True single view point cone mirror omni-directional catadioptric system

Pinhole camera model is a simplified subset of geometric optics. In special cases like the image formation of the cone (a degenerate conic section) mirror in an omnidirectional view catadioptric system, there are more complex optical phenomena involved that the simple pinhole model can not explain. We show that using the full geometric optics model a true single viewpoint cone mirror omni-directional system can be built. We show how such a system is built first, and then show in detail how each optical phenomenon works together to make the system true single viewpoint. The new system requires only simple off-the-shelf components and still outperforms other single viewpoint omni-systems for many applications.