With one camera!

Taking 3D photos with one camera will limit you to static subjects, but don't be put off by that - you can still produce some stunning results.

Before taking your first shot, download and install Stereo Photo Maker from this site http://stereo.jpn.org/eng/stphmkr/

1. Take the first shot (this will be the 'left' image) with the camera pointing towards the subject.

2. Move the camera horizontally (but NOT vertically!) about 2.5 inches to the right. Don't angle the camera inwards - keep it pointing ahead. Take the second shot (this will be the right image).

3. Load both images onto your computer - put them in a folder called 3D.

4. Rename the first image 001_L.jpg and then rename the second image 001_R.jpg

5. Start StereoPhotoMaker and Select <FILE> <Open Left/Right Images>

6. Locate the 3D folder and click on 001_L.jpg then hold the shift key and click 001_R.jpg with both files selected click OPEN

7. Both photos should now be on screen with the first photo on the left and the second photo on the right. If not - select <STEREO> <Side by Side> <Side by SIde> or press F9

8. Select <ADJUST> <Auto Alignment> (or press Alt A) and wait for the program to perform auto alignment.

9. Select <ADJUST> <Auto Colour Adjustment> ( or press CTRL K) and the program will match the colours of each photo.

10. Finally crop the pictures to a size suitable for viewing on screen. Select <EDIT> <Crop> <Free cropping Option> and select on of the preset card opions. Then click and drag the crop cursor over one of the pictures (the other will be done automatically) to the area you want. Release the mouse button - then click the left moused button again to complete the crop.

You should now have the left and right photos aligned and colour matched on screen and when viewed with an online viewer you will see a stereoscopic 3D image.

Note: Some people can 'free view' parallel images but will need to zoom out to get smaller pictures - as they need to be the same distance apart as your eyes. If you prefer to use the 'cross-eyed' viewing method swap the pictures using <VIEW> <Swap Left/Right>

With two cameras (unsynchronised).

1. Mount your two cameras on a 'stereo bar' - you can improvise with a stout ruler and a couple of elestic bands. Keep the cameras as close together as possible

2. Both cameras should be pointed straight forward - NOT angled in!

3. Press both shutter buttons half way to achive focus - then press BOTH fully down AT THE SAME TIME to take the photos.

4. Load both photos onto your computer and rename them as above in the unstructions for single camera - MAKE SURE that you rename them correctly Left and Right ( 001_L.jpg & 001_R.jpg)

5. Follow the rest of the instructions above for single camera shooting.

There are many more functions in Stereo Photo Maker - you can produce anaglyphs (viewed with red/blue glasses) and even photos for use with shitter glasses. See Stereo Photo Maker on our links page for a link to the website and Help files.

Twin cameras on a stereo bar

Twin cameras - one mounted upside down to bring the lenses closer together

Making stereo cards

To make old fashioned stereoscopic cards simply import the finished side by side jpeg that you made above into a pohoto editing program.

Add a coloured border all around it (you will need to experiment with the size of this border - as it is there to prevent the printers from making the image too large.

Then take the photo on a memory stick to your local photo booth and get it printed as a 6 x 4 inch print.

Trim off the border and spray mount it onto a suitable sized pice of heavy card.

Here is my workflow for SPM for when I take multiple pictures:

1. Load the photos from the memory cards into 2 separate folders - ../3D/LEFT and ../3D/RIGHT

2. Open both folder on screen and check that the pairs all match (you may have accidentally pressed the shutter button on one camera and have one or two odd photos - DELETE any singletons

3. Open SPM (Stereophotomaker) and go to <FILE> <Multi Rename>

4. Locate the LEFT folder and Rename all files with an _L.jpeg  extension to the name/number

5. Do the same for the RIGHT folder but with an _R.jpeg extension to the name/number

6. Minimise the SPM window

7. Create another subfolder in ../3D called BOTH

8. Check the renumbered files in ../3D/LEFT and ..3D/RIGHT are all matching, then all the files from these folders to ../3D/BOTH

9. Maximise SPM and go to <FILE> <Open Left/Right Images>

10. Locate the ../3D/BOTH folder, select the first file (PicXX1_L.jpg), hold the shift key and select the second file (PicXX1_R.jpg)

11. Make sure that the view is side by side if you are working with parallel pairs (I don't bother with anaglyphs - lousy colour rendering and lots of ghosting)

12. Click on the Auto align button on the tool bar (this will take a while to work - depending on the size and detail in the photo and on the processor speed).

13. When done - close the Auto align window and Click the Easy Adjustment button - this allows you to make fine adjustments to the pair (TIP: Maximise the screen and wear Red/Blue glasses when you first start the get a 'feel' for the effect) You should only have to adjust the Horizontal alignment if Auto align has done its job. If you get the Vertical alignment out the 3D result will be painful.

14. Balance the colour using the Auto Colour Adjustment button and/or the Colour adjustment button

15. Finally Crop to the size that you want - If I'm making traditional stereoscopic cards I crop to 2100 wide by 2700 tall - for 3DHD TV display I crop to 1920 x 1080 then Save Left and Right images then insert left and right pics into my video streams.

16. Save Stereo Image in a SEPARATE sub folder in the ../3D folder the - images will be saved as a single jpeg with both pics side by side

Twin Samsung L100's with shutter buttons hard wired together (not for the feint hearted - it's VERY fiddly)