The big fallacy with AI research is that people treat it as "completely new", so in their mind it doesn't make sense to compare the AI to traditional methods. But most traditional methods have also been created by highly advanced intelligences ... us humans.
FYI we once got 1st place on the Sintel AI benachmark in "Clean & EPE matched" with a 2004 paper... By now it's down to 10th place, but AI is by no means far ahead of traditional methods.
As for "novel view synthesis benchmarks", photogrammetry is used in many hollywood productions for virtual actors and/or for virtual environment destruction. In my opinion, having Hollywood use your technique for billion-dollar blockbuster movies is probably a hint that it works well in practice ;)
FYI we once got 1st place on the Sintel AI benachmark in "Clean & EPE matched" with a 2004 paper... By now it's down to 10th place, but AI is by no means far ahead of traditional methods.
As for "novel view synthesis benchmarks", photogrammetry is used in many hollywood productions for virtual actors and/or for virtual environment destruction. In my opinion, having Hollywood use your technique for billion-dollar blockbuster movies is probably a hint that it works well in practice ;)