Stereo Slit Camera
SDM has the unique ability to capture image strips or create in-camera composite images of almost any size from image strips.
This feature is not available in any non-scientific camera.
The feature may be used for creating high-resolution 360 degree stereo images, scientific or creative 'streak' images or for recording the periphery of rotating objects such as vases.
Further details of these applications and information regarding converting these 'raw' strips to DNG may be found here.
If you wish to save memory-card space, you can set the 'blank JPG' option in the RAW menu.
This will produce a tiny image file but raw saving time will be increased.
Stereo Slit Camera
The camera must be mounted vertically for this feature.
Set camera to continuous-shooting mode in the Canon menu.
In menu Advanced\Stereo Slit Camera, enable 'Stereo Slitcam mode'.
This automatically enables saving of raw images.
Set 'Strip Offset' to 50 .
This defines the position of our two 'slits' either side of the centre line of a vertically orientated camera.
That position is expressed as a percentage of the distance from centre to left/right edges.
Together with distance of the camera lens entrance pupil in front of the rotation point, it determines stereo disparity.
It is probably best to leave it at that value and only alter rotation distance.
Set strip 'width for slit-camera'.
The number of images that will be required for a full 360 degrees is indicated.
Enter the desired value in 'Number of slit images'.
(remember, you can use the zoom lever to change the parameter increment size that is displayed at top left of screen).
The rotation distance is the distance of the lens entrance pupil in front of the rotation point and may be measured by using the misnamed 'nodal point determination' for panoramic photography.
If you prefer, just measure to the front of the lens for an approximate value.
'Viewing circle diameter' then indicates the effective separation of the 'cameras'.
Exit the menu, 'DNG' will be displayed in red characters.
Start your rig rotating and start shooting.
The physical implementation of this feature and subsequent image processing may be usefully discussed on the Yahoo StereoDataMaker' group.
The RAW images will have significant barrel distortion at the wide-angle setting, an 'aberration' that is partially corrected by Canon JPG processing.
The image strips are also off-centre making stitching and aberration-correction more complicated.
To signal to an external controller that an image has been captured, the autofocus led is flashed for 10 msec after each exposure.
If using this feature, turn-off your camera's AF assist !
After the required number of exposures, the camera will beep and no more raw image strips will be saved, although the normal JPEG will be if you continue.
Streak Images
Set 'Strip Offset to '0'.
The single strip is at the centre of the screen, vertical with a vertically orientated camera.
Set strip-width to desired value.
The camera will beep after the set number of strips but you may terminate the sequence before that and still have a valid image.
Exit the menu, 'DNG' will be displayed in blue characters.
In continuous-shooting mode, capture the required number of images.