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Sandbox Physics

Optics 040 · Imaging, instruments, and visual systems

Light-Field Camera & Display

An independently initialized three-dimensional apparatus connects Microlens capture, Post-capture refocus, Lenticular viewpoint display. Two dimensional physical controls, direct probe dragging, a detector trace, and three quantitative checks are recalculated from the stated equation.

Interactive modelLight-Field Camera & Display
Primary prediction P1\mathcal P_10.500.50
Physical scale P2\mathcal P_250%50\%
Limit check V\mathcal V0.00π0.00\pi
Model regimevalid model regime\text{valid model regime}

Physics tutorial

How to investigate Light-Field Camera & Display

BackgroundLight-Field Camera & Display is one independently initialized apparatus with three linked investigations: Microlens capture, Post-capture refocus, Lenticular viewpoint display. Its two controls—Angular samples per axis and Refocus shear—feed the governing relation L=L(x,y,u,v)L=L(x,y,u,v). The validity indicator marks the paraxial, lossless, weak-field, or steady-state assumption used by this apparatus.

Why it mattersHow does recording direction as well as position enable refocus and viewpoint change after capture?

Start with the essentials

Focus question
How does recording direction as well as position enable refocus and viewpoint change after capture?
One-sentence intuition
The detector curve and all three numerical readouts are recomputed from L=L(x,y,u,v)L=L(x,y,u,v). Geometry and glow are presentation encodings; the equation, units, conservation or limit check, and validity indicator are the quantitative evidence.

Core mathematical model

Governing relation

L=L(x,y,u,v)L=L(x,y,u,v)

The implementation evaluates this relation with dimensional inputs and an executable analytic or numerical benchmark. The validity indicator marks the paraxial, lossless, weak-field, or steady-state assumption used by this apparatus.

Common difficulties

Mistaking glow for measured power

Typical misconceptionA brighter cinematic trail must represent proportionally more optical power.

Better mental modelUse the detector and normalized readouts for comparison. Glow is deliberately nonlinear so weak structure stays visible.

Run the experiment

  1. 01

    Scene 1: Microlens capture

    Select Microlens capture. Sweep Angular samples per axis, hold Refocus shear fixed, and then reverse the roles. Drag the stage probe to repeat the first sweep directly.

    What to observe: Read the primary prediction, physical scale, limit check, and validity indicator together. Record where the approximation boundary changes.
  2. 02

    Scene 2: Post-capture refocus

    Select Post-capture refocus. Sweep Angular samples per axis, hold Refocus shear fixed, and then reverse the roles. Drag the stage probe to repeat the first sweep directly.

    What to observe: Read the primary prediction, physical scale, limit check, and validity indicator together. Record where the approximation boundary changes.
  3. 03

    Scene 3: Lenticular viewpoint display

    Select Lenticular viewpoint display. Sweep Angular samples per axis, hold Refocus shear fixed, and then reverse the roles. Drag the stage probe to repeat the first sweep directly.

    What to observe: Read the primary prediction, physical scale, limit check, and validity indicator together. Record where the approximation boundary changes.