Virtual lens simulation for video and photo cropping

A method for simulating image distortion of a virtual lens in a video, the method comprising:

• accessing input images, the input images including fields of view of a scene, the input images depicting the scene with an input lens distortion centered in the fields of view based on lens characteristics of a lens through which the input images are captured;
• selecting reduced fields of view of the scene smaller than the fields of view of the input images, the reduced fields of view including lens distortion effects as a function of the input lens distortion present in the fields of view of the input images, positions of the reduced fields of view within the fields of view of the input images, and size of the reduced fields of view, wherein a first reduced field of view for a first image has a different lens distortion effect than a second reduced field of view for a second image based on different positions of the first reduced field of view and the second reduced field of view;
• and
• generating output images based on the lens distortion effects in the reduced fields of view and a desired lens distortion, the output images including portions of the input images within the reduced fields of view, the desired lens distortion being consistent with the lens characteristics of the lens, wherein generation of the output images includes remapping of the input lens distortion centered in the fields of view of the input images to the desired lens distortion centered in the reduced fields of view to transform the lens distortion effects present in the reduced fields of view to the desired lens distortion.

A system for simulating image distortion of a virtual lens in a video, the system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed cause the one or more processors to perform steps including:
• accessing input images, the input images including fields of view of a scene, the input images depicting the scene with an input lens distortion centered in the fields of view based on lens characteristics of a lens through which the input images are captured;
• selecting reduced fields of view of the scene smaller than the fields of view of the input images, the reduced fields of view including lens distortion effects as a function of the input lens distortion present in the fields of view of the input images, positions of the reduced fields of view within the fields of view of the input images, and size of the reduced fields of view, wherein a first reduced field of view for a first image has a different lens distortion effect than a second reduced field of view for a second image based on different positions of the first reduced field of view and the second reduced field of view, wherein the reduced fields of view are selected based on tracking of a target within the input images or based on a location of interest;
• and
• generating output images based on the lens distortion effects in the reduced fields of view and a desired lens distortion, the output images including portions of the input images within the reduced fields of view, the desired lens distortion being consistent with the lens characteristics of the lens, wherein generation of the output images includes remapping of the input lens distortion centered in the fields of view of the input images to the desired lens distortion centered in the reduced fields of view to transform the lens distortion effects present in the reduced fields of view to the desired lens distortion.