Sony single lens 3D camera at DVinfo.net

Juergen Hansen · October 1st, 2009, 12:55 PM

Just read this ad from Sony of their future single lens 3D camera:
Sony Global - Sony Develops High Frame Rate Single Lens 3D Camera Technology
I wonder how they will solve all the complex 3D issues. But it shows, the market is moving.
Maybe Panasonic will speed up their developement which they announced at NAB 2009.
There is also a Dutch company with a single camera (two lense) 3D solution, still very expensive (between 30.000 - 45.000 Euro): 3D-one Home
But once the market is growing, prices will drop, I am sure.
Best regards,
Jürgen

Tim Dashwood · October 2nd, 2009, 01:43 PM

That's a great find Juergen. I think the primary market for this style of device is sports broadcast, where long zoom lenses with tiny i/o are required.

Juergen Hansen · October 3rd, 2009, 02:07 AM

Sony has also a name for the camera: HFR 3D
At the end of October they will present a demo in Los Angeles at SMPTE conference:
Development of 240fps Single Lens 3D Camera | SMPTE Annual Tech Conference and Expo
Maybe someone from LA can have a look and report here.

Paul Cascio · October 3rd, 2009, 11:16 AM

How do you get stereoscopic vision with just a single lens?

Warren Kawamoto · October 7th, 2009, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Cascio

How do you get stereoscopic vision with just a single lens?

The diagram shows 2 mirrors angled at 90 degrees, splitting the image into two parts. These individual images are then bounced and captured by separate image sensors. What surprised me is how much glass is involved...look how many lenses and relay lenses there are.

Paul Cascio · October 7th, 2009, 06:43 AM

What puzzles me is that this lens has just "one eye". Even if you split the image, you have changed the single viewpoint. Of course, I'm sure Sony knows a lot more than I do about how to achieve this.

Nick Hiltgen · October 8th, 2009, 02:35 PM

Hey Paul i've gone back and forth with a few people about this very same point, I've been doing a few different 3d concerts and being able to move to this type of camera would save production a lot of time and money (regardless of the cost of the camera) but I cna't for the life of me figure out how you can offset the images enough from one lens to create any sort of meaningful 3d image. But like you said the engineers at sony are smarter then i am so if there's a way to do it they know how.

Marco Neiva · October 9th, 2009, 07:57 AM

Hello,
See this video: YouTube - Sony Single Lens 3D Professional Video Camera
from my friend Al Caudullo.

Yoshihiko Kuriko Chief Engineer of Sony explains how this 3D camera works.
“20mm is enough”

Marco Neiva.
3D Stereoscopic Supervisor

Steve LaPierre · October 9th, 2009, 09:16 AM

The video doesn't really explain how this is achieving separate images all that clearly. Just how Sony achieved the optical separation using mirrors is very clever, the optics involved are probably a lot more complicated than the simple picture of the image being split and reflected to two sensors.

Dave Blackhurst · October 9th, 2009, 08:42 PM

It actually looks fairly simple, if I am interpreting it correctly... the two splitter mirrors are just slightly apart from each other (20mm apparently), and so each gets a slightly offset view.

Interesting development, could open up 3D significantly by making it possible for a mainstream consumer camera not too far off in the future - would make a good complement to a 3DHDTV too...

Paul Cascio · October 10th, 2009, 08:52 PM

If I interpreted the interview correctly, it sounds as if this is more of a synthisized 3-D, rather than one produced by true binocular vision. His choice of wording was also very peculiar IMO, even though I realize English is not his native language.

Dave Blackhurst · October 12th, 2009, 11:25 AM

all that's required is an offset between the two viewpoints - they seem to have concluded it can be done with as little as 20mm "separation" - doesn't seem like much, but perhaps it's enough to create convincing 3D with the right lens. Since 3D seems to be "hot" right now, there is probably a lot of experimentation going on in the labs...

Juergen Hansen · October 12th, 2009, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Blackhurst

...there is probably a lot of experimentation going on in the labs...

Absolutely. Just have a look at this camera, presented at IBC 2009 in Amsterdam:
3D-one Home
It's a two-lens solution from a Dutch company at 720p and 1080p with a price tag of 29.900.- Euro to 44.800.- Euro (depending on the format). So definitely not for the consumer but with no 2k ability also not for cinema.
Nevertheless, I think, Panasonic has to hurry up with their two-lens camera - at NAB 2009 they showed a dummy and I was told by a senior Panasonic official, that this will take another 3-4 years until it will hit the shelves; but it seems, the market is in such a rush that Panasonic should hurry up.

Basically all this shows, that huge and expensive mirror-rigs and complicated synchronization of two cameras will be over in the near future and production will become much easier and we can concentrate on the creative process instead getting headaches because of the technical difficulties.
Best regards,
Jürgen

Steve LaPierre · November 23rd, 2009, 01:42 PM

Has anyone looked at the Fujifilm Finepix Real 3D W1 camera for its capabilities in the amateur category? Granted it is not for any use other than home movie and photo production but at $600 it seems like a reasonable way to create 3D photos. I haven't found a website actually selling the camera yet so maybe the talked about $600 is not legitimate.

Giroud Francois · November 23rd, 2009, 02:27 PM

the only asset of the Fuji camera is the integrated management of 3d from the shot to the display (or even print).

But if you just need sterescopic pictures, For 600$ you can easily get 2 cameras (if not camcorders).

October 1st, 2009, 12:55 PM	#1
Juergen Hansen Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: South of France Posts: 64	Sony single lens 3D camera Just read this ad from Sony of their future single lens 3D camera: Sony Global - Sony Develops High Frame Rate Single Lens 3D Camera Technology I wonder how they will solve all the complex 3D issues. But it shows, the market is moving. Maybe Panasonic will speed up their developement which they announced at NAB 2009. There is also a Dutch company with a single camera (two lense) 3D solution, still very expensive (between 30.000 - 45.000 Euro): 3D-one Home But once the market is growing, prices will drop, I am sure. Best regards, Jürgen __________________ Jürgen Hansen http://www.prospecttv.de http://www.youtube.com/prospecttv http://www.youtube.com/prospecttv3D

October 2nd, 2009, 01:43 PM	#2
Tim Dashwood Wrangler Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Posts: 3,637	That's a great find Juergen. I think the primary market for this style of device is sports broadcast, where long zoom lenses with tiny i/o are required. __________________ Tim Dashwood

October 3rd, 2009, 02:07 AM	#3
Juergen Hansen Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: South of France Posts: 64	Sony has also a name for the camera: HFR 3D At the end of October they will present a demo in Los Angeles at SMPTE conference: Development of 240fps Single Lens 3D Camera \| SMPTE Annual Tech Conference and Expo Maybe someone from LA can have a look and report here. __________________ Jürgen Hansen http://www.prospecttv.de http://www.youtube.com/prospecttv http://www.youtube.com/prospecttv3D

October 3rd, 2009, 11:16 AM	#4
Paul Cascio Trustee Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bristol, CT (Home of EPSN) Posts: 1,192	How do you get stereoscopic vision with just a single lens? __________________ Paul Cascio www.pictureframingschool.com

October 7th, 2009, 06:43 AM	#6
Paul Cascio Trustee Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bristol, CT (Home of EPSN) Posts: 1,192	What puzzles me is that this lens has just "one eye". Even if you split the image, you have changed the single viewpoint. Of course, I'm sure Sony knows a lot more than I do about how to achieve this. __________________ Paul Cascio www.pictureframingschool.com

October 8th, 2009, 02:35 PM	#7
Nick Hiltgen Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 1,427	Hey Paul i've gone back and forth with a few people about this very same point, I've been doing a few different 3d concerts and being able to move to this type of camera would save production a lot of time and money (regardless of the cost of the camera) but I cna't for the life of me figure out how you can offset the images enough from one lens to create any sort of meaningful 3d image. But like you said the engineers at sony are smarter then i am so if there's a way to do it they know how. __________________ I have a dream that one day canon will release a 35mm ef to xl adapter and I'll have iris control and a 35mm dof of all my ef lenses, and it will be awesome...

October 9th, 2009, 07:57 AM	#8
Marco Neiva New Boot Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Portugal-Barcelos Posts: 24	Hello, See this video: YouTube - Sony Single Lens 3D Professional Video Camera from my friend Al Caudullo. Yoshihiko Kuriko Chief Engineer of Sony explains how this 3D camera works. “20mm is enough” Marco Neiva. 3D Stereoscopic Supervisor

October 9th, 2009, 09:16 AM	#9
Steve LaPierre Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 46	The video doesn't really explain how this is achieving separate images all that clearly. Just how Sony achieved the optical separation using mirrors is very clever, the optics involved are probably a lot more complicated than the simple picture of the image being split and reflected to two sensors. Last edited by Steve LaPierre; October 9th, 2009 at 02:08 PM. Reason: Too much conjecture on my part

October 9th, 2009, 08:42 PM	#10
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	It actually looks fairly simple, if I am interpreting it correctly... the two splitter mirrors are just slightly apart from each other (20mm apparently), and so each gets a slightly offset view. Interesting development, could open up 3D significantly by making it possible for a mainstream consumer camera not too far off in the future - would make a good complement to a 3DHDTV too...

October 10th, 2009, 08:52 PM	#11
Paul Cascio Trustee Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bristol, CT (Home of EPSN) Posts: 1,192	If I interpreted the interview correctly, it sounds as if this is more of a synthisized 3-D, rather than one produced by true binocular vision. His choice of wording was also very peculiar IMO, even though I realize English is not his native language. __________________ Paul Cascio www.pictureframingschool.com

October 12th, 2009, 11:25 AM	#12
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	all that's required is an offset between the two viewpoints - they seem to have concluded it can be done with as little as 20mm "separation" - doesn't seem like much, but perhaps it's enough to create convincing 3D with the right lens. Since 3D seems to be "hot" right now, there is probably a lot of experimentation going on in the labs...

November 23rd, 2009, 01:42 PM	#14
Steve LaPierre Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 46	Has anyone looked at the Fujifilm Finepix Real 3D W1 camera for its capabilities in the amateur category? Granted it is not for any use other than home movie and photo production but at $600 it seems like a reasonable way to create 3D photos. I haven't found a website actually selling the camera yet so maybe the talked about $600 is not legitimate. Last edited by Steve LaPierre; November 23rd, 2009 at 02:16 PM.

November 23rd, 2009, 02:27 PM	#15
Giroud Francois Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: switzerland Posts: 2,133	the only asset of the Fuji camera is the integrated management of 3d from the shot to the display (or even print). But if you just need sterescopic pictures, For 600$ you can easily get 2 cameras (if not camcorders).