It's not so much that I want the Real 3D Digital Camera soon to be released by Fujifilm . . . it's more along the lines that I absofuckinglutely NEEEEEEEEEEEEEED it!

No, it's not just another addition to my already overcrowded collection of genuine 3D stereocameras (I only have thirty-nine of those) but that it looks like someone's finally has a solution to the ol' digital camera 3D conundrum that is worthwhile.

Yes, I am one of th suckers who bought the original Pentax experimental failures that was the Pentax Optio and was not really all that happy a camper with their sigle lens cha-cha solution.  I had better luck with a Lorel 3D Lens-in-a-Cap bolted to my Canon digital SLR despite some limitations.  More recently I had been using a LANC setup with two Sony V3s which was great despite the processing problems but one of the V3s has died on us so Kaye's been using that as her monophotography option while I use a pocket-size Fuji to carry around . . . so the only 3D shots I've been shooting of late have been the very rare cha-cha.

It looks like the new Fujifilm Real 3D will be a tremendous upgrade . . . back to the genuine two-lens model the old stereocameras like my cherished Realist or Kodak Stereo or the like use (I'd still be using those if film wasn't so expensive and hard to find and annoying to process for digital post-production).

The specs on the new camera can be found at http://www.fujifilm.com/products/digital_cameras/topics/2008/0922_02.html and there are now reviews on the performance online at a number of spots since the beastie has been making the convention rounds such as this piece from Wired (http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2008/09/fujifilms-two-l/) and the Photoblog (http://www.photographyblog.com/news/fujifilm_finepix_real_3d_system/).

According to the folks at Register Hardware (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/04/06/fujifilm_3d_camera/) we can expect this puppy to finally hit Japan before Christmas . . . and from there it's likely to slowly seep into the markets on the rest of the planet.  Hopefully, it sill be the sort of boostie product the Realist turned out to be in 1941, spawning a solid industry or stereophotography and support . . . those of us who've been continuing stereophotography with as much make-shift support as we could cobble together are ready for some mainstream action.

For those unfamiliar with my interest in 3D photography, here are some galleries . . . http://public.fotki.com/briandavidphillips/3d/ and the 3D cosplay galleries at http://public.fotki.com/briandavidphillips/cosplay/3d/ . . . looking forward to more.

All the best,
Brian

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Brian David Phillips, PhD, CH [brian@briandavidphillips.com]
Hypnotist, Hypnotherapist, Intuitionist, Trance Wizard
President, Society of Experiential Trance
Associate Professor, NCCU, Taipei, Taiwan