Multi-View Imaging System Using Paraboloidal Mirror Arrays for Efficient Acquisition of Dynamic Light Fields

Lens arrays enable us to easily achieve inexpensive light field acquisition in comparison with massive camera arrays. However, their micro-lenses often cause insufficient exposure to obtain high quality multi-view videos like camera arrays. In this paper, we propose a novel virtual camera array acquiring dynamic light fields as multi-view videos robustly and inexpensively, where mirror arrays consisting of tangent planes to a paraboloid are effectively combined with a single video camera. First, we demonstrate multi-view imaging of not an object but ordinary scenes with sufficient exposure by using a simple horizontal mirror array implemented as a prototype. Next, we theoretically reveal that there exists smooth extension of our mirror array to the vertical direction, that can be implemented easily by 3D printing, CNC machines, and so on. Finally, our design of light field acquisition is improved for effectively utilizing the whole of its mirror array by introducing an one-way mirror to prevent the camera itself from appearing on multi-view images.