SECOND-MVD (Synthesis Error COmpeNsateD Multiview Video plus Depth) is an alternative 3D format that we introduce for representation of multiview video. In this data format, images at some viewpoint remain original, and the others are converted to a novel format. Residual based representation, such as layered depth video and free-viewpoint TV data unit were proposed. We propose hybrid image that not only consists of residual but also remainder pixels. Generation and reconstruction process of a hybrid image uses virtual image synthesized by the images that remained original in SECOND-MVD. In this paper, we investigate the compression performance of SECOND-MVD using hybrid image. Experiments demonstrate reduction in bit rate using hybrid image against residual image in SECOND-MVD framework.

The authors discuss practical problems, focusing, and accuracy of lens arrays involved in constructing integral imaging systems. In general, it is recommended to set the focusing for the object during capture to infinity. The positional error of the elemental lens arrangement significantly affects the image quality when the image is reconstructed near the observer. An experimental system in consideration of the practical problems that uses an extremely high resolution video system is described. Some pictures obtained by the system show the specific characteristics of this spatial imaging type of system.

A fundamental element of stereoscopic image production is to geometrically analyze the conversion from real space to stereoscopic images by binocular parallax under various shooting and viewing conditions. This paper reports on this analysis, particularly on the setting of the optical axes of three-dimensional (3-D) cameras, which has received little attention in the past. First, we identified the conditions for setting the optical axes that maintain linearity during the conversion from real space to stereoscopic images. We then clarified, in geometrical terms, the shooting and viewing conditions and also conditions under which the puppet-theater effect and cardboard effect occur. The results showed that the parallel camera configuration, by which optical axes are kept parallel to each other, does not produce the puppet-theater effect as the apparent magnification (lateral magnification) of a shooting target is not dependent on the shooting distance. However, the toed-in camera configuration, where the apparent magnification of a shooting target is dependent on the shooting distance, may produce this effect. The cardboard effect is shown to be likely to occur for both camera configurations by defining this phenomenon by the ratio of depthwise reproduction magnification (depth magnification) and apparent reproduction magnification (lateral magnification). Lastly, the paper reports on the relationship between the results of this analysis and those of subjective evaluation experiments. The results need a closer examination by using many more images.

This paper focuses on the scanning methods of a field-sequential stereoscopic display system. We examined the advantages and disadvantages of several scanning methods to identify the most suitable one for the field-sequential stereoscopic display technique. An evaluation test using a system with 525 scanning lines and a 120-Hz field frequency was conducted. The results show that the picture quality of the 4:2 or 4:1 interlace method, which maintains high vertical resolution, is superior to that of the simple 2:1 interlace one. We also developed an experimental field-sequential stereoscopic system for HDTV with 1:2 interlacing and confirmed that it is possible to display high-quality stereoscopic HDTV pictures in full 1125-line vertical resolutions.

In this paper, we examine the cardboard effect by varying such image acquisition parameters as lighting intercamera distances, lens focal length, and presence or absence of motion parallax and backgrounds in program production. Subjective evaluation tests show that binocular disparity calculated from camera-separation lens selection and convergence point are dominant factors. The cardboard effect can be effectively avoided or lessened by enhancing increasing the binocular parallax. In case of actual program production, it is practical to use standard lenses or ones close in focal length to standard lenses, and to set camera separation around the same as the average eye separation of human eyes in order to mitigate the cardboard effect. When binocular disparity is small using lenses with long focal length, other cues, such as motion parallax accompanied by the relative movement between subjects and cameras, are effective.