Depth map generator: extract depth from a single photo
Need a depth map but only have a flat photo? StereoGen runs a depth-estimation neural network over any image and gives you a clean, pixel-aligned grayscale depth map — built for artists, motion designers and developers who need depth as an input, not just an effect.
Try it free — no signup Free watermarked 768px preview. Full-resolution depth map for $2.99.
What the generator produces
The output is a grayscale image in which each pixel's brightness encodes its estimated distance from the camera, aligned one-to-one with your original photo. That means it drops straight into your existing pipeline: as a lens-blur or depth-of-field mask in a photo editor, a displacement input in Blender, a depth pass for 2.5D parallax in After Effects, or a texture in your own shader experiments.
How depth from one image works
1Neural depth estimation
A network trained on huge collections of photos with known depth predicts a plausible distance for every pixel, reading perspective, occlusion, texture gradients and lighting the way a human eye does.
2Relative, not metric
The values rank what is nearer and what is farther rather than measuring meters — which is precisely what blur, fog, displacement and masking workflows consume.
3Instant sanity check
The same depth drives StereoGen's Live 3D viewer, which runs in your browser with WebGL. Orbit the reconstructed scene to spot problems with edges or layers before you download anything.
What people build with it
- Believable depth-of-field and lens blur added in post.
- Displacement and relief surfaces in Blender and other 3D packages.
- 2.5D parallax slides and camera projection setups in After Effects.
- Distance-based fog, particles and selections in compositing work.
- Quick depth passes for shader prototypes and creative coding.
Resolution and licensing
You can generate and inspect a watermarked 768px depth map for free, along with every interactive view of the reconstructed scene. For production use, the $2.99 unlock renders the depth map at your photo's full resolution, removes the watermark and includes a commercial license. There is no subscription — you pay only when a result is worth keeping. The same upload also yields anaglyphs, wiggle GIFs, stereo pairs and parallax animations if the depth map is just the start of your idea.
Frequently asked questions
What is a depth map, exactly?
A grayscale image, pixel-aligned with your photo, where brightness represents how near or far each pixel is. Editors and 3D tools use it for depth-of-field, displacement, fog, distance-based masking and parallax effects.
Is the depth metric — can I read real distances from it?
No. Single-image depth estimation produces relative depth: it tells you what is nearer and what is farther, not distances in meters. That is exactly what compositing and displacement workflows need, but it is not a measuring instrument.
What resolution will my depth map be?
The free preview is watermarked and capped at 768px. The $2.99 unlock renders at your photo's full resolution with no watermark, which is what you want for displacement or print work.
How does it handle hair, glass and reflections?
Honestly: those are the hardest cases for any depth model. Thin strands, transparent objects and mirrors can confuse the network. Solid subjects with clear edges produce the cleanest maps — preview yours free before paying.
Can I use the depth map in commercial projects?
Yes. The $2.99 unlock includes a commercial license, so the map can go into client work, games, videos and published art.
Get depth out of any photo
Upload an image, inspect its depth in a live 3D view, and take the map straight into your editor or engine.
Generate my depth map