Why Do Miniaturized Models Look Fake When Filmed?

[Marat]

Here is a problem in optics: I have often noticed that even when perfectly detailed, miniaturized models of ships, planes, or cars are filmed, they still look fake on camera. What is the physical explanation for this? Could it be something to do with the ratios of the light waves to the object size being unnatural?

[FX]

It's the focal length of the camera. Somebody figured this out and applied the same effect to real scenes, making them look like miniature models. It's called Tilt-shift photography, and both stills and videos are available all over the internets. As well as instructions on how to do it yourself.

 

Put "Tilt-shift photography" into Google and enjoy.

[swansont]

The effects seen in tilt-shift photography is one aspect, but in movies one also has to consider scaling. The photography is limited to linear scaling in size and time. If there is any aspect of the action that doesn't scale linearly, it will look faked.

[FX]

Good point.

[dalgoma]

Wow, I like the link. But I don't think it is much to do with the focal length of the lens. Can we agree that, apart from the obvious grain, a photo taken with a long focus lens is indistinguishable from the centre of one taken with a wide angle lens at the same location.

 

The only way to change the perspective is to move.

[CaptainPanic]

Here is a problem in optics: I have often noticed that even when perfectly detailed, miniaturized models of ships, planes, or cars are filmed, they still look fake on camera. What is the physical explanation for this? Could it be something to do with the ratios of the light waves to the object size being unnatural?

 

I don't believe there is a miniature that is "perfectly detailed"... and I think that's the main reason.

Take this picture on wikipedia for example: it is nearly perfect, but it lacks some details. The flags for example are fake (not enough "motion" in it).

 

Furthermore (as a layman) I don't see anything in optics that cannot be scaled up or scaled down. Optics, as far as I'm concerned, can be made dimensionless - and therefore deal with ratios of height, width and length... not with their exact numbers.

Edited December 20, 2010 by CaptainPanic

[swansont]

I don't believe there is a miniature that is "perfectly detailed"... and I think that's the main reason.

 

Fortuitous that I ran across this link this morning

http://www.fastcodesign.com/1662890/lori-nixs-stunning-tiny-dioramas-depict-an-abandoned-world-slideshow

 

For a still, it would seem that enough detail can trick you; you can't (easily) tell those are miniatures.

 

Take this picture on wikipedia for example: it is nearly perfect, but it lacks some details. The flags for example are fake (not enough "motion" in it).

 

Was there supposed to be a link?