements
externally, anyone screen included in motion picture can be printed out.
According to still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a printer
which produces one sheet of stereo photo print on which a pair of left and right
images have been printed in parallel based upon stereo image data constituted of a
pair of left and right image data elements, and which is provided with one or a pair
of lefi and right electronic displays which display a pair of left and right erected
images corresponding to a set of stereo image data elements stored in a printer
memory in parallel at a spacing approximately equal to a spacing between a left eye
and a right eye of a human, comprising:
a unit which sets an aspect ratio of an image on the electronic display to be
narrower than an aspect ratio of an image corresponding to stereo image data to
perform displaying while masking a portion of an original image;
a manual scrolling unit which horizontally scrolls a pair of left and right
images on the electronic display symmetrically regarding the left and right to change
a spacing between equal subject images on the left and right images;
a unit which displays collimation patterns with equal shapes and equal
positions on left and right image display regions on the electronic display in an
overlapping manner with the images; and
an edited data writing unit which writes image data corresponding to a
selected scrolled display image in the printer memory as a set of stereo image print
data elements.
According to the printer, since the stereoscopic effect adjustment (matching
adjustment between left and right images) can be performed in a printing stage, a
stereo photo print with an optimal stereoscopic effect can be produced even from an
image photographed by a digital stereo camera which does not include a
stereoscopic effect editing function.
When the printer is provided with a unit which displays collimation patterns
with equal shapes and equal positions on the left and right image display regions on
the electronic
display in an overlapping manner on images during image
editing,21stereoscopiceffectcanlxaadjustedaccurately.
Whentheprinterisprovidedwifliacontrolunitwhich
performs printing in an overlapping manner with data of
a line or a pattern surrounding a pair of left and right
images, or a rectangular cutting guide frame obtained by
pfinfing a stereo photo card is completed by cutting a
printedphotopaperalongtheguideframe. Byfbrmingeach
of both left and right end portions of the cutting guide
frameinanarcshape,loadingtoandunloadingfromasnereo
photo viewer is facilitated.
Aprinterconstitutedtobeconnectedwithanexternal
storage device such as a removable memory or a removable
disk so as to allow reading, editing and writing of image
data is provided.
A.printer which is fixedly or attachably/detachably
provided with a partitioning plate which isolates left and
right images from each other visually on one or a pair of
left and right electronic displays which display a pair
ofleftandrightimagescorrespondingtostereophotograph
data stored in a printer memory in an erected state and
in parallel at a spacing approximately equal to a spacing
between a left eye and a right eye ofia human is provided.
By providing the partition plate to isolate viewing fields
of left and right eyes from each other, images on a pair
of left and right electronic displays can be viewed in a
stereoscopic manner with both the eyes.
By arranging a pair of lefi and right eyepiece lenses on a front face of the
electronic displays, even details on an image can be viewed so that accuracy in
matching adjustment can be improved.
Preferably the printed is provided with a stereo viewer comprising: a lens
board attached with a pair of left and right eyepiece lenses and a print holder portion
in which a stereo photo print on which a pair of lefi and right images have been
displayed in parallel is inserted, wherein respective intermediate portions of the lens
board and the print holder portion in a horizontal direction are coupled to each other
using a partition plate for viewing field separation, the print holder portion is
provided with a pair of left and right windows corresponding to a pair of left and
right image display regions of an electronic display of the printer and is provided
with a coupling mechanism for mounting on a front face of the electronic display.
When a stereo viewer for observing stereo images on a monitor display on
the printer is attachably/detachably provided, even a printing processing for an
ordinary photograph which is not a stereo photograph can be accommodated, and a
stereo viewer detached can be utilized as a viewer for appreciating a stereo photo
print alone.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example
only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
Fig. l is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a digital stereo
camera of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the illustrated embodiment
of the digital stereo camera of the invention;
Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a parallax
of the stereo camera;
Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a
stereoscopic image forming behavior of the stereo camera;
Figs. 5A, 5B, 5C, and SD are explanatory diagrams
ofanmtchingadjustingfunctionofthedigitalstereocamera
of the invention;
Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a
screen loss solving unit in the stereo camera;
Figs. 7A, 7B, and 7C are explanatory diagrams for
explaininganmtchingadjustmentrangeaccordingthestereo
camera shown in Fig. 6;
Figs. 8A and 8B are explanatory diagrams showing
stereo viewfinder images displayed with vertical line
collimation pattern;
Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a matching
adjustment behavior in the digital stereo camera;
Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a
stereoscopic image forming behavior in the stereo camera;
Fig. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a
stereoscopic image forming behavior in the stereo camera;
Fig. 12 is a front view of a stereo photo print;
Fig. 13A is a perspective view of a printer according
to an embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 13B is an enlarged view of a
monitor display portion of the printer;
Fig. 14 is a perspective View of a stereo viewer
according to an embodiment of the invention; and
Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing another
embodiment of the stereo viewer.
Fig. 1 shows one example of a digital stereo camera
of the present invention. A digital stereo camera 1 is
provided with an image capture unit 2 and a stereo viewfinder
3, and the stereo viewfinder 3 having a matching adjustment
function for a stereoscopic View (a function of masking
a left or right end portion of an image) and the image capture
unit 2 are coupled to each other by a fitting mechanism
4 such as, for example, a hot shoe or accessory shoe of
an ordinary camera, and they are electrically connected
to each other via an electric contact point 5 disposed in
the fitting mechanism. The image capture unit 2 and the
stereo viewfinder 3 are separated from each other during
editing after photographing, so that matching adjustment
of the stereo viewfinder 3 can be performed alone.
The image capture unit 2 is constituted of two digital
cameras 8, each being provided with a photographing lens
6 and a CCD image capture device 7 (hereinafter, simply
called “an image capture device 7") , and a base 9 supporting
the two digital cameras 8. Apair of left and right digital
cameras 8 are engaged with a guide rail portion 9a on an
upper face of the base 9, so that the digital Cameras 8
can be slid along the guide rail portion 9a and they can
belockedatanyposition byalockingmechanism(notshown).
It is especially advantageous in close distance
photographing that a distance between optical axes of the
left and right digital cameras 8 can be adjusted in this
manner. This is because the distance between the optical
axessettoastandardorordinarydistanceorspacingbetween
both eyes of a human often becomes excessive at a close
distancephotographingtjnm, which resultsi11requirement
for a further reduced distance between the optical axes.
Thestereoviewfinder3 LsprovidediJ1abodythereof
with a pair of left and right TFT color liquid crystal
displays (not shown), and images on the pair of left and
right TFT color liquid crystal displays (hereinafter,
simply called “a liquid crystal display”) can be
individually observed through a pair of left and right
eyepiece lenses 10. Though not illustrated, a display
driving circuit, a display control portion provided with
a stereoscopic View feeling editing function described
later, and the like are incorporated into the body, and
aremovablememoryforstoringimagedata,suchas£flDmemory
card®, Compact Flash ®, or Smart Media ®, and a power source
battery are attached to exclusive slots, respectively. A
powersourceswitch,ashutterbutton,aneditingoperation
key, video signal output terminals, USB terminals are
arranged at proper positions on an outer peripheral face
ofthebody. Zkferroelectricliquidcrystalndcro—display
maybeusedinsteadof1flu2TFTcolorliquidcrystaldisplay.
Even in this case, similar function and advantage can be
achieved.
Fig. 2 shows a system camera 11 obtained by developing
the digital stereo camera 1, where the base 9 of the image
capture unit 2 is attached to a top of a column 12, the
stereo viewfinder 3 is mounted to an intermediate portion
of the column 12"in a vertical direction, and a forehead
pad 13 is mounted above the stereo viewfinder 3.
A vertical grip 14 and a horizontal grip 15 extending
in a direction orthogonal thereto are provided on a lower
portion of the column 12, and a shoulder pad 16 extends
in a direction opposed to the horizontal grip 15 extending
leftward. The horizontal grip 15 is provided with a control
switch portion 17 including an actuation switch, a zooming
operation switch, a focusing adjustment switch, an exposure
adjustment switch, and other switch buttons, and the
vertical grip 14 is attached with a photographing button
18. Though not illustrated, the forehead pad 13 and the
shoulder pad 16 are respectively provided with position
adjusting mechanisms. A photographer adjusts a position
of the forehead pad 13 such that the forehead pad 13 contacts
with the forehead of the photographer in a state that he/she
grips the horizontal grip 15 and the vertical grip 14 with
his/her left and right hands respectively and he/she looks
through the eyepiece lenses 10 of the stereo viewfinder
3, and he/she also adjusts the shoulder pad 16 to a proper
position. when he/she turns on the actuation switch on the
controlswitchportMm1l7inthisstate,he/shecannmnitor
an image in the stereo viewfinder 3 stably. When the
photographer pushes the photographing button 18, data of
imagesprojectedonthepairofleftandrightimagecapture
devices can be written in the memory.
Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining a parallax in a
stereo camera, which shows a state where a subject (a
character F) in a near distance has been photographed. A
distance P5 between the centers of the left and right image
capture devices 7 in the image capture unit is set to be
equal to a
andrightphotographinglensesti Whenaninfinitesubject
is photographed, since light rays at the same point on the
infinite subject are incident on the left and right
photographing lenses 6 in parallel to each other, a distance
Plbetween the centers of left and right images focused on
the left and right image capture devices 7 becomes equal
to the distance PL between the optical axes of the left
and right photographing lenses 6. On the other hand, as
shown in Fig. 3, when a subject positioned in a finite
distance is photographed, the distance P1 between the
centers of subject images projected on the left and right
image capture devices 7 becomes larger than the distance
lg between the centers of the left and right image capture
devices 7 (P; > pg.
Fig. 4 shows a state (where the eyepiece lenses are
omitted) that displaying is performed such that entire
L&>
widths of original image data elements projected on the
imagecapturedevices'7shown:H1Fig.Z3arecoincidentwith
widths of screens of left and right liquicicrystal displays
Dandthescreensareviewedinastereoscopicmanner. Since
inverted images projected on the image capture devices of
the stereo camera are displayed on the liquid crystal
displays D as erected images rotated by 180°, a distance
PI’ between the centers of left and right images becomes
smaller than a distance Pploetween the centers of the left
and right screens (P1’ < PD).
When an observer views such a stereo photograph in
astereoscopicmannerwithhis/herbotheyes,astereoscopic
image Is appears in front of “stereo windows” Iw and the
“stereo windows” Iw do not merge with each other and they
appear doubly in an overlapping fashion, as shown in Fig.
4, so that the stereoscopic image becomes unnatural and
difficult to see. Matching adjustment between left and
right images must be performed in order to obtain a natural
stereoscopic feeling.
In the stereo photograph, it is common to make
adjustment such that a subject in the shortest distance
appears at an equidistant position to a position of the
“stereo window” or farther. In order that the subject
appears in such a fashion, adjustment may be performed by
the matching adjustment function of the stereo viewfinder
described above such that the distance P1’ between the
centers of the images of the subject positioned at the
/g,\
shortest distance is equal to or larger than the distance
PD between the centers of the left and right screens.
The matching adjustment function of the stereo
viewfinder is shown in Figs. 5A to 5D. Fig. 5A shows a
state that near distance subject images (character F) on
the image capture devices have been rotated to erected states
by 180°, Fig. 5B shows image display regions on a pair of
left and right liquid crystal displays during editing (whose
aspect ratio is made narrower than that at a photographing
time), Fig. 5C shows a state that the images shown in Fig.
5A have been displayed on the image display regions shown
in Fig. 5B without offset, and Fig. 5D shows a state that
the distance between the centers of left and right images
is offset to the longest length by causing inner vertical
sides of the left and right images to coincide with inner
vertical sides of the image display regions.
Aprocedure for matching adjustment will be explained
below. An image projected to the image capture devices
7 at a photographing time is being monitored in real time
by the stereo viewfinder 3 provided with the pair of liquid
crystal displays D.
When matching adjustment is performed, switching to
an editing mode is performed by a mode switching switch,
and when photographed images are edited, stereo photographs
are sequentially displayed on the liquid crystal displays
D (in anyorder) for eachpair according topressing operation
on the image selection switch. Initial positions of images
'14.
re—displayed during editing are not limited to specific
ones, but when offset is set to zero, as shown in Fig. 5C,
both left and right end portions of images exceed left and
rightsidesofdisplayframesontheliquidcrystaldisplays
to be shielded Galacked out).
The matching adjustment is performed by a scroll
operation key provided on the stereo viewfinder 3. Left
and right images are symmetrically scrolled (offset)
horizontally outward or inward in ranges shown in Figs.
SC and 5D by pushing either of both ends of the scroll
operation key in the same manner as a seesaw key for an
ordinary electric zooming operation, so that they are
adjusted to proper scrolling state. Thereafter, a set of
left and right images displayed on the liquid crystal
displaysllare saved in the memory as data of stereo images
on one sheet according to saving operation.
As the image display method during editing, there
are a method which reduces a display frame dimension of
the liquid crystal display D from a field ratio of 100%
at a photographing time to a narrower width shown in Fig.
5B, and a method which enlarges an image with an actual
display screen widthVm»which is narrower than a width We
of an original image on the image capture device to a width
equaltoeawidfliwpoftheliquidcrystaldisplaytochsplay
the image and sets a re—display'width.during editing after
photographing to WD.
When data of an original image with a width W0 is
recorded in the image memory at a photographing time, in
theformermethod,animagecanbenmnitoredoveritsentire
width at a photographing time, but a screen is reduced at
a re-displaying time (at a time of matching adjustment).
On the other hand, in the latter method, display where a
screen at a re—displaying time has been enlarged to a width
oftheliquidcrystaldisplayisobtainedatwaphotographing
time instead of an entire display of a photographed image,
but such an advantage can be obtained that a screen width
ateamatchingadjustmenttinm isnot reduced. Thus,either
of the methods may be adopted.
Asthesavingmethmdofimagedata,thereareaamethod
which saves 100% image data of the image capture device
andsavesscrolldataaftermatchingadjustmentseparately,
thereby making it possible to perform matching editing any
time after photographing, and a method which saves data
of an image horizontally scrolled at a photographing time.
Though the latter method can reduce the data amount as
comparedsuith the former method, either of the methods can
be adopted according to the degree of requirement for the
matching editing function.
In the above embodiment, the constitution where two
independent image capture devka; are mounted as the image
capture unit has been explained, but such a constitution
may be adopted that stereo images obtained through left
and right photographing lenses aredividedto twopieces
on one image capture device.
'L‘~“
In the above, the case that the distance PL between
theopticalaxesoftheleftandrightphotographinglenses
6 is equal to the distance Ps between the centers of the
left and right image capture devices 7 has been explained.
In this case, as shown in Fig. 5C, the center of the screen
ontheliquidcrystaldisplayD:h1thehorizontaldirection
is coincident with the center of the photographed image
in the horizontal direction, so that both left and right
ends of the photographed image are nmfiwd: equally in such
a state that the infinite subject and the “stereo window”
appear infinitely.
As shown in Fig. 5D, when the left and right images
are scrolled to the outermost ends in outwardly moving
directions, the mask amounts of the images in their inner
sides become zero, so that the “stereo window” appears in
the distance equal to the subject in the shortest focused
distance. That is, since the offset adjustment range to
the images is a range between the states shown in Fig. SC
and the state shown in Fig. 5D, the masked outer portions
of the left and right images in Fig. 5C do not appear in
the screen display ranges of the liquid crystal displays
to become screen lost. In fact, even when an infinite
subject is photographed, a more excellent stereoscopic
effect can be obtained by adopting such a constitution that
the “stereo window” appears in a finite distance, and the
infinite subject appears beyond the “stereo window”.
Fig.6ii;adiagramforexplainingmeansforimproving
the above-described image loss or stereoscopic effect,
where, assuming that selecting ranges (width W5) during
editing have been moved to inner ends of the left and right
image capture devices on exposure faces of the image capture
devices, the distance PL between the optical axes of the
left and right photographing lenses is set to be smaller
than the distance Pg between the centers of the left and
right edmng selection ranges WE at that time.
Fig. 7A shows a case that images photographed by a
camerashowninfiigu Ghavebeenre—displayed
crystal disp1ayslDof the stereo viewfinder 3i11an editing
mode, where the outer ends of original image data with a
width We are coincident with the outer ends of the actual
display screens Wpof the displays. Fig. 7B shows actual
display screens (width WP) of the displays D in the editing
mode. As shown in Fig. 7C, offsetting can be performed
until the inner ends of the original image data with the
width We are coincident with the inner ends of the actual
display screens Wp.
In Fig. 7A, in order that the infinite stereoscopic
imageFappearsbeyondthestereowindows,namely,thestereo
windows appear in finite distance, a distance PH between
the centers of left and right images on the displays Dxnay
be set to be larger than a distance Pm>between the centers
of the actual display screens on the displays (Pfl > Pwa.
When a close—in subject is photographed, it is necessary
to set the distance P1’ between the centers of left and
right images on the displays D to be equal to the distance
an between the centers of the actual display screens on
the displays. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 7C, adjustment
is conducted such that the distance Pfi'between the centers
of the close-in subjects (character F) becomes equal to
the distance Pwp (P1’ = Pwp) .
As shown in Fig. 6, since the images on the image
capture devices 7 are inverted images, they are put in a
positionalrelationshipwithinages
so that the image data selection ranges Wgof the left and
right image capture devices of the camera at an infinite
photographing time move to the innermost ends of the entire
widths Ws of the image capture devices.
A.relationshig>between the image capture devices and
the displays is in a proportional relationship of W0: W3
= WP: W5. Therefore, when a distance between the centers
ofthedataselectionrangeswg cnitheimagecapturedevices
7 of the camera shown in Fig. 6 is represented as Pg, the
distance between the centers of the images on the left and
right image capture devices 7 is represented as P1, and
the distance between.the optical axes of the left and right
photographing lenses 6 is represented as PL, since light
rays emitted from the same or one point in an infinite
distance become parallel to each other when entering in
the left and right photographing lenses 6, so that the
distance between the centers of the left and right images
becomes equal to the distance between the optical axes of
.13?
the left and right photographing lenses 6, which results in FL = P; < PE.
As described above, when the distance between the optical axes of the left
and right photographing lenses 6 of the stereo camera is set to the above dimensional
condition of the PL, the image loss in the example shown in Fig. 5 is solved so that
data for stereo photographs whose image losses have been reduced to the minimum
can be obtained, as shown in Fig. 7.
Next, display of patterns P including a plurality of vertical lines, shown in
Figs. 8A and 8B, on the liquid crystal displays D in an overlapping manner with
images as means for improving visibility for determining goodness/badness about
matching condition will be explained. The vertical line patterns P are positioned at
equal positions on the left and right editing screens, and when a viewer or observer
views the lefi and right screens with his/her both eyes, the left and right vertical line
patterns P appears to be coincident with each other in the distance of the "stereo
window". The distance between the centers of the Iefi and right images can be
adjusted such that all the subjects appear beyond the vertical line patterns P, so that
goodness/badness about a stereoscopic feeling can be easily judged by
simultaneously viewing both the images and the vertical line patterns P in a
stereoscopic manner.
Fig. 8A represents a selection range (the state shown
in Fig. 7A) from original image data Wovflunian adjustment
value at a matching adjustment time is zero, and Fig. 8B
represents a display range (the state shown in Fig. 7C)
selectedxuhen the adjustment value is the maximum. Though
re—displaying at the Hatching adjustment time may be
performed in either direction by setting the state shown
in Fig. 8A.as an initial position or by setting the state
shown in Fig. 8B as the initial position, it is preferable
thatxnatching adjustment is carefully repeated in both the
directions.
Figs . 8A and 8B illustrate both ends of an adjustment
value range, but adjustment is often performed to a value
between the range defined by Fig. 8A and Fig. 8B in fact.
In such a case, since original images are masked on both
sides of the actual display screen widths WD on both the
leftandrightliquidcrystaldisplaysD,theleftandright
images can be wholly scrolled in the same or one direction
according to a viewer's determination about whether there
is an interesting subject in left or right stereoscopic
fields performed while viewing a monitor during editing.
Theadjustmentcan}x2performedLHnjJ.thescrollingreaches
a final end (both left and right ends) of either of a pair
of left and right image data elements.
The above matching adjustment is performed by
scrolling left and right images to display regions with
afixedwidthwponthedisplawstochangeacfistancebetween
the centers of the left and right images, but a digital
'L°\
zoomingoperation(atechniqueforchangingeareadingratio
of video data stored in an image memory to enlarge display
in a
zooming can be applied instead of the image scrolling, and
suchaconstitutionmaybeemployedthatthedistancebetween
the centers of images on the left and right displays is
changed by digital zooming.
Theimagedataeditedbytheabovematchingadjustment
isstorejinthememoryasonesheetofimagedataincluding
left and right images integrally, and it can be outputted
toadigitalsilverhalideprintsystem,acomputer,aprinter,
orthelikeatanytime. Insuchaconstitutionthatvertical
linepatternsParedisplayedinanoverlappingmannerduring
editing, it is a matter of course that only the image data
is stored at a time of image data storage without storing
data of the vertical line patterns.
Since the above-described Vertical line patterns P
we useless except for matching adjustment, such a
constitution may be adopted in the display control unit
that they are displayed onlyrwhen the scroll operation key
is operated. Setting is performed such that displaying
continuesforseveralsecondsafterkeyoperationorpattern
display continues until a viewer or an operator releases
his/herfingerfromthescrolladjustmentkeyandthepattern
displayautomaticallydisappearsaftermatchingadjustment,
so that on/off operation of the pattern display is made
unnecessary, which results in convenient use.
Next, a technique for facilitating a focal point
adjustment operationofadigital stereo camera using liquid
Crystal displays as a viewfinder will be explained. In
the stereo viewfinder in the stereo camera shown in Fig.
6, vertical line patterns P shown in Figs. 8A or 8B are
displayed on the left and right liquid crystal displays
under software control even at a photographing time. The
distance PE; between the centers of the image selection ranges
W; on the left and right image capture devices is changed
in an interlocking manner with focal point adjustment of
the photographing lenses 6 at the photographing time so
that the distance P; between the centers of the left and
right subjects focused is caused to coincide with the
distance Pg.
Fig. Qillustrates astate that anear distance subject
has been focused at a photographing time by the camera shown
in Fig. 6, where the distance P; between the centers of
near distance subject images is larger than the distance
PL between the centers of the left and right photographing
lenses 6, i.e., P; > FL, as described above.
In the state shown in Fig. 9, if the distance PE between
the centers of the image selection ranges W; on the image
capture devices 7 is set to the minimum distance like the
distance Pg between the centers in Fig. 6 and the Vertical
line patterns are displayed in the stereo View finder in
an overlapping manner like the state shown in Fig. 8A, the
subject (the character F) appears in a close range, as shown
is I
in Fig. 10. so that a photographer will feel considerably
uncomfortable. In the state shown in Fig. 9, if the distance
P; between the centers of the subject images is set to be
equal to the distance Pg between the centers of the selection
ranges WE of the image capture devices (P5 = P1) , the vertical
line patterns and the subject images appear in the same
distance.
Fig. 11 illustrates that the image selection ranges
are scrolled to meet the above P5 = P; (the selection ranges
are moved in the directions in which the state shown in
Fig. 8B is obtained), so that the distance Pg between the
centers of the left and right liquid crystal displays D
and the distance P1’ between the centers of the images
displayed are caused to coincide with each other (PD = P1’ ) .
Thereby, the vertical line patterns appear in the same
distance as the subject images in a stereoscopic View at
a photographing time.
In order to set the stereo viewfinder such that the
state of P5; = P1 shown in Fig. 9 can be always obtained,
when a movement amount of photographing lenses in optical
axis directions at a time of focal point adjustment is
represented as Af, a focal length of each photographing
lens is represented as f, a distance from a main point of
each photographing lens to an object is represented as L,
a distance between optical axes of left and right
photographing lenses is represented as PL, and a distance
between the centers of images projected on left and right
'}W»
image capture devices is represented as P1 in Fig. 9, the
movement amount.Af(3ftJu3photographing lenses in the axial
direction at a time of focal point adjustment is expressed
asAf=:FV(L-f),sothatthedistanceP1betweenthecenters
of images projected on the left and right image capture
devices is expressed as P1: PL H.+ Af/f). Therefore, by
controlling horiéontal scroll amounts of left and right
images in an interlockingxnanner while matchingxuith focal
point adjustment of the photographing lenses 6 so as to
meet the conditions of Af and Plin the numerical equation,
thestereoscopicimageIs
in the same distance as the “stereo window” Iw, as shown
in Fig. 11.
Forexample,whenthephotographinglenses6aremoved
and adjusted manually, setting can be performed such that
the subject images appear at the equidistant positions to
the collimation pattern on the stereo viewfinder by
detecting positions of the lenses using an encoder, a
potentiometer or the like and automatically adjusting the
horizontal scroll amounts of the reading ranges Wgof the
original image data We so as to meet the above conditions
in an interlocking manner. When an autofocusing system
is employed, the horizontal scroll amounts of the reading
rangeswgofimagedataelementsontheimagecapturedevices
maylxaautomatically"controlledtnrperforming computation
and distribution from the focused distance data so as to
meet the above equations.
In the above embodiment, the vertical line pattern
P is used as the collimation pattern, but the collimation
pattern is not limited to the vertical line pattern. When
equal shapes at equal positions appear on the left and
right displays, for example, circular indexes can be used
or combination of the vertical lines with the indexes can
be used.
hiaconventionalordinarycamera,rangingmeanssuch
as an auto—focus area or a reticle must be caused to coincide
with a photographing target for focusing. In the system
accordingtothepresentinvention,however,sinceafocused
state can be viewed over a whole field of the finder, it
is unnecessary to perform such an operation for Causing
the reticle or the like to coincide with the target. This
is especially important in a photographing scene where
subjectsoverlapwithoneanotheri11amultiplexingmanner.
Even in a case that a focusing mechanism for a camera
according to the present invention is designed for
auto~focusingsystem,sinceeisubjectdistancefocusedcan
bevieweden:aphotographingtimewithoutchangingframing,
it is very convenient for use.
In the explanation about the matching adjustment
during editing, there is a description that the subject
image positioned at an infinite distance should appear
beyond the “stereo window” in the sterec)photograph. This
is similarly'applied Una stereoscopic view feeling in the
finder when a collimation pattern is displayed in the finder
at a photographing time.
The distance where the “stereo window” appears is
preferablyaboutI3metersevenat.m1infinitephotographing
time, but it may be set to, for example, 3 to 10 meters.
In the stereo photograph, it is often preferable that
photographing is performed in a pan-focus state, and
photographing is5often.performed in such a condition that
an aperture of a lens at a photographing time is throttled
and focusing is fixedixna distance of about 31x35 meters,
while focusing is conducted fronua near View to a far view.
At a near range photographing time (a close up state) within
1 meter, the subject image at the photographing time
preferably appears at an equidistant position to the
collimation pattern.
This is achieved by interlocking a focusing value
(Af value) at a photographing time and the selection range
of the finder display computed from the Af = f2/(L — f)
andP;=PL(1-+Af/f)witheachothersuchthat,whenfocusing
ataphotographingtimeisadjustedtoaninfinitedistance,
an infinite image appears beyond a collimation pattern
appearing at a distance of about 3 to 5 meters, and when
focusing is adjusted to a near range within 1 meter or less,
asubjectimageappearsinanequidistancetothecollimation
pattern and configuring an operation control program such
that Plshown in Fig.1J.meets Pfl > Pgat an infinite time
and P1’ = PD at a near range time.
Incidentally, a display color for the collimation
pattern may be black, where it may be difficult to see in
a dark environment or in a dark color subject. As a
countermeasure to such a case, such a constitution may be
employed that a function for performing switching between
display colors of the collimation pattern is provided on
the display control portion so that the display color can
be switched between whhe Color and black color, or such
a constitution may be adopted that the photographing mode
and the editing mode are discriminated from each other by
differentiating color or shape between the collimation
pattern at the photographing time and that at the editing
time.
Since image data outputted from the image capture
device can be outputted as a video signal at real time,
when the digital stereo camera is provided with a video
signal output terminal, a user or viewer can View live video
by outputting a video signal from the video signal output
terminal to an external 3—D1nonitor display or an external
3-D projector or record live video by inputting the video
signal to a digital video recorder.
As a transmitting/receiving method of image data at
this time, there are proposed a method which outputs a
horizontallyscrolledimagedataandzamethodwhichoutputs
100% output data and scroll data which has been subjected
to matching adjustment and mxbnns scroll control on a
reception side device provided with a scroll function to
conduct displaying.
In the latter method, original image data is fed with
a full—width size which does not include any image loss
and it is automatically scroll—controlled based upon scroll
data received on the reception side device to be displayed.
When a switching system between an automatic scroll control
and a manual scroll control is adopted in the reception
side device, a scroll amount can be adjusted arbitrarily
on the reception side.
When a data communication function such as USB or
IEEE1394 is provided on a digital stereo camera and a data
communication terminal in the stereo camera is connected
to a data communication connector in a cellular or portable
phone or a PHS via a data communication cable corresponding
to these interfaces, radio communication of raw or
photographed stereo still image data or stereo motion
picture data can be performed between two digital stereo
cameras via a telephone line. Radio video distribution
to video devices such as a 3-D monitor display or a 3-D
projector can be made possible. As the connection to the
telephone line, such a constitution that the digital stereo
camera is incorporated with a cellulal-phone moduleto be
unitized Withacelhllar phone or an aspect of the digital
stereo camera incorporated with a telephone modem has been
also proposed.
The stereo image matching technique described above
can be applied to a 3-D projector or a 3-D display of a
direct view type. As contents of the technique is directed
’g?
to application of the matchingxneans in the digital stereo
camera described above, though not illustrated, the
contents will be understood easily in the following
explanation made with reference to Fig. 3 to Fig. 11.
Incidentally, the above 3-D projector or 3-D display
includes a LCOS (Liquid Crystal on SiliconL
The “stereo window” Iw described in the explanation
about the digital stereo camera corresponds to a liquid
display, a screen of a CRT, or a projection screen, and
the left and right image capture devices 7 correspond to
projection lenses of left and right projectors in the 3-D
cinema system. Like the display region widths W3 of the
liquiddisplays[)oftheabove—describedstereoviewfinder
3 at arnatching adjustment time, a left eye side image and
a right eye side image with aspect ratios being narrower
than aspect ratios of left and right original images (a
state where one portion of original images in a widthwise
direction have been masked) are projected from a pair of
left and right projectors, or a left eye side image and
a right eye side image with aspect ratios narrower than
those of left and right original images are alternately
displayed on electronic displays for each one field.
When a pair of left and right original images are
horizontallyscrolledsymmetricallyregardingtheleftand
right from the state shown in Fig. 7A to the state shown
in Fig. 7C by an operation unit or means such as a scroll
operation key so that projection regions are selectively
changai aspacingbetweenequalsubjectimagesoftheleft
eye side image and of the right eye side image on the CRT
or the projection screen is changed without movement of
image frames on the CRT display or the projection screen,
and matching state between left and right images can be
viewed.
Data with scroll state edited can be written on an
externalstoragenmdiumsuchasa1nnlt—inHDDcnrabuilt—in
DVI>drive, a removable memory, or a removable disk device.
Like an ordinary video editing system, any chapter or a
framebetweenanytwopointscanbedesignatedandanmtching
state of a scene thereof can be edited, so that matching
can be finely adjusted for each scene.
By projecting collimation patterns, each being
constituted of a plurality of vertical lines or the like
shown in Fig. 8, on left and right electronic devices or
images oneaprojection screen, a relative distance between
the projection screen and subject images or'a stereoscopic
feeling can be viewed easily, as described above.
Byextractinganyframefromstereovideodataedited
and saved in such an external storage medium as a built—in
HDD or a built—in DVD drive, or a removable memory, or a
removable disk device to output the frame as data for a
sheet of left and right stereo photographs included ineone
sheetexternally,astereophotographsheetcanbeguoduced
from a motion picture source.
Inordertoreproducestereophotographsphotographed
'g‘\
byacfigitalstereocameraina3—Dprojectorora3—Ddisplay
of a direct view type, video signal corresponding to one
field are respectively produced from left and right image
data elements, so that the left and right image data can
be alternately displayed on one display or the left and
right image data elements can be distributed to the left
and right projectors for displaying.
Regarding commercially available DVD softwares or
video tapes on which motion picture has been recorded,
copying edited video data obtained by performing matching
adjustment on video data using a virtual 3-D conversion
software on another external recording medium may cause
a problem about copy right. In this case, however, such
a constitution may be adopted that an ID number and edited
data (scroll data for matching) of a software, a chapter
number or a frame number relating to the mfiwddaw,wm
the like are saved in a memory as a set of data files, the
software ID number is readen:a software reproducing time,
so that a horizontal scroll amount to a reproducing image
is sequentially controlled for each chapter or each
designated scene based upon the edited data file having
a corresponding ID number stored in the memory.
Image data adjusted according to matching cfifing
in the
described above, or a 3-D display or a 3-D projector can
beoutputtedtozaprinteroraadigitalsilverhalideprinter
directly from the digital stereo camera or the like or by
((4)
detaching an image recording medium such as a memory and
loading the same on another reader device as data for one
sheetincludingzapaircafleftznxiright stereogflmmbgraphs
to produce a stereo photo print.
In order to appreciate a stereo photo print using
a stereo viewer, it is necessary to cut the stereo photo
print printed or-developed to a shape conforming with the
stereoviewer. Dnordertoappreciateeastereophotoprint
using a stereo viewer, it is desirable to provide a border
(a gap) between left and right photographs on the stereo
photo print to provide a blank portion with a fixed width
between the left and right photographs.
When stereo photograph data is fed to a printer, the
stereo photograph data Composed with print data including
a cutting guide frame serving as the border and an outer
edgeoftheblankportionrecordedinthememoryisoutputted,
so that a relative position of a outer shape of the stereo
photograph print and images is made clear by printing the
cutting guide frame together with the photographs.
Fig. 12 shows one example of a stereo photo card.
A stereo photo card 21 may be printed with a specific color
or pattern on its inner side of a cutting guide frame 22
showing an outer shape of the stereo photo card 21 except
forimages24Land24Ranxangedinparallelthroumiaborder
23, so that the stereo photo card 21 having a fixed shape
can be formed by cutting an.outer edge of the cutting guide
frame 22.
Incidentally, forming both left and right ends of
thecuttingguideframe22inanarcshapeisforfacilitating
insertion and positioning to a holder portion of a stereo
photo viewer. Data for the cutting guide frame line can
be preliminarily stored in a memory in a printer so that
suchaacontrol cankmamade that datais outputted together
with frame data automatically added thereto at a stereo
photo print time.
Theunitornwansforperformingmatchingadjustment
to stereo photographs in the stereo viewfinder 3 described
abovecanbeappliedtonotonlythephotographingapparatus
or the reproducing apparatus, but also all printers
including business digital silver halide printers to
consumer printers. This is achieved by mounting two left
and right monitor displays or one monitor display having
a size allowing simultaneous display of a pair of left and
right stereo photographs.
Fig. 13A shows one example of a printer 31 attached
with a nmnitor display 32 (illustration of cmeration
switchesandthelikeisomitted),andFig.13Bshowsdetails
of a monitor display portion. Flanges 33 are formed on
both left and right sides of the monitor display 32, so
that a stereo viewer (an eyepiece unit) 41 can be attached
to and detached from the monitor display 32. The matching
adjustment unit or means in the printer is similar to that
in the digital stereo camera, and explanation thereof is
omitted herein for avoiding duplication in explanation.
In order to View two screens on the monitor display
32 in a stereoscopic manner, it is necessary to provide
a partition plate for partitioning left and right fields
(when there is not a partition, viewing fields of left and
right eyes cross each other). In addition thereto, eyepiece
lenses are also required. In the printer, however, even
when a monaural print is displayed in an enlarged manner
or whenmanyphotographs are displayed in an indexingmanner,
the partition plate or the eyepiece lenses will get in the
way during working for such a processing.
Fig. 14 shows a stereo viewer 41 which is attachable
to and detachable from a portion of the monitor display
32 of the printer 31. The stereo viewer 41 is provided
with a lens board portion 42 and a print holder portion
43, a pair of left and right eyepiece lenses 44Land 44R
are attached to the lens board portion 42, and a pair of
left and right windows 45L and 45R corresponding to stereo
images projected on the monitor display 32 in the printer
31 shown in Fig. 13 .are provided on the print holder portion
43.
The lens board portion 42 and the print holder portion
43 are respectivelyprovided their central portions in their
horizontal directions with partition plates 46 and 47 . The
lens board portion 42 and the print holder portion 43 are
coupled slidably to each other by inserting the partition
plate 47 of the print holder portion 43 into the partition
plate 46 with a box-like section of the lens board portion
, so that diopter adjustment is performed by causing the lens board portion 42 and
the print holder portion 43 to approach to and separate from each other, and a
spacing therebetween is fixed by a lock screw 48.
Vertical grooves 49 corresponding to the flanges 33 of the monitor display
32 in the printer 31 are formed on inner wall faces of left and right ends on a back
face of the print holder portion 43, and the stereo viewer 41 can be attached to the
monitor display 32 in the printer 31 by engagement of the vertical grooves 49 with
the flanges 33. When the stereo viewer 41 is detached, a stereo photo print is
inserted to the vertical grooves 49 of the print holder portion 43 of the stereo viewer
41 from the above so that the print can be appreciated by a viewer or an observer.
Incidentally, steps are provided on portions of the vertical grooves 49 to back faces
of the windows 45L and 45R of the print holder portion 43. Therefore, when a stereo
photo print is inserted into the grooves, an obverse thereof does not come in contact
with the back faces of the windows 45L and 45R so that the stereo photo print is
prevented from being injured. Fig. 15 shows a stereo viewer 41 of another
embodiment. Various aspects including a shape of the stereo viewer 41 where an
upper side portion of the print holder portion 43 has been removed in this manner
can be proposed.
Incidentally, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments,
and various modifications can be adopted within the technical scope of the present
b(<’—(
invention. Of course, these modifications are also
included in present invention.
Claims (37)
1. A digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera which is provided with a pair of left and right photographing optical systems, one or two_image capture devices which individually receive a pair of images through the pair of photographing optical systems, a pair of lefi and right electronic displays which individually display a pair of images projected on the one or two image capture devices with the images erected, and an eyepiece lens, comprising: a unit that, when photographed images are displayed on the pair of left and right electronic displays, sets aspect ratios of image display areas on the electronic displays to be narrower than aspect ratios of images projected on the one or two image capture devices to perform displaying while masking one portion of the images on the one or two image capture devices; a unit that displays collimation patterns with equal shapes and equal positions on the left and right electronic displays in an overlapping manner with the images; a manual scrolling unit that horizontally scrolls images on the pair of left and right electronic displays symmetrically regarding the left and right to change a spacing between equal subject images on the lefi and right image display regions; and a unit that outputs an image data which does not include a display signal for the collimation pattern as a set of stereo image data elements corresponding to a selected horizontally scrolled display image.
2. A digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera according to claim 1, wherein the data saving unit and the externally outputting unit are configured so as to save data of original images projected on the one or two image capture devices and scroll data obtained when horizontal scrolling is performed and output the same externally.
3. A digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, when a spacing between equal subject images on the pair of left and right .q,c image display regions is reduced symmetrically regarding the lefi and right by the manual scrolling unit and outside ends of respective photographed images are caused to coincide with outside ends of the image display regions on the electronic displays, a distance between optical axes of the left and right photographing lenses is set such that a distance between infinite subject images on the left and right image display regions is larger than a distance between the centers of the left and right image display regions.
4. A digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising a display control unit which horizontally scrolls left and right display images on the electronic displays symmetrically with the left and right in an interlocking manner with focusing of the photographing lenses to control a horizontal scroll amount such that a distance between the centers of equal subject images positioned on focused focal lengths on the left and right image display regions on the electronic displays is equal to a distance between the centers of the left and right image display regions.
5. A digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the lefi and right display images on the electronic displays are horizontally scrolled symmetrically with the left and right in an interlocking manner with focusing of the photographing lenses, and a horizontal scroll amount is controlled such that, when the focused focal length is about 1 meter or farther, the distance between the centers of the equal subject images positioned at the focused focal lengths on the left and right image display regions on the electronic displays is larger than the distance between the centers of the left and right image display regions, and when the focused focal length is less than about 1 meter, the distance between the centers of the equal subject images positioned at the focused focal lengths become equal to the distance between the centers of the left and right image display regions.
6. A digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera according to any preceding claim, further comprising a unit that displays collimation patterns with equal shapes and equal positions on the left and right electronic displays in an overlapping manner with the images during image editing.
7. A digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera according to claim 6, wherein each collimation pattern is constituted of a plurality of vertical lines.
8. A digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising a unit that saves image data which does not include a display signal for the collimation pattern as a set of stereo image data elements and a unit which outputs the image data extemally.
9. A digital stereo carnera/digital stereo video camera according to claim 6, 7 or 8, further comprising a display control unit which senses operation start of an operation switch or an operation key provided on the manual scroll unit to display the collimation pattern and stops displaying the collimation pattern after the operation switch or the operation key is released or after a predetermined time elapses after the operation start.
10. A digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera according to any preceding claim, further comprising one of a data communication interface connected to a cellular phone, a cellular phone module, and a telephone modem incorporated in the digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera, wherein transmission and reception of data can be performed through a telephone line.
1 1. A digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera according to any preceding claim, wherein an image capture unit provided with the pair of left and right photographing optical systems and image capture devices of two systems and a stereo viewfinder provided with the pair of let’: and right electronic displays and eyepiece lenses are attachably/detachably provided, a control unit and an external storage device are provided in one of the image capture unit and the stereo viewfinder, or the control unit and the external storage device is provided separately therefrom, and the image capture unit and the stereo viewfinder, and the control unit _.'L—+Q and the external storage device are electrically connected so that communication of image data, a control signal and the like is performed.
12. A digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera according to any preceding claim, further comprising a control unit that arranges images corresponding to the pair of left and right stereo image data elements in parallel and performs outputting as a pair of stereo image print data elements in an overlapping manner with data of a line or a pattern surrounding a pair of left and right images or a rectangular cutting guide frame obtained by printing.
13. A digital stereo camera/digital stereo video camera according to claim 12,. wherein lefi and right end portions of the cutting guide frame are each formed in an arc shape.
14. A 3-dimensional display constituted such that a left eye side image and a right eye side image are alternately displayed for each one field in an interlacing manner using an electronic display such as a CRT or a PDP and an image on the display can be viewed in a stereoscopic manner using a viewer provided with a pair of left and right liquid crystal shutters opened and closed in synchronization with a field switching timing of the display, comprising: a unit which sets an aspect ratio of a display image to be narrower than an aspect ratio of a screen corresponding to original motion picture data to perfonn projection while masking a portion of the original motion picture; a manual scroll unit which horizontally scrolls a left eye side image and a right eye side image on a display region on the electronic display symmetrically regarding the left and right to change a distance between equal subject images on the left eye side image and the right eye side image; a unit that displays collimation patterns with equal shapes and equal positions on the electronic display in an overlapping manner with the left eye side and right eye side images; and t.f"'l an edited data saving unit which writes in a storage device motion picture data corresponding to a selected horizontally scrolled left eye side image and right eye side image as a set of stereo video data elements.
15. A 3-dimensional projector which uses projectors of two right and left systems to project a left eye side image and a right eye side image on a projection screen in an overlapping manner, where an image on the projection screen is viewed in a stereoscopic manner using glasses provided with filters comprising 2 a unit which sets an aspect ratio of a display image to be narrower than an aspect ratio of a screen corresponding to original motion picture data to perform projection while masking a portion of the original motion picture; ‘a manual scroll unit which horizontally scrolls a left eye side image and a right eyeside image on the projection screen symmetrically regarding the left and right to change a distance between equal subject images on the left eye side image and the right eye side image on the projection screen; a unit which projects a collimation pattern with equal shapes and equal positions on the projection screen in an overlapping manner with the left eye side image and the right eye side image; and an edited data saving unit which writes motion picture data corresponding to the selected horizontally scrolled left eye side image and right eye side image in an external storage device as a set of stereo video data elements.
16. A 3-dimensional projector as claimed in claim 15 wherein said right and Iefi system projectors are liquid crystal projectors whose polarizing directions of emitted light are orthogonal to each other or digital micro-mirror device system projectors attached with linear polarizing filters whose polarizing directions are orthogonal to each other, or the like, and said glasses are provided with linear polarizing filters where polarizing directions are orthogonal to each other at both lett and right eyes.
17. A 3-dimensional projector as claimed in claim 15 wherein said right and let’: system projectors are liquid crystal projectors, or digital micro-mirror device system projectors, or the like, attached with circularly polarizing filters whose rotating oil) directions of circularly polarized light are reverse to each other, and said glasses are provided with circular polarizing filters where rotating directions of circular polarized light are reverse to each other at both right and left eyes.
18. A 3-dimensional display according to claim 14, wherein the collimation pattern is constituted of a plurality of vertical lines.
19. A 3-dimensional projector according to claim 15, 16 or 17, wherein the collimation pattern is constituted of a plurality of vertical lines.
20. A 3-dimensional display according to claim 14, further comprising an editing point designating unit which can perform the motion picture editing for each frame.
21. A 3-dimensional projector according to claim 15, 16, 17 or 19, further comprising an editing point designating unit which can perform the motion picture editing for each frame.
22. A 3-dimensional display according to c1aim'l4, 18 or 20, further comprising an image data outputting unit which outputs any frame in the stereo video data edited and saved as a pair of left and right stereo photograph data elements externally.
23. A 3-dimensional projector according to claim 15, 16, 17, 19 or 21, further comprising an image data outputting unit which outputs any frame in the stereo video data edited and saved as a pair of left and right stereo photograph data elements externally.
24. A printer which produces one sheet of stereo photo print on which a pair of lefi and right images have been printed in parallel based upon stereo image data constituted of a pair of left and right image data elements, and which is provided with one or a pair of lefi and right electronic displays which display a pair of left and right erected images corresponding to a set of stereo image data elements stored in a i 57 printer memory in parallel at a spacing approximately equal to a spacing between a left eye and a right eye of a human, comprising: a unit which sets an aspect ratio of an image on the electronic display to be narrower than an aspect ratio of an image corresponding to stereo image data to perform displaying while masking a portion of an original image; a manual scrolling unit which horizontally scrolls a pair of left and right images on the electronic display symmetrically regarding the lefi and right to change a spacing between equal subject images on the left and right images; a unit which displays collimation patterns with equal shapes and equal positions on left and right image display regions on the electronic display in an overlapping manner with the images; and an edited data writing unit which writes image data corresponding to a selected scrolled display image in the printer memory as a set of stereo image print data elements.
25. A printer according to claim 24, wherein each of the collimation patterns is constituted of a plurality of vertical lines.
26. A printer according to claim 24 or 25, further comprising a control unit which prints data of a line or a pattern surrounding a pair of left and right images, or a rectangular cutting guide frame obtained by printing in an overlapping manner on stereo image print data constituted of the pair of left and right images.
27. A printer according to claim 26, where lefi and right end portions of the cutting guide frame are each formed in an arc shape.
28. A printer according to any of claims 24 to 27, wherein the printer is connected with an external storage device such as a removable memory or a removable disk so as to be capable of reading, editing and writing image data.
29. A printer according to any of claims 24 to 28, wherein a partitioning plate which isolates left and right images from each other visually is fixedly or l0 :2 attachably/detachabIy provided on one or a pair of left and right electronic displays which display a pair of left and right images corresponding to a set of stereo photograph data elements stored in a printer memory in an erected state and in parallel at a spacing approximately equal to a spacing between a left eye and a right eye of a human.
30. A printer according to any of claims 24 to 29, wherein a pair of left and right eyepiece lenses are arranged on a front face of one or a pair of left and right electronic displays which display a pair of left and right images corresponding to a set of stereo photograph data elements stored in a printer memory in an erected state and in parallel at a spacing approximately equal to a spacing between a left eye and a right eye of a human.
31. A printer according to any of claims 24 to 29, wherein a lens board having a pair of left and right eyepiece lenses is attachably/detachably disposed on a front face of the one or the pair of left and right electronic displays.
32. A printer as claimed in any of claims 24 to 31 firrther including a stereo viewer comprising: a lens board attached with a pair of left and right eyepiece lenses and a print holder portion in which a stereo photo print on which a pairof left and right images have been displayed in parallel is inserted, wherein respective intermediate portions of the lens board and the print holder portion in a horizontal direction are coupled to each other using a partition plate for viewing field separation, the print holder portion is provided with a pair of left and right windows corresponding to a pair of left and right image display regions of an electronic display of the printer and is provided with a coupling mechanism for mounting on a front face of the electronic display.
33. A digital stereo camera or a digital stereo video camera substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
34. A 3-dimensional display substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
35. A 3-dimensional projector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
36. A printer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
37. A printer including a stereo viewer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JPJAPAN10/03/20052005/067524 | |||
JP2005067524A JP4376194B2 (en) | 2005-03-10 | 2005-03-10 | Digital stereo camera or digital stereo video camera and 3D display or 3D projector and printer |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
IE20060063A1 IE20060063A1 (en) | 2006-09-20 |
IE85170B1 true IE85170B1 (en) | 2009-03-18 |
Family
ID=
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