Hybrid stereoscopic motion picture camera with film and digital sensor

• US 6,697,573 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2001
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IMAX Corporation
• Original Assignee: IMAX Corporation
• Inventors: Adkins, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MICHELLE P
• Application Number:
  US09/808,229
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 348/42, 348/46, 348/47, 348/49, 396/324-6, 396/462, 352/57-65
• US Class Current: 396/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and techniques relating to creating motion pictures are described. Included as part of the system are cameras incorporating two taking lenses, one of which images onto film through a shutter and the other of which images onto a digital sensor.

Claims

1. A method of making a motion picture, comprising:

a. recording, using a recording device, a series of consecutive stereoscopic image pairs for a moving scene without exposing two film frames at each instant that is to be captured, comprising;

i. capturing one of each pair of images in the series using film; and

ii. capturing the other of each pair of images in the series using a digital sensor and a storage device;

b. processing and digitizing the film to produce digitized photographic images; and

c. constructing a model of the moving scene using the digitized photographic images and the images captured using the digital sensor and the storage device, the constructing comprising;

i. determining correspondence between points appearing in the digitized photographic images and the images captured using the digital sensor and the storage device; and

ii. using relative positions of corresponding points to determine distances from the recording device of objects appearing in the images.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which determining correspondence between points comprises:

a. sub-sampling the digitized photographic images to the lower resolution of the images captured using the digital sensor and the storage device; and

b. comparing at least one characteristic of each pixel of the subsampled sub-sampled digitized photographic images and the images captured using the digital sensor and the storage device.

3. A method according to claim 2 in which determining correspondence between points further comprises identifying displacements of the pixels of the sub-sampled digitized photographic images and the images captured using the digital sensor and the storage device.

4. A method according to claim 3 in which determining correspondence between points further comprises converting the displacements to the resolution of the digitized photographic images.

5. A method according to claim 4 in which (i) the recording device comprises taking lenses and (ii) using relative positions of corresponding points to determine distances comprise converting the resolution-converted displacements to distance values based on the separation and respective focal lengths of the taking lenses used to capture the images on film and using the digital sensor and the storage device.

6. A method according to claim 1 in which constructing a model of the moving scene comprises constructing a model perceived by viewers as three dimensional.

7. A method according to claim 1 in which capture of each image of a pair of images is synchronized.

8. A method of making a motion picture, comprising:

a. recording a series of consecutive stereoscopic image pairs for a moving scene without exposing two film frames at each instant that is to be captured, comprising;

i. capturing one of each pair of images the series using film; and

ii. capturing the other of each pair of images in the series using a digital sensor and a storage device;

b. processing and digitizing the film to produce digitized photographic images; and

c. constructing a model of the moving scene using the digitized photographic images and the images captured using the digital sensor and the storage device.