Viewing stereo images
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Sample <tt>.mpo</tt> image (cacti)

Sample .mpo image (cacti)

The stereo images in this collection are all saved in the Multi Picture Object (.mpo) format, with each file containing two JPEG images (the left and the right view).

Viewing with standard image viewers

Since the ‘wrapper’ for the two images is compatible with the common .jpg format, it is possible to view the picture with a simple image viewer (you may have to change the file extension to .jpg for the viewer to accept it).  In this case (unless the viewer supports multiple images):

Viewing in 3D

There are several ways of viewing stereo images; a brief summary is given below; for more details, a good place to start is the Wikipedia article on Stereoscopy ».

An effective program for presenting and working with 3D images is the free StereoPhoto Maker », which supports the .mpo format and allows the 3D images to be manipulated and viewed in a variety of ways.  (Its interface is a bit quirky and often differs from its Help, however.)

Common ways of viewing 3D images include:

Sample side-by-side image (cactus)

Sample side-by-side image (cactus)

side-by-side – the two images are presented on a monitor or printed next to each other:

Sample Anaglyph (Lago Ercina)

Sample Anaglyph (Lago Ercina)

anaglyph – the images are combined into a single image to be viewed using glasses which usually have a red filter over the left eye and a cyan filter over the right eye:

3D monitor or TV – many display devices support 3D display for viewing with special glasses; again, StereoPhoto Maker can be used for presenting the pictures. There are two common technologies:

Many sites on the web describe these (and other) viewing methods.


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This page was last edited on 2013-12-10 by mfc.