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Posted by: Floyd Aug 22 2011, 06:33 PM

Ever look at clouds and can't quit grasp their size--well check out xkcd's http://xkcd.com/941/ for a solution

Posted by: algorimancer Aug 22 2011, 06:56 PM

I've long thought that would be a nifty thing to do, just more trouble than it's worth (I'd get bored with the video pretty quickly, I think). About 20-25 years ago I borrowed a friend's Canon AE1 to pair with my own, and did something very similar to this using the timer function (still-only, no video). Sadly, this was at a time when there were no puffy clouds to be found, just a couple of high layers of thin sheets of cloud, so it was less than satisfying. I still have the pics somewhere.

Posted by: machi Aug 22 2011, 08:28 PM

I tried this, but very long baseline (between both cameras) is needed (> 100 meters).
These images were taken with different cameras with baseline ~100 meters.

Posted by: Floyd Aug 22 2011, 08:59 PM

I'm not the least surprised that multiple UMSFers have tried this. Looks like the author of xkcd would fit right in here.

Posted by: RJG Aug 22 2011, 10:02 PM

I've taken some pretty striking 3D pairs of clouds and mountains from the air by letting the plane transport me from the left eye to the right eye position. I guess the baseline tends to be several hundreds of metres given the time my point and shoot camera takes to ready itself for the next image. I suppose I could grab frames from a movie but I like the enhance 3D effect you get from a long baseline.

It needs a window seat -obviously!- and the order of the image depends on whether you have a port or starboard window. It helps to pass the time and somehow justifies gazing out of the window...

Rob

Posted by: charborob Aug 23 2011, 12:44 AM

I tried that same technique many years ago, and I got some interesting 3D aerial views of the Canadian Rockies.

Posted by: bill davis Aug 25 2011, 08:38 AM

Long time lurker - first time poster.
Here are some examples of extremely long baseline stereo pairs and as you can see it is very effective.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/billdavis6959

Posted by: ngunn Aug 25 2011, 11:11 AM

Just wanted to say I'm delighted to see this thread and hugely appreciate all the images posted. For a long time I too have been dreaming of doing this on Earth, Titan, Venus, Jupiter . . . As a child I discovered that it's easier to 'see' cloudscapes in 3D if you turn your head upside down. The brain seems better at interpreting a cloud 'floor' than a cloud 'ceiling'. When I'm painting skies I usually work with the painting upside down at least part of the time. Somebody should publish a book of 3D cloudscapes. It would help artists - and everyone - understand skies better.

Maybe someone at the Cloud Appreciation Society is already onto this. They have a lot more members around the world than we have. Is anybody here also a member there? http://cloudappreciationsociety.org/

Posted by: machi Aug 26 2011, 09:27 AM

Very nice 3D pairs! Is it photographed from airplane?

"Maybe someone at the Cloud Appreciation Society is already onto this. They have a lot more members around the world than we have. Is anybody here also a member there? http://cloudappreciationsociety.org/"

Another nerdish Society, thanks for link!

Posted by: RJG Aug 26 2011, 12:49 PM

Thanks for the link to the Cloud Appreciation Society!

A glorious galley of cloud photographs - and only a fiver for a membership certificate and a badge! How could I resist?

Rob

Posted by: bill davis Aug 29 2011, 07:27 AM

Those pairs are from the ISS. Sorry to bring up banned subject "The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of the Earth".

Posted by: machi Aug 29 2011, 11:31 AM

Thanks for answer.
Manned spaceflight is banned, not photographs.