Fujifilm's 3D camera gets the hands-on treatment

It's been a few months since Fujifilm showed off a prototype 3D shooter at the Photokina show in Cologne, and CNET Asia has now managed to spend a little time with the chunky bronze and gunmetal box. Unlike other tech we've seen that does 3D in one shot, this one sports a pair of lenses and sensors to capture light in stereo, while on the back a 2.8-inch LCD alternates between the two images at 60 fps to give an apparently convincing 3D effect. Better, though, should be the 8.4-inch 3D photo frame under development, and Fuji's Frontier photo labs are also being upgraded to produce lenticular prints (the sort you can tilt left and right to see different things) that are said be "really good." The camera itself is scheduled to drop around September of 2009, but since even looking at the results of your work is going to be a bit of a challenge at first we're not entirely sure how popular the thing will be. Regardless, we're glad someone is paving the way.

[kal326 @ Nov 21st 2008 12:18PM]

Huh, wonder if the gents at Playboy are gonna pick up on this new tech? If the printing cost isn't to terrible much more then it could be a nice new niche.

[tom @ Nov 21st 2008 12:22PM]

LOL, this camera is too amateur for them. They need a DSLR doing 3D

[phanbouy fan fan @ Nov 21st 2008 12:41PM]

in 3D you can really see the silicone jumping out at you

[Wolfticket @ Nov 21st 2008 12:19PM]

Presumably, being a digital camera, this can do stereoscopic video as well. Would be pretty cool with one of those headset video thingys.

[rifter @ Nov 21st 2008 12:31PM]

I am thinking at Stereoscopic, this could be pretty darn cool, myself.

[jared @ Nov 21st 2008 1:06PM]

In the words of Bender...."Oooh, neat" *snaps photo*

[Shinigami @ Nov 21st 2008 1:43PM]

3D camera? Cool.
How much for a 3D monitor?

[Temple @ Nov 21st 2008 2:38PM]

The back screen of the camera is supposedly 3D. Basically, the image is alternating rapidly at 60fps. I wouldn't be surprised if the modern LCD can be made to do "3D' using the same technique.

[Troels C @ Nov 21st 2008 1:44PM]

Its been done before loads of times with film. I have never seen a 3D digicam before. I might get this one :)

[dj moon @ Nov 22nd 2008 3:09AM]

I remember a 3-D (film, still pic) camera back in the mid-80's, I think it was at K-Mart or something like that.
I always wanted one, then they disappeared (processing was too expensive, or so I heard).

Then I found out they were out again, in disposable form, in the mid-90's.
I picked one up, and took some amazing pics of the kids, and friends!
I don't think lenticular pics would scan properly, so the effect is lost unless it's eyes-on.

I can't wait for this, though!
Next up... HOLOGRAM digi-cam!!!
(Or, so I hope...;)

[Bob S. @ Nov 21st 2008 2:03PM]

3D photography is easy with any digicam (I use a Powershot 850 and a D90): 1. Take the left picture. 2. As steadily as possible, move the camera two or three inches to the right. 3. Take the right picture.

If you have Parkinson's or you're shooting railroad photos or something, it ain't gonna work. Beyond that, you can get really wonderful results. I've done iPhoto books of 3D photography. The viewers do have to do the whole eye-crossing thing, but again, it works really well. And if you are steady, you'll get results about as good as this Fujifilm camera will eventually give you -- you're still going to have to be very still and hold that camera very level as you take your photos. Even if you want this Fujifilm camera, by starting now, you'll have a year of technique and composition behind you when it comes out.

[Temple @ Nov 21st 2008 2:42PM]

In practice its pretty damn hard to get the distances exactly right. This is why people build big "stereoscopic rigs" to attach their cameras. Also, now try doing that with video like this camera can do.

The interesting thing is that these 3D formats, techniques, etc are going to become standardized and commercially more available. You can just snap a picture instead of having to spend hours in post trying to make a stereoscopic picture.

[Patrick @ Nov 21st 2008 7:25PM]

I also do stereo photos that way. I've done some quickly by hand and had amazing results. Unfortunately, like you said, there are many situations where this doesn't work. That's why I'm so excited about this camera. One will be able to get a photo of something constantly changing or moving, with flash, and definitely is going to be easier(though "hours in post" [different comment] is not accurate; it only takes me a minute or two to arrange things to where I can parallel view them).

[Sanskrit @ Nov 21st 2008 2:10PM]

Why does it make me think that if we added a semicircle to the top it would look like a circa-1970s Viewmaster?

[PyRo1509 @ Nov 21st 2008 2:13PM]

So they duct taped two cameras together...

BRILLIANT!

[TIMMAH! @ Nov 21st 2008 3:49PM]

I don't see why they couldn't just use a lenticular lens on the back of the camera and interleave the LCD lines to show the alternate eye views. Then they could do the camera menus and interface items in 3D too.

What I'd like to see with the camera is bundled software that would allow you to save off the images in cross-eyed or parallel-eyed viewing formats that are the common ways of viewing these without a specialized viewer.

http://stereopov.ichthyostega.de/viewing.html

I would love one of these cameras! Looking forward to seeing them in the stores!

[TIMMAH! @ Nov 21st 2008 3:51PM]

Next I'd like to see a reasonably priced Roundshot-type digital camera that can take 180 or 360 degree shots. (Yes I know you can stitch together individual frames, but this doesn't work so well for moving subjects that you'd like to capture.)

[inteller @ Nov 21st 2008 4:48PM]

So this means I can use Photoshop to look around corners in rooms like Bladerunner?

[solarbuddy @ Nov 22nd 2008 1:54AM]

Woo-hoo! I've been waiting a long time for even the slightest glimmer on the 3d digital front. Maybe I can finally put my f/2.8 Realist out to pasture someday.

[bernard brown @ Nov 25th 2008 3:45AM]

Wonderfull, I belong to the "Stereoscopic Soc of GB " and " Third Dmension Soc",and the International Stereo Union,we share all 3d info, hold meetings worldwide,publish mags,etc.
thank you for your site, I will mark it up.
lenticular, if made to view easy, low cost to make, AND digital, is another tool to help create
images of our world in the third dimention.For true 3d' exponents this will not replace, but enhance the established methods,[ which are proved to open a new world in photography for so many enquirering minds ]
any further inf on this camera PLEASE let us know Bernard