Light Field Imaging through Household Optics

Abstract

Although light fields are well-established as a tool in image-based rendering and computer vision, their capture is still at a relatively early stage. In this article, we search for imaging situations similar to uncalibrated integral optics, noticing that they are common in everyday life. We investigate light field capturing scenarios which are provided by commonly available items like cutlery as optical building blocks. Using a generic calibration approach based on structured light, we reconstruct the light path providing an unorthodox light field capturing setup. As the resulting data is unstructured and poorly sampled and thus unsuited for standard image-based rendering pipelines, we propose techniques for the processing of such light fields. Additionally, we have implemented a novel depth estimation scheme to guide the rendering process. We demonstrate the potential of these techniques on different scenes, both static and dynamic, recorded by combining a DSLR camera with household items.