Snapshot type three dimensional camera

Claim 1

In a camera construction for taking stereoscopic pictures and of the type comprising (a) a primary lens system, (b) lenticulated plate means disposed remote from said primary lens system and having associated therewith a photosensitive surface, and (c) a multielement image format reversal system disposed in close proximity to said primary lens system, (d) said lenticular plate means and said multielement image format reversal system being arranged on the optical path of said primary lens system, the improvement in said image format reversal system comprising, (e) an array of a plurality of internally reflecting image reversal prisms mounted side-by-side in closely adjacent relation, (f) said image reversal prisms having two intersecting internally reflecting surfaces, and a third surface accommodating entry and exit of light rays, (g) the lines of intersection of the intersecting surfaces of said image reversal prisms, and the third surface of said prism, being substantially parallel, (h) the respective third surfaces of said image reversal prisms being coplanar, (i) a larger, common prism, formed with a hypotenuse surface and being mounted with said hypotenuse surface mounted in interfacial relation with the said third surfaces of the plurality of said image reversal prisms.