Wide-angle stereoscopic optical system using ultrashort throw lenses with a catadioptric relay

To conform to the widening of head-mounted displays, stereoscopic optical systems require a high resolution of at least 4 K, and a field of view of at least 120°. However, the dimensions of the large-format cameras used to record high-quality content mean an appropriate stereo base cannot be achieved. Moreover, the wide angle of view prevents the use of a half-mirror rig to reduce the stereo base. Therefore, this study presents a solution where the stereo base is reduced using ultrashort throw lenses with a catadioptric relay in which the pupil is formed on the object side. Hence, a basic design for a wide-angle stereoscopic system with a half-field angle of ~126° and a stereo base of 62 mm is proposed.