Shoot your own 3D movie

Digital Camera Review: Fujifilm FinePix REAL 3D W3

by Trevor Tan

Updated 12:51 PM Oct 29, 2010

Watching Avatar in 3D on your spanking new 3D TV? How about creating your own 3D high-definition (HD) movie using Fujifilm's latest FinePix REAL 3D W3 ($799) instead?

To achieve 3D images (still and moving), Fujifilm has placed two 3x (35-105mm of 35mm equivalent) optical zoom lens 77mm apart to mimic the human eyes, with each lens having its own 10-megapixel CCD image sensor.

Shots taken are processed and combined using Fujifilm's new REAL Photo processor to create the 3D images, which you can view without wearing any 3D glasses via the 3.5-inch lenticular 3D display on the W3 camera. But you have to keep the 3D screen directly in front of you to see the 3D effect; tilting the screen reveals the two images.

At 12.4x6.6x2.8cm and 230g, the W3 is bigger and heavier than many digital compact cameras. But the build is sturdy, and the metallic finish and smooth curves offer a good grip. However, my fingers tend to block the lens, which are near the edges of the camera. Button placement is impeccable and the dedicated 2D-3D button lets you switch between 2D and 3D mode easily. A dedicated ISO button is sorely missed though.

There is no power button on the W3; slide down the lens cover to switch on the camera. Powering up takes around three seconds while shutdown is almost instantaneous.

Every 3D image you take will yield a 2D image. You can also shoot 2D images using special functions on the W3. For example, you can shoot two images with different focal length, or different ISO settings.

Image quality is good, with vivid colours and smooth skin tones. Noise performance, on the other hand, is not what you'd usually expect from cameras bearing the FinePix brand. You will start to notice slight chromatic noise at ISO 400. At ISO 800, chromatic noise is prevalent, with loss of details evident. It's the same story for the 2D and 3D 720p HD videos - noise is clearly visible at ISO 800. But audio quality is not bad and there is a lot less ambient or wind noise here compared to films shot on other digital compact cameras.

You can play 3D video clips taken from the W3 via an HDMI cable (not included in the box) on any 3D TV, as long as the TV has an HDMI input. I tried it on Samsung's C9000 and it worked beautifully. You will need the 3D glasses that come with your 3D TV in order to view the 3D videos. While you won't need 3D glasses for Fujifilm's V1 3D viewer, it only allows you to play 3D pictures, not 3D videos.

Other than its subpar noise performance, the Fujifilm FinePix REAL 3D W3 is a great 3D digital compact camera for 3D TV early adopters to get the most of their gogglebox. TREVOR TAN

Source: http://www.todayonline.com