3D cameras

The Fraunhofer research institute in Germany developed a new four-camera system to shoot glasses-free 3D. They say that using just two cameras won't be enough for good glasses-free 3D, and calibrating four cameras is not easy.

The new STAN assistance system ensures that the optical axes, focal lengths and focal points are the same for each camera. The system can also handle electronically zooming to compensate flaws in images - and all this in real time.

Sony's HDR-TD10 is now shipping for $1,499. This is a Full-HD 3D camcorder with two lenses and two sensors. The camera has a 3.5" glasses-free 3D LCD. The HDR-TD10 has a 10X optical zoom, image stabilization (even in 3D mode) and 5.1-channel audio capture.

Sony's Bloggie 3D flip-style camcorder is now shipping for $249.99. The Bloggie 3D can record 1080p 3D videos via its two sensors/lenses. It also has a 2.4" glasses-free 3D LCD.

The Bloggie 3D is now shipping for $249.99.

Is a 3D-camera equipped iPhone/iPad on the way? It turns out that Apple filed a 3D picture taking patent titled ""Systems and Methods for an Imaging System Using Multiple Image Sensors". The patent describes a system that would capture, process and render 3D images with a dual-camera hardware.

According to Apple current software-based approaches aren't good enough because of the need to 'guess' the stereo disparity compensation. Apple's new method is hardware-based and does a better job (according to Apple, anyway).

NASA bandons plans to include a 3D camera on the next Mars rover, due to technical issues (integrating the camera with the rover's hardware). Hopefully this technology will be included in future missions...

via Engadget

JVC's GS-TD1 is now shipping for $1495. The GS-TD1 is a Full-HD 3D camcorder with dual-lens and 3.32mp sensors and a new 3D image chip (Falconbird). Other features include 5x zoom, 64GB built-in flash memory and an SD card slot. The GS-TD1 can also record "3D-Sound" using its BiPhonic sound processing.

There's an interesting interview of sorts with Sony Electronics' President and COO. He claims that Sony has the largest US market share in the 3D TV market in the holiday season (November-December 2010). Sony is focusing on active-shutter 3D, and although they showed glasses-free prototypes, they have no plans to commercialize such technology yet.

They are also putting a lot of focus into 3D cameras (like the new HDR-TD10 camcorder and Bloggie 3D).