Fujifilm 3D camera (prototype)

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Fujifilm unveiled its first 3D camera at Photokina in Germany earlier this year, and this revolutionary imaging product seems set to change the way we shoot, view and print photographs. While conventional digital cameras capture in two dimensions, the new 6-megapixel shooter uses two lens and the onboard Real Photo (RP) Processor 3D to combine a scene to present a three dimensional view. We had a quick hands-on with the shooter and here are our first impressions. Click here to read more about this new 3D technology.

Editors' note:

Fujifilm has clarified that its collaboration with CIPA and Adobe on the 3D imaging format has not been confirmed. We will update this story once more information is available.

Upside

Typically, 3D photography requires stereo cameras which are usually film-based. You require special accessories such as 3D glasses to view the pictures or dedicated programs to convert the images into one 3D picture. But what Fujifilm had done was to incorporate two lenses and sensors into the shooter. These components feed the scene to the RP 3D processor which translates the information to the special 2.8-inch LCD which is capable of displaying both 2D and 3D images. This technology is one-of-a-kind and we have not seen it in other shooters. Besides capturing 3D pictures, the unnamed camera is also capable of snapping 2D images, too, using only one lens.

The special LCD is able to display 3D images.
(click for larger image)

The LCD is probably one of the more advanced displays we've come across. There are two sources on the sides of the screen and they will display the information captured through the two lenses independently. Each source has a refresh rate of 60 frames per second and as the sources alternate to and fro, a 3D effect is achieved. But what was rather impressive about the display was that the image engine does all the rendering in real time, meaning that you can view the scene in 3D before taking the picture. The snapper is also able to record video clips in 3D.

A quick poll to those who used the display showed that not everyone is used to the 3D screen. Some people felt disoriented after viewing it for a while, but majority reported they felt fine.

Fujifilm is developing a whole line of products to complement the 3D shooter. In the works is an 8.4-inch 3D photo frame and the company's current Frontier mini-lab printing system has been modified to print lenticular photographs. We saw some samples and had to admit that they looked really good. Traditional lenticular prints splice two images anve you can view it only from the front to see the 3D effect. But what Fujifilm has done was to splice several images and merge them so the picture appeared 3D even when we viewed it from the sides.

Downside

While Fujifilm's 3D camera looked slim in pictures, it is quite different in real life. The shooter is significantly chunkier than most digicams. However, the company told us that this is just a prototype and the commercial unit is expected to be slimmer when it goes on sale next year.

The 3D camera wasn't as slim as we thought, but Fujifilm said it would reduce the bulk for the commercial sets.
(click for larger image)

Another issue that caught our attention was the file format the 3D snapper will generate. Fujifilm said the format will be new to the industry, but the company is currently working with CIPA (Camera and Imaging Products Association) to make this an open format. The firm is also looking to work with other developers such as Adobe to incorporate it in Photoshop for image-editing.

Printing 3D photographs will not be cheap either, but the company expects the price to drop when this printing format gets more popular. It would be almost impossible to output 3D photographs at home, and the initial high costs of printing may deter some people from buying the shooter.

Outlook

It is difficult to predict how popular this camera will be among consumers when it seems like there is little support for its proprietary file format for now. Also, limited viewing accessories such as 3D monitors and printers may be a deal breaker for some. However, Fujifilm has been the pioneer for several digital imaging trends, such as low-light photography and face detection, so developing a ground-breaking 3D digicam is in line with its vision.

The 3D camera is expected to launch in August/September next year. Pricing is not available at press time but we will update when we have more information.