Comparisons of Viewing Zone Characteristics of Multiview and Integral Photography 3D Imaging Methods

Viewing zones of contact-type multiview (MV) three-dimensional (3D) imaging and Integral Photography (IP) are defined based on geometrical optics, and then the compositions of images projected to viewers´ eyes at viewing regions of the viewing zones are analyzed. This analysis reveals that each image is composed of a pixel from each participating pixel cell to form the central and side viewing zones. In the regions between the viewing zones, one or two pixel cells do not contribute any pixel. However, when the total number of pixel cells in forming the viewing zones is large, one or two missing pixel cells may not deteriorate the image quality. In this sense, the side viewing zones are not working independently but they work together with the central viewing zone to build a bigger combined viewing zone. The analysis also reveals that the combined viewing zone of IP is not different from the viewing regions between viewing zone forming optics and the viewing zone cross section of the MV viewing zone, in its characteristics.