It was this moment that became the impetus for the emergence of digital 3D cameras. The manufacturer offered the consumer to become the creator of modern 3D content. This does not require special knowledge and skills - only a sense of taste, a device for playing 3D graphics and, of course, a camera capable of taking three-dimensional pictures.

Cameras from Fujifilm - FinePix REAL 3D W1 and more advanced FinePix REAL 3D W3, released in 2009 and 2010, respectively, became the first signs of amateur 3D filming. The second of these models became the best-selling camera of its class in 2011, and is still an object of imitation for many market players. In fairness, it should be said that at that time she had only a few competitors, since even the closest pursuers were behind by a whole year. Thus, Sony, Panasonic and Hammacher Schlemmer offered their versions of 3D cameras only in the middle - second half of 2010.

At the moment, the choice is much wider, and in order to better understand the essence of the proposed novelty, it is worth at least in general terms to understand the technology of three-dimensional filming.

3D photo: how it works

The general principle of creating a three-dimensional (stereoscopic) image is reduced to parallel shooting of an object with two lenses, the distance between which is equal (or approximately equal) to the distance between the central points of human eyes. The standard is a distance of 65 – 75 mm. The simplest option is to synchronize two conventional cameras. However, the main problem is not in shooting, but in playing 3D content. The first stereoscopic images consisted of two ordinary slides, on one of which the angle was captured from the point of view of the right eye, on the other - from the left. The effect of three-dimensionality arose if the mentioned frames were viewed through a stereoscope. The device resembles binoculars, in each of the eyepieces of which a corresponding slide is inserted (separate for each eye). Each eye sees only one flat image, the brain processes the information from each eye and generates a three-dimensional image based on it.

Stereoscopes have successfully survived to this day and are produced as cheap but cute toys or souvenirs.

The development of digital technologies has improved the method. Now, instead of two frames of a stereo pair, a 3D projector (in our case, a stereo display or a 3D TV) simultaneously projects two images onto the viewer (again, for the right and left eyes), each in its own colour scheme. With the help of special glasses, only one image in the corresponding range of the spectrum comes to each eye. Further, as in the case of a stereoscope, the brain turns two separate images into one volumetric one.

This technology is the most advanced today. It provides a fairly high image quality, but some users complain about the discomfort associated with the constant stay in glasses.

There are also screens that allow you to watch 3D without resorting to glasses. However, their scope is limited to the displays of digital stereo cameras and three-dimensional photo frames.

Thus, before you buy a 3D camera, you should decide on which device you will be viewing stereo photographs.

If you are looking at a stereoscope, then most likely you simply do not need a 3D camera, because. using the appropriate software, a stereo pair of slides can be made with a conventional camera, and buying a three-dimensional camera turns out to be economically unprofitable.

If there is a desire to buy an appropriate playback device, then you need to take into account and compare the following figures with the possibilities of the family low-cost. A 3D photo frame will cost $150 – $2000. The lower threshold for the cost of a 3D monitor starts from $350 – $1000. 3D TV - from $600. If we are talking about professional equipment, whether it is a monitor or a TV, then the cost of $ 10,000 is not the limit.

For comparison - the cost of cameras available on the east european market varies between $ 150 – $ 1000.

3D Camera: Consumer Perspective

If such calculations did not push you away from the idea of acquiring a 3D camera, it is worth saying a few words about the assortment offered to the east european buyer.

Today, the market for digital 3D cameras is only developing, but the cameras available to the consumer can be traced to a number of characteristic features that allow you to determine the capabilities of a particular model.

First of all, it is worth mentioning that not all offered 3D cameras are actually such. Among them, there are 2D devices equipped with a removable 3D lens. At first glance, such a move by the manufacturer will seem like a hoax, but in fact this is not entirely true. For example, Panasonic offers similar attachments for its LUMIX G Micro System and DMC series devices, which allows owners of these devices to simply upgrade them to the desired level, and not overpay for a new 3D camera. Canon has gone the same way, equipping the E0S 3D SLR model with a removable stereoscopic lens. On the other hand, profile 3D devices have the function of taking ordinary two-dimensional photographs and are quite capable of replacing traditional photographic equipment.

A characteristic feature of digital photographic equipment has become the ability to shoot not only photos, but also video. Three-dimensional cameras are no exception, and, continuing the established tradition, in most cases they offer their owners to become cameramen. Even the simplest 3D soapboxes with a price limit of $500 are capable of providing the quality of three-dimensional video recording in HD 720p format. However, the video quality is an order of magnitude higher (Full HD 1080p) offered by cameras starting at $200. Therefore, if this function is important to you, you should study in detail the characteristics of the proposed model, and not rely on the principle of the more expensive - the better.

It has already been said above that the digital world has completely adopted the method of analogue shooting with two lenses. However, over the past year or two, developers have managed to combine them within the same lens system. Therefore, some models are traditionally equipped with two parallel lenses, some - with one that works for two. Such a lens, when the button is pressed, takes two pictures, each with a different focal length. The matrix combines both frames and forms a stereo image. The downside of this method is perhaps the possible blurring of the picture when shooting a dynamic scene, but in most cases the image quality justifies itself.

Almost all 3D cameras are equipped with a display on which you can view the footage - just as it happens in a conventional digital camera. In this case, the three-dimensional effect is achieved without the use of special glasses. The display diagonal is usually 3 – 5". Some models include a separate media player with the ability to view photos and videos - again without glasses.

Problem of choice

Obviously, when choosing a 3D camera, it is necessary to take into account the same positions as in the case of a conventional two-dimensional camera. This is the multiplicity of digital and optical zoom, matrix resolution, the presence of night shooting functions, and stabilization systems. And, of course, the quality of the optics. It should be clearly understood here that a 200-dollar soap dish will not give the quality of a professional SLR camera.

In addition, an important role is played by the compatibility of the camera with devices for storing and reproducing information. The standard port for connecting to 3D playback devices is now the HDMI port. However, computers, laptops, and other electronic devices may use mini-HDMI standards, as well as HDMI with extended bandwidth. HDMI is the most common connection option for 3D cameras, however, there are models with a mini-HDMI output as the main and USB as an additional port. Therefore, before buying, you should make sure that your home PC or laptop, through which you plan to transfer pictures from a memory card to long-term storage disks, is compatible with a particular model.

It is also worth deciding how important direct output of the photo to the printer and the built-in Wi-Fi module are. Manufacturers position these functions as greatly facilitating the life of the user, but in most cases they are useless. According to statistics, before printing the desired picture, most users view it on the monitor screen. In the case of 3D images, the urgent need for direct (wired or wireless) printing is reduced to almost nothing, since both manufacturers and users are focused on viewing stereo images from the screens of 3D photo frames, monitors and TVs.

Treat digital 3D cameras as a luxury or treat them as today's tomorrow's prospect - everyone decides for himself. However, it is already obvious that the technology, which has been going for many decades, is becoming truly accessible and opens up new horizons in the world of photography.