Hybrid stereo imaging including a light field and a regular camera

Abstract

Light field imaging involves capturing both angular and spatial distribution of light; it enables new capabilities, such as post-capture digital refocusing, perspective shift, and depth estimation. Micro-lens array (MLA) based light field cameras provide a cost-effective approach to light field imaging. The two major issues with MLA based light field cameras are low spatial resolution and narrow baseline, which limits the depth range and accuracy. In this paper, we present a hybrid stereo imaging system that includes a light field camera and a regular camera. The hybrid system addresses both the spatial resolution and narrow baseline issues of the MLA based light field cameras while preserving all the light field capabilities.