However, much like the way that colour and contrast in a film image (digital or celluloid) is exaggerated to enhance the theatrical experience, this inter ocular distance, or more correctly, interaxial separation, is often increased to exaggerate the stereo effect, and add impact to the viewed image.

The problem though, is that it's not that simple in actuality as the impact of the stereoscopic image can be affected by more than the simple quantity of the stereo effect.

There are lots of 'rules' that often get quoted with regard to maximum degrees of convergence and parallax separation (positive parallax behind the screen - the left eye image is to the left of the right eye image, as well as negative parallax in front of the screen - the left eye image is to the right of the right eye image).

The rules are there to attempt to stop your eyes having to diverge to look at objects behind the screen - for example, the rules state diverging past about 1.5 degrees is a bad thing as not only do you look like Marty Feldman, it hurts...

However, these rules are not going to be discussed in-depth here as rules are made to be broken, and many of the images shown here are deliberately not within the rules: and it shows

The fact is that it is very easy to see the images being shot and tell what works and what doesn't - this is, after all, and image based industry!

The following pages discuss convergence, parallax, inter ocular distance, focus, screen and floating windows, and anything else I can think to add, showing the various methods employed, and the different effects they have on the final Stereoscopic 3-D image.

Next Page - Rules

As always, test before committing to a particular style of stereoscopic 3-D shooting.

Or better still, contact steve@lightillusion.com for more info.