Dr. Stefan A. Voser
Stereoscopy is a specialized discipline of photography. It is about as old as photography itself. It uses the human’s ability of stereopsis.
The term Stereoscopy is composed from two greek words:
- στερεός (stereós): ‘firm, solid’
- σκοπέω (skopéō): ‘to look, to see’
Stereopsis means, the two two-dimensional images which are each seen by the corresponding eye may merge to a three-dimensional view with depth (binocular vision). Binocular disparity (small difference of the perspective position) causes the depth recognition.
This ability of stereopsis is used to conserve the depth with photography.
By viewing the left image with the left eye and the right image with the right eye, the depth perception is received. 5%-10% of people are unable to perceive depth by seeing with two eyes.
The visual perception of depth was first scientifically described 1838 by Sir Charles Wheatstone.
In 1839, Louis Daguerre published his work on chemical creating photographs. Soon, photography got a wide application and popularity.
The method for depth perception and binocular vision was soon adapted to photography.
In 1856, Sir David Brewster published “The Stereoscope”. By this work and knowledge, mobile stereoviewing got its beginning and popularity.
Two photographs captured by a slightly different perspective (stereobase). A stereoscopic captured photograph is called stereogram.
Comparing to photography, stereoscopy needs mainly two additional tools: stereoscopic cameras to capture stereograms and stereoscopes for viewing stereograms.
Stereoscopy got its first large popularity by the Paris Universal Exposition of 1867.
Printed stereogram-cards got a wide spread, together with small and portable stereoscopes for viewing them. Various companies grew by getting large stereoscopic producers, not only for stereograms, but also producing travel guides with included stereograms and maps.
This was the first big popularity wave of stereoscopy before first world war began.
References
- Wheatstone 1838 – Wheatstone, Charles: Contributions to the Physiology of Vision. Part the First. On Some Remarkable, and Hitherto Unobserved, Phenomena of Binocular Vision. In: Proceedings of the Royal Society of London 1838, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal, S. 371–394.
- Wheatstone 1852 – Wheatstone, Charles: Contributions to the Physiology of Vision. Part the Second. On Some Remarkable, and Hitherto Unobserved, Phenomena of Binocular Vision (Continued). In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London 1852 (142), S. 1–17.
- Brewster 1856 – Brewster, David: The Stereoscope. Its History, Theory and Application. With its applications to the fine and useful arts and to educate. London 1856: John Murray, Albemarle Street.
last revised: 07.06.2026
published 02.06.2026
Stereo Manager