In an effort to make 3D more "personal" for regular consumers, Sony is preparing to launch a number of 3D cameras. The company's lineup will include a high-end camcorder, an inexpensive 3D flip cam, and a few point-and-shoot cameras for capturing 3D still images and short videos.
Sony introduced these cameras during their press briefing earlier this week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and had several models available for testing on the show floor. We spent some hands-on time with the products to see how they feel.
The 3D cameras are designed to produce content that is compatible with modern 3D televisions, but the previewing screens on the devices use glasses-free 3D technology so that you can see what your photos look like in 3D without having to wait until you take them home.
The centerpiece of Sony's 3D camera launch is the HDR-TD10, a "double HD" camcorder in the Handycam line. It has a pair of high-definition sensors for capturing two simultaneous 1080p video streams, which are interwoven to create the 3D effect. It has a flip-out 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD display for previewing video in 3D. Other features include 10x optical zoom, 64GB of internal flash storage, and the ability to capture 7MP still images. Users can also easily toggle between 2D and 3D modes depending on how they want to capture the video.
They expect to officially launch the HDR-TD10 in April, but are already accepting pre-orders at the price of $1,499. It's a formidable device that felt absolutely solid. I was really impressed with the product, but the price is obviously too steep for casual enthusiasts.
Sony also announced the "Bloggie 3D" flip cam, which is a more affordable option that seems to be aimed at the social media crowd. It's a compact unit with two sensors, a small glasses-free 3D display, and a simple set of controls. It will capture compressed MP4 video at 1080p and can also do still shots at 5MP. This device seems to be at an earlier stage of development than the others--the model that they had on the show floor was non-functioning and felt more like a mockup than a prototype. It's also expected to launch in April, however, and will sell for $250.
During the press briefing, we saw some sample content produced by the 3D cameras. It doesn't fly out at you, but it has a stunning sense of depth. The way that it extrudes things was a bit awkward in some shots, however. In one of the still pictures with trees, for example, the way that leaf-covered branches popped out looked a bit unnatural. It works best in shots where there is stronger contrast between foreground and background elements.
After experimenting with Sony's new consumer-oriented 3D camera products, I also got an opportunity to see one of the high-end 3D camera rigs that are used to film actual 3D movies. They set it up facing a model of the car from The Green Hornet and connected it to screens so that we could see the live 3D recording.
Sony's 3D cameras are intriguing, but 3D television penetration isn't broad enough yet to give them mainstream appeal. It seems like Sony is hoping that 3D televisions and cameras will help sell each other. Early adopters who have ponied up for a 3D television will likely regard the inexpensive Bloggie 3D as an appealing accessory, but the premium-priced HDR-TD10 seems like it's targeting a small niche market.
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