Dekel Dayan

Why The Sony Smallest 3D TX9 Camera Is NOT Really 3D

When the first 3D cameras where released to the markets it seemed like there is a technological buzz around them. Each of the leading camera manufacturers hurried to show it has a 3D camera capability too. The first 3D digital camera was the Fuji W1, and then came the upgraded W3 model. Sony released the TX9 as the world smallest 3D camera. But it is not really a 3D camera.

The fact that the TX9 is not a full real 3D camera, does not make it a less good camera than it is. It has 3D abilities and they are used by thousands of customers around the world enjoying the new possibilities of 3D. The Sony TX9 is a superior camera to most of the competitors; it includes build in picture modes that can help even your granny take breath taking photos.

In order for a camera to capture real depth 3D, it needs to have two lenses at least. Just like the human eyes. The two lenses capture two different angles of the object they are exposed to.
The camera processor gets the two images and places them one on top of the other, or is able to place them side by side. Only two frames taken together can produce a real depth 3D image.

The Sony TX9 camera, has only one lens at the front, it is actually an advanced upgraded 2D camera, with some 3D picture effects abilities. Because the Sony TX has only one lens at the front, it cannot take 3D still pictures.

If you ask your friend to smile and take a still photo, there will be no 3D effect. There will be only one frame produced from the single lens, and thus there is no option to create a 3D image. Just like seeing the world with one eye closed, no depth perspective can be done.

The Fuji W3 camera (and the former W1 model) has both two lenses at the front of the camera; this means that with every exposure two frames are captured at once. The two framed needed to produce a real depth 3D image.

How then can Sony claim it has the world smallest 3D camera? Simple they have a clever feature that manipulates the scenery helping the camera to make 3D clips.
The Sony TX9 3D camera has a special “Sweep Panoramic’ mode, this mode means that when the camera takes a long panoramic sideways clip. Thousands of frames are captured and stored; the Sony TX9 then stitches those frames into a 3D clip.
How it can take 2D pictures and turn them into 3D? Since the camera was moved (side ways only) when taking the clip, each frame captured has a slightly different angle view of the object. Then the processor is able to place the frames side by side one on top of the other, to show a 3D video clip.

The new Sony 3D cameras have two lenses at the front. The Sony 3D Bloggie released and the Sony 3D camcorder both have two lenses. For most people, a 2D digital camera with some 3D effects is far more than they need to enjoy a good camera and 3D options.

Article Tags: Real Depth

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