Stereoscopic
New Zealand Fungi

After the rains of autumn, (April to June in New Zealand) little toadstools pop up from the forest floor. Some are colourful show-offs, while others are so secretive that bush walkers stroll by, missing them completely.

The author prefers photographing fungi in the wild, with a digital camera. The lighting is mostly natural, using white balance pre-set on a white card, to correct for colour changes caused by light filtering through the dense forest. More recently electronic flash has sometimes been used, as a fill-in or alone.

The unusual twist is taking a second picture, precisely shifted horizontally, to make a stereoscopic pair. Some of the 3D images are presented here.

Press on the pretty blue toadstool, or the side bar to advance.

Press {end} on your keyboard for navigation options.

Get straight into it! Alphabetical List by species

Some House-keeping Matters

Works with Internet Explorer 6

Also Safari, Firefox, but not always Netscape.

Upgrade you browser if you cannot see the pictures.

Set your screen resolution to
800 x 600 pixels minimum.

Press F11

to reversibly remove the tool bars. (Internet Explorer)

Set the font size to suit:

hold alt and press in sequence:
v x m
where m is your choice.

Stereoscopic images should fill the screen and these are designed for 800x600 pixels.

Beginners find smaller stereo pairs easier to fuse, and they should use bigger than 800x600 pixel settings.

right click on the desk top / properties / settings / 800x600
where "800x600" is your choice

Failed pictures

If some pictures fail to load, choose "refresh" on your browser. This is less likely to happen with broad-band than with dial-up internet connection.

How to see in 3D

cross-eye viewing (X-stereo)
parallel eye viewing (U-stereo)
anaglyph (red/cyan goggles)

The pictures on this web site are often in triplets so that either X or U viewing will work here:

RIGHT LEFT RIGHT

Anaglyphs

A few red/cyan anaglyphs are available for those who cannot perform optical gymnastics and more will show up here in the future.

RIGHT LEFT RIGHT

X-Stereo: use the first two images.

U-Stereo: use the second two images

X-stereo can be done with no equipment, but a home-made Elliott viewer can help.

A Vivitar card viewer for cross-eye stereo pictures also works on the computer screen and allows a restful experience with no eye strain. $US20 from Berezin.

Most people can go cross-eyed but nobody can diverge their eyes much beyond parallel.

U-stereo means relaxing your eyes to look into the distance. Free viewing is possible, but you have to sit back from the monitor

For parallel stereo it is best to use a stereoscope designed to work on a computer screen. The author recommends:

Pokescope prism viewer (USA)
ScreenScope mirror viewer. (Australia)
NVP3D prism glasses (Switzerland)
Tyrell mirror viewer (made in Poland). (This system can be made at home using aluminium or plastic square tubes and plastic mirrors).

Computer stereoscopes can be purchased on the internet (do a Google search for the best deal). There are many 3d web sites, and Flickr has many 3D images, so your instruments will not be wasted.

A home-made stereo viewer for cross-eye format (X)

Take a piece of card-board.

Cut out an oblong hole in the middle:
40mm wide and 60mm tall

Hold the card between your face and the computer.

Move the card around, also back and forwards until:
your right eye can only see the first picture and
your left eye can only see the second picture

The card will be about half way to the computer screen.

RIGHT LEFT RIGHT

Now keep the card still and open both eyes.

Looking through the hole, the pictures will be out of focus at first, but don't move the card.

Make sure your head is horizontal, or your eyes will not line up with the pictures.
Don't sit too close to the computer screen when learning.
Sit patiently and suddenly the scene will be in 3D.
The longer you look, the better the 3D becomes.

RIGHT LEFT
Tilt your head sideways until the brown line across the top is lined up.

The two brown lines are called "nonius lines".
If one looks higher than the other, your eyes are not horizontal, tilt your head to correct.
If one lies at an angle to the other, the computer screen is tilted. The screen must be at right angles to optical axes of your eyes.

Geoglossum species

The fungi are Earth Tongues in the Hunua Ranges, which supply water for the city of Auckland. The Hunua forest is mostly regenerating because the original Kauri trees were logged. The black fungi are growing in a thick bed of moss. The fluffy white tongue is older and has developed a mould. Even fungi are victims of fungal disease.

3D Triplet: RIGHT LEFT RIGHT

The first two pictures below are an X stereo pair (cross-eyes).
Using the 4 by 6mm hole you should have cut in a piece of paper by now, you will soon see in 3D, because the stereoscopic effect is considerable

The second two pictures are U stereo pair (parallel eyes)

You may have to pan right on an 800 pixel screen for the U stereo pair, because the triplet image is 1080 pixels wide.
(Use the right arrow key in Internet Explorer browser.)