Depth map

In 3D computer graphics and computer vision, a depth map is an image or image channel that contains information relating to the distance of the surfaces of scene objects from a viewpoint. The term is related (and may be analogous) to depth buffer, Z-buffer, Z-buffering, and Z-depth. The "Z" in these latter terms relates to a convention that the central axis of view of a camera is in the direction of the camera's Z axis, and not to the absolute Z axis of a scene.

This article is about techniques which relate to recording distances from a viewpoint. For modifying the geometry of surfaces - or the illusion of this - in computer graphics, see Heightmap and Bump mapping. For maps of seafloor depth, see Bathymetry.

Three-dimensional (3D)
computer graphics
Fundamentals
Primary uses
Related topics
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