Abstract: A filmless photographic printer for making 3D and/or animation pictures on lenticular print material. A video monitor is used to sequentially display the 2D images which are projected onto lenticular print material by a projection lens at different projection angles. The projection lens and print material are moved to different positions relative to the video monitor screen. The projection lens is maintained in proper focus on the monitor screen and print material during printing. The 2D images for composing the 3D photographs can be captured by an electronic camera or generated by computer.

Abstract: The filmless method and printer for making 3D and animation pictures, using a matrix display to sequentially display a series of 2D views, and a projection lens to project the displayed images onto a lenticular print material, each at a different projection angle. In order to fill the image area underlying each lenticule on the lenticular print material with different 2D views, each 2D view must be projected onto the lenticular print material at different projection angle. Two methods can be used: 1) In the scanning method, two of the three elements including the matrix display, the projection lens and the lenticular print material are moved by mechanical means to different positions to change the projection angle; 2) In the non-scanning method, a large-aperture projection lens is used to project the 2D views sequentially displayed on the matrix display onto the lenticular print material such that each 2D view is projected through a different section the lens aperture.

Abstract: A 3D printer that has a chemical processor in-line with the printer. The preferred printer is a single-stage printer that uses two video cameras with different magnification powers for acquiring images from 2D negatives for editing and key subject alignment. One video camera takes full view image for key subject selection and picture cropping, the other video camera which is used for acquiring image data for key subject alignment sees only an enlarged section of the image around the key subject. The single-stage printer uses an automated image matching algorithm to find the relative location of the key subject in each negative frame. The single-stage printer also includes a chemical processor so that photo processing can be part of an in-line printing process.

Abstract: A 3D camera having a plurality of taking lenses fixedly spaced to take a plurality of 2D images of a scene at different viewing angles wherein the parallax in 2D images can be controlled by adjusting the spacing between diaphragm stops behind the taking lenses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-lens camera that can be used for taking three-dimensional and two-dimensional photographs. The multi-lens camera is constructed so that it is capable of exposing a series of 2-D images of a scene onto the photographic film corresponding to the number of lenses of the camera. The multi-lens camera of this invention has a film plane for one of the lenses which is from 1.5 to 4 times wider than the film plane behind the other lenses. Baffles are used to optically separate the film planes behind the lenses. In a preferred embodiment, the wider film plane is a full frame (e.g., 35 mm) and the other film planes one-half frame. The wider film plane results in a broader field of view of a scene for producing a normal or panorama 2-D print. The multiple images of the scene exposed by the camera can be used for producing a conventional 2-D print.

Abstract: Three-dimensional photographs produced with image bands of substantially equal density across the field of the lenticule are produced by increasing the intensity of exposure of the image bands near the edges of the lenticule in relation to the central image bands. This is accomplished by varying the duration of each exposure, or using a neutral density filter, a neutral density iris, a metallic iris with a multiple number of apertures, or by controlling the lamps in a multiple lamp housing. In addition, three-dimensional photographs are produced by a multiple number of successive exposures of short duration through the lenticules of the lenticular print film while the angle of projection of the enlarging lens is constantly changing. Exposure is made for a duration while the relative movement of the enlarging lens with respect to the lenticular print film is less than one-tenth of the aperture of the enlarging lens.

Abstract: Three-dimensional photographs are produced in which there are three image bands within each lenticule in which each image band is between 8.5 degrees and 11 degrees in width in order to permit a photograph to be viewed from wider angles so that the eyes will see adjacent stereo pairs from any viewing angle and the picture will be in total focus. A three lens camera is provided to take these photographs.

Abstract: A lenticular screen display designed for viewing in sunlight which comprises an array of parallel, horizontally arranged cylindrical lenticules with a sequence of animated images on a section located in the top portion of the focal plane of the lenticules, and means for preventing the sun's rays from focusing on the focal plane of the lenticules so as to prevent burning the image bearing sections. The means for preventing the sun's rays from focusing on the image bearing section can be diffusers or reflectors located in the lenticule at the appropriate position. Another means is to alter the focal length of the lower portion of the lenticules so it is either less or greater than the focal length of the top portion. A further means is to make the top portion of the front surface of the lenticule flat.