Remember 3D Movies? How Does This “Gimmick” Work?
While today, we might consider 3D films to be somewhat “retro”, you would likely be surprised to learn that they first made their emergence in the 1920s in the United States. Of course, this trick, which many of us now see as a gimmick, didn’t really catch on until significantly later, in the 1950s – probably still earlier than you might have thought!
Still, most of us will think of the 1980s and 90s as the heyday of 3D cinema, followed by a resurgence in the 2000s as 3D televisions began to make their way into the homes of families and tech nerds. Indeed, it is still possible to catch a 3D movie in theatres today, though their popularity has dwindled noticeably.
But despite the surprisingly long history of 3D television, many of us are unaware of how this process actually works. So, let’s find out!
Understanding the Three Dimensions
Regular movies, the ones that most of us now go and see at the cinema or enjoy in the comfort of our own homes, are shown in flat, two-dimensional images. That means the images on the screen have two dimensions: length and width. In contrast, when we look at the world around us, we perceive three dimensions: length, width, and depth.
The human eye possesses incredible depth perception – a result of our eyes being set slightly apart. This provides two images of the world, each offering a slightly different perception. These images are refracted onto our retinas in two-dimensional form; however, our brain is then able to piece together the two different images into one three-dimensional picture, allowing us to interpret the depth of different objects.
This is known as stereoscopic vision.
But how do we translate this depth of perception onto the big (or small) screen?
How Does 3D Film Work?
3D technology aims to mimic the stereoscopic capabilities of the human eye by similarly working with two separate images. To achieve this, filmmakers shoot footage using two lenses, placed adjacent to one another. This effect can also be achieved in post-production using 2D to 3D conversion software.
These two images offer two slightly different perspectives, much like the images captured by our eyes, both of which are projected simultaneously onto the screen. Of course, we are all familiar with how this looks when viewing the screen without the help of our 3D glasses… so, how do these funny specs change the way we see and trick us into thinking we could reach out and touch the images on the screen?
The Magic of 3D Glasses
When you think of 3D glasses, you are most likely picturing funny-shaped specs – probably crafted from flimsy card – with thin, red and blue plastic lenses. You might remember how surprised you were the first time you tried on a pair of these glasses (that looked like they belonged in a child’s craft set) to find that they had the power to completely transform the way you viewed a film.
The magic of these 3D glasses (known as anaglyph 3D glasses) comes from their quirky, different-coloured lenses. Remember the two separate images we were talking about? When making a 3D film, a different filter is placed over each image – the image for the left eye would have a red filter applied, while the image for the right eye would be overlaid with a blue, or cyan, filter.
By using the same colour filter, the anaglyph glasses ensure that only the corresponding image is allowed into each eye. This separates the blurred, yet still unified, picture onto the screen into two separate images, thus allowing your brain to work its magic in the same way as it does when we view our real surroundings. The result? An added dimension to the picture on the screen: Depth!
Incidentally, our innovative treatment for presbyopia works in a similar way, correcting each eye to focus primarily at a different distance. This creates a “blend zone” which our brain is able to translate into clear vision across near, intermediate, and distance!
Our eyes are incredible organs that allow us to see the world around us in magnificent detail, even helping us to transform 2D images to 3D! But sometimes they need a little helping hand. Get in touch with one of our friendly clinic coordinators or Book a Consulatation today to learn more about our treatments.