Optimal depth resolution in plenoptic imaging

Plenoptic cameras are able to acquire multi-view content that can be displayed on auto-stereoscopic displays. Depth maps can be generated from the set of multiple views. As it is a single lens system, very often the question arises whether this system is suitable for 3D or depth measurement. The underlying thought is that the precision with which it is able to generate depth maps is limited by the aperture size of the main lens. In this paper, we will explore the depth discrimination capabilities of plenoptic cameras. A simple formula quantifying the depth resolution will be given and used to drive the principal design choices for a good depth measuring single lens system.