Upgrade from the 3D Bloggie: the Panasonic 3D1

It is useful to have a small, pocketable 3D camera. The 3D Bloggie does pretty well for that purpose. Now Panasonic offers a better pocketable 3D camera - same dimensions, just a little thicker than the Bloggie: the Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1.

The upgrades in 3D mode:

1. Optical stabilization

2. Optical 4X zoom

3. Auto warnings if too close for good 3D

4. True auto focus in 3D mode (the Bloggie is fixed focus in 3D mode).

5. And, most of all, better quality 3D stills (8 megapixel) and better 3D video (same 1/2 sbs format, although a higher bitrate and AVCHD). The quality difference is visible in 2D and 3d, stills and video - not subtle.

6. Better stereo audio.

7. 30mm io distance versus 20mm for the Bloggie 3D (more is not necessarily better, but I think 20mm is a bit too close for general use).

One drawback - no autostereoscopic screen (but the screen is much higher quality and bigger than that on the 3D Bloggie (3.5")).

After 9 months of shooting video in 3D outdoors in run and gun fashion, I have concluded that it is not possible to really make use of 3D displays while shooting, aside from static set-ups. I understand what is required for effective 3D, and the warnings the 3D1 gives - a bright red icon on the screen - let me know if I have missed something close on the edge of the frame, for example. I would like to review the takes in 3D on the camera after a shoot, but I have otherwise not found this to be a problem - I got no surprises when viewing in 3D what I took. Indeed, on my Z10000 I just use the 2D viewfinder - 3D LCD in bright sun is just not very useful when moving from shot to shot quickly. Useful for set-up shots, but I do not use a pocketable camera for that. Of course, having the option for a 3D screen is better than not. I am just saying it is not as big a deal as it might appear.

The 3D1 performed well in my casual quick visit to a spot where there is typically lots of activities. Here is a 3D real, not test, video I took with the camera. No time to set up shots - just shoot the action, paying attention to fundamentals when possible:

Travel to Union Square NYC in early Spring, where one sees, after a train, subway and escalator ride: a Ghandi statue, selling flowers, activities in a playground, the 'Occupy Wall Street' protesters, mounted police, confronting park rangers, and - lots of tap dancing and a juggler! All in 3D.

108060i original 3D video edited in Sony Vegas Pro 11.

http://youtu.be/ZB8X52pPYKA?hd=1

Stills are standard MPO's and it automatically takes a regular jpeg as well (no extraction needed). The still picture quality is really excellent. Someone discovered that if you put the 3D1 sd card in the Fuji W3, it will show the MPO's in 3D on its screen. TriDef 3D recognizes them instantly and shows them in 3D (on my LG 3D monitor) as does Stereophotomaker.

Battery life is not great - 1/2-3/4 hour of on/off, zooming and focusing - but the battery is tiny and replaceable and standard (used in Panasonic's other p&s cameras). I got an extra battery for $18. A seperate charger comes with the camera.

One other feature I forgot to mention - you can manually set convergence -2 to +2.

And yes, the real step up up, aside from quality of the stills and video, is the stabilization.

Don, are you comparing the videos from the different camcorders (Z10000 versus 3D1) via Youtube?

You can download the unprocessed MVC Z10000 0.82GB original baseball video from the Vimeo link:

http://vimeo.com/38959870

if you go to the site of the link (and if you are a (free) member) you can right click on 'download this video' and you will get the file. Playing the unprocessed video may give you a better idea of the Z10000 quality, to compare with your TD10 originals.

Once the Z10000 or even the TD10 MVC videos are compressed to 1/2-frame sbs they may not look that different than the 3D1 videos.

I hope you are not disappointed by the 3D1 (I do not think you will be). I hope to do some comparison videos too.

A few tips on the 3D1:

1. Like the TD10, the 3D1 overexposes in default. I set ev to -1 in bright sunlight and -.67 in sunny bright. otherwise 0. Another poster on DPReview also found this setting to work best.

2. One advantage of the touch screen is that you can place two often used icons of your choice on the screen. I selected the ev setting, since I adjust that a lot depending on light conditions.

3. Touch screen focus is nice - in still mode (2D or 3D) you just put your finger on the subject you want in focus and exposed correctly and it will focus there instantly.

"If you zoom in before starting to record, does it retain the zoom?"

Of course. You can see use of zoom in the video in some sequential shots of the same subject (tap dancers, mounted police).

A lot of attention to video in this forum, but 3D pictures are an important source of 3D. Indeed, many of the videos I have seen are mostly 3D stills strung together - static subjects anyway.

Here are 2D and 3D versions of a still from the 3D1 taken in a dim subway, which demostrates its good low-light capability and 3D quality - the picture was taken at 1/8th shutter - but no blur - and ISO400 - but little grain and full (and accurate) color without smearing. Effective 3D too:

2D version:



sbs version:



anaglyph version

Around and in NYC's Central Park: Horses and carriages, flowers, break dancing, baseball, rock climbing, bee-bop, pedicabs, fountains, Beatles imitation band, fishing for pennies, classical guitar, statuary, brass quintet, subway + Lincoln Center, Met Museum, Columbus Circle.

In 3D, of course.



Double click to get 3D viewing options, and also choose 1080p.

Here is an example of a still picture, which is nice in 2d but really comes to life in 3D. If you have red/cyan glasses, you will see the big difference.



Anaglyph 3D version:



This was taken with the Panasonic 3D1, of course - one shot and a 2D and a 3D photo is created.

Let's remember that the 3D1 takes 3D still pictures; the TD10/20 do not.

The 3D1 continues to impress me in terms of low-light performance. 1/8th shutter, ISO500, handheld.

jpeg:


anaglyph:



And no, this is not my bedroom - it is a museum exhibit (SMART Museum, U of Chicago).

Yes. It sure burns through those tiny batteries in video. I need to get a third one; luckily they are cheap (I paid $18 for the second one).

Brief visit to Chicago in the Spring: fountains, sculptures, architecture, lights, segway tour, flowers, balloon man, geese, ships, ducks, gulls, the loop.




Double-click to get 3D options, and select 1080p if you can.

Editing 3D stills: StereoPhotoMaker (free)

Editing 3D video: Sony Vegas