Could HTC add a dual camera mode to the Evo 3D?

[Starfleet Captain]

There are two 5mp cameras on the back of the Evo 3D. When the phone is being used to take 2D pics, only one camera (the top camera) is in use. Could HTC add a 2D dual camera mode for when the phone is in landscape orientation, activating both cameras? In this mode, the software would combine the 2D images taken simultaneously by both cameras into one wide panoramic photograph, the same way the human brain combines images from both eyes into one big image. This would increase the mp count of each picture to say, 8mp (I'm guessing here, but I'm taking 2mp away for image overlap from the two cameras which the software would adjust for).

I was just wondering if such a thing is even possible with a device like this...

 

[Officerpolabear]

First off, having 2 5 megapixel cameras can't add up to a higher resolution. It just doesn't work. second, when the 2 camera's are being used, that's for taking 3D pics or videos. Lastly, you should be able to find an app on the market (think there's one called 360 camera?) but I was fortunate enough to have that feature preinstalled into the camera of my Epic

 

[Tarwinia]

Well, theoretically it would be possible but the overlap would be a lot more. They are like a centimeter apart looking in the same direction and all. Remember, they are placed so that when doing 3D the image is almost the same, just different enough to provide the 3D effect. The 3D actually works as you suggest more or less.
Panorama modes normally require you to move (either spin or move laterally) and a lot more than 1 or 2 cm.

 

[Starfleet Captain]

First off, having 2 5 megapixel cameras can't add up to a higher resolution. It just doesn't work. second, when the 2 camera's are being used, that's for taking 3D pics or videos. Lastly, you should be able to find an app on the market (think there's one called 360 camera?) but I was fortunate enough to have that feature preinstalled into the camera of my Epic

I'm aware that you can't combine two 5 mp images to make 10 mp of the same image. However, you can combine two DIFFERENT images of the same scene into one photograph, with image 2 adding detail that is missing from image 1. This, in turn would churn out a Bigger image, increasing the number of pixels in the finished combined image. That is what I was referring to.

 

[Auzo]

First off, having 2 5 megapixel cameras can't add up to a higher resolution. It just doesn't work. second, when the 2 camera's are being used, that's for taking 3D pics or videos. Lastly, you should be able to find an app on the market (think there's one called 360 camera?) but I was fortunate enough to have that feature preinstalled into the camera of my Epic

That's not necessarily true. It won't turn the single 5 megapixel picture magically into a 10 megapixel image, but at the very least the slight offset between the sensors will allow for a larger field of view. Since the two sensors see slightly different images, taking the union of the two sensors will increase the resolution since your image now has more visual content. And with some image processing you could do even more.

Expanding on this idea, having an array of cameras can allow for some really cool features. Here is a video of some of the stuff you can do.
YouTube - HIgh Performance Imaging - Using Large Camera Array
and
YouTube - Synthetic Aperture Tracking: Tracking through Occlusions

 

[Starfleet Captain]

That's the kind of ingenuity I'm talking about. The phone has two 5mp cameras on its rear. That second camera could be put to good use when taking 2D snapshots, besides snapping 3d images. I could see HTC whipping up a feature like this at the last minute to include on the Evo 3D, but if not HTC then may another enterprising developer? Such a developer could even make it work for the LG Thrill 4G.

 

[Officerpolabear]

I'm aware that you can't combine two 5 mp images to make 10 mp of the same image. However, you can combine two DIFFERENT images of the same scene into one photograph, with image 2 adding detail that is missing from image 1. This, in turn would churn out a Bigger image, increasing the number of pixels in the finished combined image. That is what I was referring to.

Oh sorry, my mistake

 

[yourfriendmat]

I was just thinking this yesterday! I've done this before with atrophotography. We used software called IRAF to reduce the images. I've also seen people hook up a cheap-o webcam to a telescope and take video. Then later, you can use software to combine the individual frames together for a better exposure (i.e. brighter image).

Regardless, the more cameras you use, the more information about the scene you can obtain. For instance, with telescopes, you can use 3 smaller telescopes spread apart by say 3 meters and you get the resolving power equivalent to a telescope with a 3 meter lens. This is called interferometry

I'm sure something like this could be done with these two cameras. The question is who cares enough or is smart enough to take it on

 

[Starfleet Captain]

I was just thinking this yesterday! I've done this before with atrophotography. We used software called IRAF to reduce the images. I've also seen people hook up a cheap-o webcam to a telescope and take video. Then later, you can use software to combine the individual frames together for a better exposure (i.e. brighter image).

Regardless, the more cameras you use, the more information about the scene you can obtain. For instance, with telescopes, you can use 3 smaller telescopes spread apart by say 3 meters and you get the resolving power equivalent to a telescope with a 3 meter lens. This is called interferometry

I'm sure something like this could be done with these two cameras. The question is who cares enough or is smart enough to take it on

If I were an Android Developer that new enough about coding for digital photography, I'd do it just for fun.

 

[Averix]

No. They're two fixed angle lenses. They're offset only by the amount needed for the silly 3D effect. It's like taking a picture of the same thing cross eyed. It will never be anything that can be combined for a single 2D image without some serious programmatic extrapolation. By the time you're done with the calculations and overlap, you won't be left with anything of measurable value. It would be like a panoramic picture taken with a camera offset by just a few millimeters.
I suppose someone could make something cool by combining the two images, but I can't imagine any standard software doing anything worthwhile with the goofy offset images.