Panasonic will offer interchangeable 3D lens for Micro Four Thirds by year's end
By Sean Hollister 
posted July 27th 2010 10:52PM
posted July 27th 2010 10:52PM
PANASONIC ANNOUNCES DEVELOPMENT OF WORLD'S FIRST* INTERCHANGEABLE 3D LENS FOR LUMIX G MICRO SYSTEM**
SECAUCUS, NJ (July 27, 2010) – Continuing its record of 3D technology leadership, Panasonic today announced the development of the world's first* digital interchangeable twin-lens, making it possible to shoot 3D with an interchangeable lens system camera. As a new member of Panasonic's powerful lineup of interchangeable lenses as part of the LUMIX G Micro System**, the twin-lens will allow high-quality shooting in 3D. Panasonic plans to release this new lens for sale before the end of the year.
"This year will be remembered as the 'First Year of 3D Era' and Panasonic has already taken the lead by launching 3D-capable VIERA™ televisions and Blu-ray™ 3D Disc Players," said Darin Pepple, Senior Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. "With Panasonic's development of a twin-lens capable of 3D shooting, the company is providing consumers with a way to capture their own 3D content, which they can then enjoy watching in the comforts of their own home. Panasonic is dedicated to evolving the 3D ecosystem, letting consumers create and display lifelike 3D images in their homes."
Currently, 3D shooting with an interchangeable lens system camera is possible only by using panorama systems or by combining two lenses and two CCDs. However, these systems are not ideal and have difficulty capturing moving objects. Panasonic's new 3D lens for the LUMIX G Micro System features two optical systems installed within the diameter of the lens mount, creating stereo images from the left and right lenses that are then processed with a 3D image processing system. Thanks to Panasonic's advanced technologies in optical technology, image processing systems, and lens barrel design, the 3D lens will be compact in size.
This new compact 3D-capable interchangeable lens will be easy to handle and allow instant 3D shooting, without distortion or time lag between left and right images – even when shooting moving objects.
*For a digital interchangeable lens of July 28, 2010.
** Compatible models to be announced at a later date.
I can't wait until this 3D fad has passed. I don't want to see every movie in 3D, and I sure as heck don't want my photography in 3D. I'm sure some people will use it for creative art, but for most it will be a gimmick.
@Jman13
agree 100% with ya "J"
Enuff gimmicks already clouding the minds of consumers.
@Jman13
Sure, stereo photography is a fad:
http://www.arts.rpi.edu/~ruiz/stereo_history/text/historystereog.html
@Jman13
I second that. I hate movies in 3D. I do think 3D photography has a limited bit of appeal, but that is probably because I am an engineer and like that kind of stuff.
I think this lens is pretty nice though (again from an engineering point of view). Panasonic seems to make higher quality electronics than most companies. I would probably get a lens like this for my Nikon if is wasn't too expensive to play with it and experiment.
@Jman13 Speak for yourself, I'd buy this today. But then, I'm developing S3D software, so I already have all the viewing equipment etc (and a use for it).
You seem to forget, it's an *option*. All 3D can be viewed perfectly well in 2D, if you prefer. Nobody's forcing you to buy a new TV, and nobody's forcing you to watch *everything* in 3D if you did. Just relax, watch it however you want, and let others enjoy their choices too.
@Namarrgon
I'm with the "3D is just a fad" crowd, but I don't think it's just a simple option. 3D is only an "option" when you take it of a temporal context. Yes, you can turn it turn it on or off, you cannot view something in 3D while the person beside you elects not to.
I cannot go into a 3D enbabled movie and watch it in 2D unless I close one eye. The same goes for 3D on TVs right now: I cannot watch my TV in 2D, if everyone else in the room is watching in 3D with their $200+ glasses.
If I they come out with the ability to do both 2D and 3D at once, THEN it's an option. (They might have already, in which case, ignore me). Until then, FAD.
@Jman13
I know, I know... 3d is such a fad... I hate seeing stuff in 3d... DAMN YOU 3d and the ILLUSION OF SPACE... DAMN YOU TO HELL... I had surgically removed one of my eyes to prevent this whole 3d thing from happening to me ever again.
@Jman13 Why stop at 3D? Don't you think stereo audio is overrated aswell? And all this colour hype... bring black & white mono films! Better yet let's just stick too good old cave paintings.
@pretol
Thank you for keeping the anti-3D crazies in check. Humans see in 3D... to say you don't like it in general, is just flat out ignorant.
@DonkeyKongJR Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. You're so right.
Look, 3D media is not real 3D. You can't peer around something, you can't get a different perspective by moving closer. If that were the case, it might be cool. What all this 3D stuff is is adding depth information. When used correctly, it can be cool, but it is mostly used for the "hey look, it's 3D!" effect. It underwhelms me.
I'm a photographer, and part of my art is translating the 3D world into intriguing 2D representations. I'm sure some photographers will use this to great effect, but I have little interest.
Why do I care? I use a m4/3 kit as my compact kit, right now mainly with the 20/1.7 and a Voigtlander 40/1.4 M mount lens with adapter. Right now, m4/3 lacks a LOT of key lenses for the system, like a fast AF portrait lens, such as a 50 or 60mm f/1.4. The lack a fast standard zoom, prime telephotos, etc, and instead of filling those needs, they spend all this R&D on a lens that few photographers care about.
Hopefully it will work with my GF1... then again, I really don't give a shit since I wouldn't use it anyways.
@Diggler
It'll surely work will the GF-1 since it's the same mount as all G series m4/3. But the main concern is price, how much is Panny gonna charge for a 3D lense? Anything over 5 Benjamins can see this 3D heat demise.
@andyusa
It's the same mount as all micro4:3 cameras (be they from Olympus or Panasonic), period.
@andyusa
I hope they can release it between the 3-400 mark.
@twellzer i think 3D is here to stay, well have it for ages till sumthing better and more exciting comes along. but i hate it, it doesnt make veiwing a film any better if anything it makes it worse. i wudnt want photography to become like tht too .
For 3D to look right the lenses have to be spaced close to the distance of the human eyes. This is nothing more than a gimmick.
@RandomGuy
Squirrel eye 3D ain't good for you?
@RandomGuy
Don't forget the spacing of the lenses is relative to the sensor... so this most likely is perfectly fine spacing
@twellzer I don't think you are correct on that point. "Squirrel's-eye" view is exactly what you get. It works both ways-I have amazing superstereo views if Greenland taken sequentially hundreds of feet apart from a 747.
honestly, am I the only one who feels that Engadget does way too much camera coverage? I don't see why there are so many posts about them, they never are very popular.
@TheHypnotist -- "Am I the only one who feels that engadget does way too many stories on cameras and camcorders that I don't care about?"
@TheHypnotist -- "and I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea and thing I'm being a negative nancy or something, I'd just rather see a post about the HTC Vanguard (which had been a story today, that Engadget isn't really covering)."
@TheHypnotist -- "I just feel that the advancement of the camera industry is not nearly as important in technology as the advancement of smartphones. Hell, I'd rather see more posts on laptops. Honestly, more people would read and comment on news about the HTC Vanguard, and it bothers me that Engadget didn't even run the story today."
@TheHypnotist -- "honestly, am I the only one who feels that Engadget does way too much camera coverage? I don't see why there are so many posts about them, they never are very popular."
If camera aren't your thing.... WHY DO YOU KEEP CLICKING ON THE CAMERA STORIES!!!
@TheHypnotist
Yeah! We need more Mobile Phone stories!
We don't see nearly enough iPhone and Android posts!
@Michael Scrip
because I want to know if anybody agrees with me /obvious/
which people do btw
Seriously, the majority of the top stories being about Panasonic cameras is pretty silly, I bet you can even admit that.
@TheHypnotist
No, we all disagree with you. There aren't enough camera stories on engadget.
@TheHypnotist
Maybe Panasonic has made a bunch of camera announcements today.
It's no big deal.
Tomorrow Samsung or someone else will have a round of product announcements, and they'll dominate the news for a few hours.
It's just life.
@TheHypnotist
Stories tagged "Cameras"......... 3,762
Stories tagged "Laptops"........... 6,916
Stories tagged "Cellphones"..... 13,723
RELAX
@TheHypnotist
As the poster above me shows with numbers, there are way too many cellphone posts on engadget.
It's good to see camera articles once in a while. You need to quit your bitchin'
Said 3D fad is getting old.
As the very proud/happy owner of a Lumix G1, G2, and an Olympus PL1, I have to say this is really awesome news!
@DaHarder Why do you need 3 similar cameras?
@DaHarder
1st off I absolutely love photography and have more cameras than I care to disclose - LOL!
2nd - I bought the G1 when it debuted, as it was truly revolutionary, and have been very happy with it using my 45mm to 200mm lens since it covers such a wide variety of shooting conditions.
3rd - The G2 finally added HD video capability so it was a must buy.
4th - The Olympus PL1 was a gift I received as a birthday present, so I'm suck with it, not that it's all that bad (Note: I'm a viewfinder kind of guy so it's a little 'meh' to me).
@Adeptus
He is a marketing zombie?
Personally, I really like this. Maybe my next camera ought to be Micro four thirds.
How does this work? I would think that you need the lenses to be roughly the same distance apart in order to create an accurate stereoscopic image? Can some kindly fill me in on this narrower 3D method? Is it noticeably different?
@MRPysnik
It isn't narrower... it is in relation to the sensor behind it. For instance, imagine your head was much smaller to the point where the spacing of those lenses was the spacing of your eyes.... It's simply scaled down to fit the camera its mounting to.
@twellzer And that's why the Milky Way is obviously lenticular--even to the naked eye.
Sweet, but I don't think I can afford that lens.
They'll be studying 3D's spectacular failure for years to come in management schools.
@PhineasJW
Yeah, I know. And to imagine, back then, they also said that cd's would overtake records. Everybody knows records are superior, and that's why we all have record players in our cars.
@pretol Tell me about it. And despite the negative comments, it doesn't bother me at all to put on special glasses every time I listen to a CD.
What's with the ominous looking red eye?
It will be nice to know how it works. Does it take two photos quickly in succession? Or split the horizontal resolution in half and take two photos at once?
Even Panasonic starts the 3D pro presentations with a "brief" history of 3D in photo/cinema. They just don't say that it is "brief" because every single time it got face planted. Enough already folks, please don't buy any of this crap until no special optical devices are needed for a correct reproduction of the object after capturing in "3D".
My family has been into stereo photography for generations. I have been unimpressed with todays options but this looks pretty decent.
Also, it is the weirdest thing ever to see family photos in 3D...
I am surprised Sony did not come up with this first for the Nex cameras!!!
The lenses are too close together for a proper 3D effect. Except maybe if you are doing 3D macro shots of tiny stuff, that might be interesting :)
awesome,
now I am left wondering why anyone would buy Panasonic's 3D consumer camcorder - the Lumix is just much more versatile.
Phillip Gibb
http://synapticlight.com/
So, is a 3D video camera a 4D camera?
I'm waiting for a camera that can record all 11 dimensions.
@Zhuzhu Ha! Anybody with some string and a brane can make one of those . . .