The Development of Camera Calibration Methods and Models

TLDR

Camera distortion correction has long been crucial, originally for aerial mapping but now essential for diverse tasks from 3‑D measurement to everyday imaging with many inexpensive industrial cameras. This paper reviews key developments in camera calibration and contextualizes them. The authors highlight the driving forces behind each improvement.

Abstract

Correction for image distortion in cameras has been an important topic for as long as users have wanted to faithfully reproduce or use observed information. Initially the main application was mapping. While this task continues today, other applications also require precise calibration of cameras, such as close range three dimensional measurement and many two dimensional measurement tasks. In the past, the cameras used were few in number and highly expensive whereas today a typical large industrial company will have many inexpensive cameras being used for highly important measurement tasks. Cameras are used more today than they ever were but the golden age of camera calibration for aerial mapping is now well in the past. This paper considers some of the key developments and attempts to put them into perspective. In particular the driving forces behind each improvement have been highlighted.