Patent US 6,044,232

An improved method of 3-D photography is described that allows real-time production of 3-D photographs of a subject (10) with correct depth perception. A camera (12) moves along a linear track (20) for a predetermined distance, simultaneously rotating to maintain orientation toward the subject (10) being photographed. A holder (14) retains a lenticular screen (20) and a recording medium at the focal point of the camera (12). The combination of rotation and translation of the camera (12) results in the formation of a continuous stream of images from different perspectives being formed on the recording medium (18) located behind the lenticular screen (20). The lenticular screen (20) refocuses the images onto the recording medium (26). In one embodiment, the holder (14) is rotated relative to the camera (12) during the scanning process through a predetermined angle. This rotation makes the images from different viewing angles being recorded on different locations of the film, hence forming a real-time, composite, sampled image of the subject.