Stereo Images From Juneau

Please read the fine print at the bottom of this page before reproducing or reusing the information and images here.

 

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I have included file sizes in the image links.  Please take a moment to check these sizes before you begin downloading images for viewing.  Several of the JPS files are very large and will be painful to download over a modem link.

The images are presented in cross-eye and anaglyph format.  If you prefer a different format or size, please give the Stereoscope applet a try.


Viewable with any browser
I strive for browser independence.  Please let me know if you experience problems with these pages.  

 


Java Stereo Viewer

Many of these pages use a Java Stereoscope applet by
Andreas Petersik
. It made a Java convert out of me and I highly recommend it.

What They Are
How they work

Here, you will find answers to all of the pressing questions:

What are stereo images 

Stereo images are pairs of photographs of the same subject.  The critical concept is that the two images represent what each of your eyes would have recorded from the scene. Therefore, the two images must be taken about 2.5" from each other.
By then presenting these images back to your left and right eyes, it is possible for your brain to reconstruct the three dimensional scene from which the images were made.  They are not holograms.  They will not allow you to move around in an image or see behind items, but it does make you feel like you are there again.

Why are you making them? 

They are just like any other photograph, only more so.  I hope that I will be able to better capture the image that is before me and share it with you.  Besides, it's just plain fun!

How do I view computer stereo images?

The only important thing to remember is that your left and right eyes must see only their own images.  There are many ways to accomplish this but they fall easily into two groups

Free View  
Free viewing is using only your brain and muscles to focus your eyes and attention on the correct left and right images.  It has the advantage of being cheap and never misplaced.  It does take practice, however.
When parallel free viewing, the stereo pair is presented like so:
 L   R 
When cross-eyed free viewing, the stereo pair is presented like so:
 R   L 
I find cross-eyed free viewing to be much easier than parallel.

All JPS and JPG files on this site are cross-eyed format.

Assisted View  
Assisted viewing uses filters (usually held in glasses) to limit what each eye can see.  Red/Blue plastic filters in paper or plastic lenses are the most common.  Any anaglyphs presented here expect the red filter to be over the left eye.  Anaglyphs on this site are actually saved in Red/Cyan format.  You may need to try several pairs of glasses to get a good match for cyan at it appears on your monitor.


Users with CRT monitors and about $100 can get LCD shutter glasses to connect to their computers.  By passing current through a liquid crystal element in the frame of the glasses, and synchronizing this current with the refresh of the monitor, the glasses are able to limit vision to only the left or right eye.  This happens very quickly and your brain is able to merge the two images into one.

Why are these web pages built this way?

It has been difficult for me to decide how to present stereo images through a web browser.  Some people will want anaglyphs, others prefer free viewing, others may even have shutter glasses.  I have decided to try to get it all.  The thumbnail is a flat jpg (of the left image of the pair).  The thumbnail is linked to a JPEG stereo pair (JPS) of the scene, while a text link next to the thumbnail is linked to an anaglyph of the scene.  Because some of these images are large, I have included the approximate size in KB either in the description or in the text tag.  Under each of the images is a mention of the method and camera used to create it.  To allow better comparisons and image selection, I have chosen to present the thumbnails 200 pixels wide (as compared with my standard of 100 pixels), and to open the anaglyphs and JPS in new windows.  If this turns out to be a problem, let me know.  It can always be changed.

  • If you have a pair of red/blue glasses from an old comic book, start with the anaglyphs.  It's the fastest way to get the picture.  It won't be as bright as free viewing and the colors will be a little screwy, but it sure is simple.  If you don't have a pair of glasses and want one, drop me a note and I can probably send you a pair.
     
  • If you want the best image (brightest and most accurate colors) learn to free view the JPS files:

Size your viewer to show both images on a relatively non-distracting background
Look slightly past the screen
Cross your eyes until you can see four images 
Bring the images back together until there are only three images visible 
Relax your eyes and (without shifting them left or right) focus them on the screen 
Poof...3-d 

  • Grab a JPS viewer or plug-in for your browser.  With one of these handy little applications, you can decide on the fly how you want to view your images.  red/blue, red/green, parallel free view, color, B&W, shutter glasses. 

How does that plug-in work?

I have found two plug-ins that say they will work with both Internet Exploder and Netscape Navigator on wintel machines.  The first is from NuVision, the second is from VRex.  The product from NuVision is free for 30 days (as in eval), and the product from VRex is free (as in free).  Since I have been unable to make the NuVision product work, and I have been able to make the VRex product work, I recommend the latter.

There is another option available for those of you with running platforms with Java support.  StereoScope is a very nice applet that runs cross platform.  I have added the code for the Java viewer to several of the images in an effort to make them viewable on more platforms.  It has trouble getting enough memory with Netscape to work with my large size JPS files, but later versions of Internet Exploder seem to do ok.   You can learn more about it directly at the source: http://www.stereofoto.de/sapplet.

I have not yet found a viewer for Linux, Be, Amiga, DOS, C64, Apple II, Apple ///, TRS-80, or Mac.  If you know of any, please let me know and I can try them out...well, except for the Amiga which I don't own.

 

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The Fine Print:  Unless otherwise stated, all images presented here were created by, and are copyrighted by, John R. Thurston. You may view them, print them, tell people about them, and comment on them. You may not copy them, edit them, or use them for financial gain without permission.  
You are expressly forbidden to use any of my content or images in support of e-bay sales without my specific consent.
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