Motion Control Goes 3D
Mark Roberts Motion Control will demonstrate at next IBC an innovative new tool for any stop-frame animators looking to produce titles in the booming field of 3D. The basic technology for 3D live-action filming normally consists of using two cameras separated by a distance known as the inter-ocular distance and a variable angle known as the convergence. By varying these, different special effects can be created for the viewer.
For stop-frame animation the use of two cameras is often not just costly but impossible or unnecessary. Often because stop-frame animation is of scaled models, the cameras need to be very close together (closer than they can physically fit). Because there is no live-action it is simpler and more cost-effective to use a single camera and slide it side to side to take the two images necessary for each eye. This makes the camera package smaller by needing only one camera and lens, eliminates differences in the image due to two lenses having different lens distortions, allows the inter-ocular distance to be as small as needed without problems due to camera and lens sizes. This principle can also be used for 3D nature photography or timelapse of slow moving events. The only issue is how to accurately control the side to side motion of the camera.
Mark Roberts Motion Control will thus be releasing its new S3 Stereoscopic 3D Stepping module. This intelligent, low-cost, portable unit can accurately control the motion and triggering of the camera for any stop-frame 3D filming.
It is designed to carry a variety of DSLR and filming cameras and has the following features:
- Strong rigid construction using high quality bearings
- Simple user interface with backlit LCD screen
- On-board FLASH memory
- User programmable inter-ocular distance
- Can trigger the camera or can be triggered by the camera
- For use with or without a motion control system
- Up to 3" (75mm) of travel on standard unit
- Can carry large and small cameras
- Extremely precise and repeatable motion
The unit is very simple to use - attach the camera, attach the unit to a tripod (or a motion control system). Set the required inter-ocular distance using the onboard display, attach the camera trigger cable and you are ready to run. Every time the unit receives a trigger (from any of a number of sources including intervalometers, motion control software, remote switches, motion sensors) it will trigger the shutter for the left eye view, move the camera to the right eye view, trigger the shutter and then move back to the left eye view ready for the next frame.
Source: IBC E-Daily
