1. A computer-implemented method for determining a camera position in a plurality of images captures by the camera comprising: defining a first function ƒ(U, V) that is nonlinear in both a first set of variables U and a second set of variables V, wherein the first set of variables U correspond to a first feature of the plurality of images and the second set of variables V correspond to a second features of the plurality of images; transforming, by a processor, the first function ƒ(U, V) into ƒ(U, V(U)) such that the members of the first set of variables U are independent variables and the members of the second set of variables V are dependent on the first set of variables; assigning first assumed values of the first set of variables U; iteratively estimating, by the processor, the second set of variables V based upon the transformed first function ƒ(U, V(U)) and the assumed values of the first set of variables U such that ƒ(U, V(U)) is minimized with respect to V; and determining the camera position by iteratively computing new estimates of the first set of variables U to minimize the transformed first function ƒ(U, V(U)) based upon the assumed values of the first set of variables U and the calculated values of the second set of variables V and a derivative of the second set of variables V with respect to the first set of variables U and a total derivative of the transformed first function ƒ(U, V(U)) with respect to the members of the first set of variables U.