Time-lapse stereo macro photography systems and methods and stereo time-lapse video made with same

1. A method of producing a sequence of time-lapse stereographic images of a subject, the method comprising:

(A) positioning a camera with a macro lens at a first position relative to the subject;

(B) using the camera to obtain a first stack of images of the subject from the first position;

(C) positioning the camera at a second position relative to the subject;

(D) using the camera to obtain a second stack of images of the subject from the second position;

(E) storing the first stack of images and the second stack of images as a stack pair; and

(F) selectively repeating acts (A)-(E),

wherein said using the camera in (B) occurs a first preset time after said positioning in (A), and

wherein said first preset time is selected to avoid vibration based on said positioning in (A).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said using the camera in (D) occurs a second preset time after said positioning in (C).

3. A method of producing a sequence of time-lapse stereographic images of a subject, the method comprising:

(A) positioning a camera with a macro lens at a first position relative to the subject;

(B) using the camera to obtain a first stack of images of the subject from the first position;

(C) positioning the camera at a second position relative to the subject;

(D) using the camera to obtain a second stack of images of the subject from the second position;

(E) storing the first stack of images and the second stack of images as a stack pair; and

(F) selectively repeating acts (A)-(E),

wherein said using the camera in (D) occurs a second preset time after said positioning in (C), and

wherein said second preset time is selected to avoid vibration based on said positioning in (C).

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera moves along a line, the method further comprising:

(A1) rotating the camera by a particular angle (R) with respect to the line prior to using the camera in (B).

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

(C1) rotating the camera by a negative of the particular angle with respect to the line prior to using the camera in (D).

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a distance between said first position and said second position, referred to as a stereo base, is based on one or more of: a parallax desired; and/or a largest distance of the subject from the camera lens, and/or the nearest distance of the subject from the camera lens, and/or a focal length of the lens.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acts (A)-(F) are, at least in part, controlled by a controller, and

wherein a distance between said first position and said second position, referred to as a stereo base, is determined automatically by said controller based on information obtained from said camera and/or information provided by a user.

8. A method of producing a sequence of time-lapse stereographic images of a subject, the method comprising:

(A) positioning a camera with a macro lens at a first position relative to the subject;

(B) using the camera to obtain a first stack of images of the subject from the first position;

(C) positioning the camera at a second position relative to the subject;

(D) using the camera to obtain a second stack of images of the subject from the second position;

(E) storing the first stack of images and the second stack of images as a stack pair; and

(F) selectively repeating acts (A)-(E),

wherein the camera moves along a line, the method further comprising:

(A1) rotating the camera by a particular angle (R) with respect to the line prior to using the camera in (B), wherein said particular angle R is determined automatically, based on one or both of:

a distance between the first position and the second position; and/or

a distance of the camera from a part of the subject.

9. A stereo time-lapse video comprising multiple image pairs obtained by the method of claim 1 .

10. The stereo time-lapse video of claim 9 , wherein the video comprises a digital video.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said selectively repeating in (F) is based on a period of total elapsed time and/or a number of stack pairs obtained.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein a focus of the macro lens is the same at the first position and the second position.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera is located in a three-dimensional space relative to the subject, and wherein said positioning in (A) and (C) changes the camera's position for only one of the dimensions.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein each repetition of acts (A)-(E) forms a corresponding stack pair, the method further comprising:

forming a series of image pairs from the stack pairs.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(A2) waiting a predetermined amount of time after position the camera in (A) and before using the camera in (B).

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acts (A)-(F) are, at least in part, controlled by a controller.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein a distance between said first position and said second position, referred to as a stereo base, is determined automatically by said controller based on information obtained from said camera and/or information provided by a user.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the following are parameterized:

(i) the first position; and/or

(ii) the second position; and/or

(iii) a number of images in the first stack; and/or

(iv) a number of images in the second stack; and/or

(v) a number of times acts (A)-(E) are repeated; and/or

(vi) a time period during which acts (A)-(F) are repeated; and/or

(vii) a number of stack pairs obtained; and/or

(viii) a total elapsed time.

19. The method of claim 2 , wherein said second preset time is selected to avoid vibration based on said positioning in (C).