Top 3D digital cameras for less than $700

Sony and Fujifilm have a couple of exciting 3D digital cameras each available in U.S and Europe – and possibly in other countries – that can be your first step into the exciting world of 3D photography.

Shrek Forever After, Toy Story 3, Legend Of The Guardians, Jackass 3D–what’s the common thread across all these recent Hollywood flicks? Well, like Avatar (we surely can’t forget it so soon, can we?), all these movies–among many other ones in 2010–were released in three-dimension (3D) technology.

As you might recall, 3D is a technology that helps the viewer appreciate the depth angle in an image or movie, apart from the height and width–which you get to see in a normal two-dimensional picture. Put simply, 3D enhances the illusion of depth perception in a viewing object.

It was only obvious that the growing hype around 3D would extend from movies to consumer electronics items. And so it is, then, that leading TV manufacturers such as Sony, Panasonic and Samsung have rolled out 3D TVs this year in a bid to capture your imagination. You can now even buy laptops with 3D displays and enjoy your favorite YouTube videos in a 3D display. What’s more, various cell phone manufacturers are planning to incorporate 3D displays to smartphones.

The 3D bandwagon doesn’t stop there, you see. How can digital cameras not get their fair share of this action? Fujifilm set the ball rolling last year with the launch of the ‘FinePix Real 3D W1’, the world’s first 3D digicam, and followed it up with an upgraded ‘Fujifilm Finepix REAL 3D W3’ model a few months back–the latter being the first ever digital shooter to record movies in 3D high-definition mode! Sony, too, has unveiled two 3D cameras–the ‘Cyber-shot DSC-TX9’ and the ‘Cyber-shot DSC-WX5’–in July this year, providing consumers with some alternatives. It goes without saying that you need to have a 3D compatible TV or display (along with those dopey glasses) to view the images, or play back the movies recorded in the 3D digital camera, on a large screen.

Here is a list of the top 3D digital cameras currently available for less than $700. Take your pick, shutterbugs!

Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W1 3D camera

What you get: Measuring 124x68x26mm and weighing a bulky 304gms (including the lithium-ion battery and SD memory media), the FinePix Real 3D W1 is largely targeted at photography hobbyists and gaming enthusiasts.

It allows users to click 3D images, thanks to Fujifilm’s proprietary ‘Real 3D Lens System’. One can view those 3D pictures on the W1’s 2.8-inch LCD display–without having to put on 3D glasses (saves extra bucks, too).

Photo: Fujifilm FinePix 3D W1 digital camera

Featuring two 10-megapixel sensors and two Fujinon 3x optical zoom lenses, this digital shooter generates the 3D effect by layering together two images. Here is how it works–the W1, while the 3D two-shot function is being used, saves the two pictures as one 3D file so you can edit it.

An extremely good automatic control button ensures that one can largely enjoy the 3D experience in a point-and-shoot way. But Fujifilm is also giving you Parallax Control buttons on the rear to adjust images before or after clicking.

The W1 is equipped with an Interval Shooting mode that lets you get 3D images of long-distance views while on the move (in a car or a train), by using two shots from the left-hand lens from different angles. There is an Individual Shutter mode which aggregates two shots taken simultaneously.

Can the W1 take 2D images, too? Of course! An Advanced 2D Mode makes it possible to click two different shots at the same time, using the dual lenses. Plus, change the lens settings to TeleWide Shooting mode to snap a closeup or wider picture.

The W1 also comes with a separate 8-inch digital 3D/2D LCD screen, the FinePix Real 3D V1, enabling users to view and play back 3D pictures without the need for special 3D glasses.

Brand: Fujifilm
Model: FinePix Real 3D W1
Price: $600

FinePix Real 3D W3 digital camera

Photo: Fujifilm FinePix 3D W3 digital camera

What you get: One big drawback of the FinePix Real 3D W1 was its inability to record movies in high-definition mode. Well, Fujifilm’s latest 3D digicam offering, the FinePix Real 3D W3, has put all those complaints to rest.

Aimed at the wider mass market– unlike its predecessor, which only catered to a niche segment–this point-and-shoot newbie can shoot 720p HD video (but not the higher 1080p resolution) in 3D or 10-megapixel 3D images, thanks to built-in lenses and image sensors for capturing true 3D images. You can then view the results of your 3D work on a bright 3.5-inch LCD, without donning those stereographic goggles.

Claimed by Fujifilm to be compatible with all 3D HD TVs and 3D PCs, the FinePix Real 3D W3 has a Mini HDMI 1.4 port that allows users to instantly see their 3D pics on a 3D TV with the assistance of 3D glasses.

This light and compact pocket-sized 3D camera features a built-in button that lets you have the best of both worlds by switching between the two modes–click and display 2D photos and still shot with the W3. Related: Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3

Also expect the preloaded manual parallax control mode, TeleWide Shooting mode and Interval 3D Shooting mode for advanced 2D and 3D photography, just like in case of the FinePix Real 3D W1.

Brand: Fujifilm
Model: FinePix Real 3D W3
Price: $425

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX9

What you get: Limited 3D photography capability.

Measuring 3.9 x 2.4 x 0.7 inches and weighing 5.3 ounces (including a Li ion rechargeable battery and storage media), this ultracompact shooter can capture movies in Full HD resolution (1080i) at 60 frames per second. Expect a maximum resolution of 4,000×3,000 pixels for a still image.

Photo: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX9

You will find a 12.2-megapixel Exmor R high-speed backside-illuminated CMOS sensor (1/2.3-inch size) and a 4x zoom, 25mm-equivalent wide-angle lens. There is a 3.5-inch full touchscreen LCD display (rendering 921,000 pixels) on the rear. This 3D digital camera from Sony is equipped with optical and digital Image stabilization features, but no Viewfinder.

There are multiple shooting modes including a couple for clicking 3D pictures (with just one lens)–the 3D Sweep Panorama and the Sweep Multi Angle modes. Apart from creating a normal panorama shot, the 3D Sweep Panorama mode takes separate photos for the left and right eyes as you sweep the camera–thus allowing you to generate a shot that can be enjoyed in 3D on a 3D-compatible HDTV.

The Sweep Multi Angle mode, one the other hand, clicks 15 pictures at different angles as one sweep across a scene. These images are then converted into one photo. A preinstalled gyro sensor in the Cyber-shot DSC-TX9 then displays the image in a 3D-like view on the shooter’s LCD, by tilting the camera back and forth during playback.

One significant drawback, though. Neither of these two 3D modes can handle any movable object–so their usability is confined only to landscapes or inanimate subjects.

Still, if you are looking for a sleek, fully automatic ultracompact digital camera and have already begun assembling 3D kit, the TX9 is a pretty decent buy.

Brand: Sony
Model: Cyber-shot DSC-TX9
Price: Rs. 21,990

Sony Alpha NEX-5 and NEX3

What you get:panoramic 3D photography

The Alpha NEX-5 and the Alpha NEX-3 are both interchangeable-lens cameras that can shoot stereoscopic 3D panorama images, which can then be played back on a 3D-enabled TV.

You will get a 14.2-megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor (measuring 23.4mm x 15.6mm) that is equipped to support several features such as a three-shot Auto HDR mode (can shoot multiple exposures for stitching together into a single high-dynamic range (HDR) file), sweep panorama and handheld twilight mode. While the sweep panorama functionality dynamically combines a burst of shots into a 23MP panorama, the handheld twilight mode automatically merges six shots to optimize the dynamic range in low light.

Expect a sensitivity range of between ISO 200 (a unit of how sensitive the image sensor is to the amount of light present) to ISO 12,800. You can do continuous shooting @ 2.3 frames per second (unlimited JPEG/8 raw).

Both the Sony Alpha NEX models come with flash, and offer optical image stabilization. The cameras sport a 3-inch tilting LCD that renders a resolution of 921,600 pixels. There is no Viewfinder, though.

There are a couple of differences, however, between these two Sony digital cameras. Unlike the Alpha NEX-3 which can record 1440×1080 videos at 30fps in MPEG-4 mode, the Alpha NEX-5 can record full high-definition video (1080/60i at 30fps) in AVCHD (a format for the recording and playback of HD video) mode.

Also, the body designs are not exactly the same across the two models. The Alpha NEX-3 has a polycarbonate body, whereas the pricier NEX-5 is built from magnesium alloy–with the all-aluminum Sony E-mount lenses offering smooth rotation for both zoom and manual focus.

All in all, the Sony Alpha NEX-5 and the Alpha NEX-3 make a pretty compelling case for being your point-and-shoot companion–thanks to their 3D support, ultracompact body, top-notch video quality, high-sensitivity photo quality and competitive performance–more than any other interchangeable-lens camera.

Brand: Sony
Model: Alpha NEX
Price: $500 (Alpha NEX-3); $700 (Alpha NEX-5)

Panasonic Lumix G 12.5mm f12 Micro Four Thirds lens

What you get: The Lumix G 12.5mm f12 Micro Four Thirds lens is compatible with Panasonic’s two Micro Four Thirds interchangeable lens cameras–the Lumix DMC-GH2 and the Lumix DMC-GF2. It is a 3D lens whose mount has two optical systems that generate stereographic pictures from the left and right lenses, which are then processed into a 3D image in the shooter.

As you might recall, the Lumix DMC-GH2 can record full-HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) videos–at 60i–which can then be output at 24p. You get an 18-megapixel image sensor (measuring 17.3 x 13mm) which renders an effective resolution of 16 megapixels in 4:3 format–due to the multi-aspect ratio function.

Other salient features of this digital camera include continuous shooting speed @ 5fps, a swiveling 3-inch touchscreen LCD display and an electronic viewfinder.

The Lumix DMC-GF2, too, can record full HD movies (1080i), and comes with a 12.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor. Expect continuous shooting speed of 3.2fps.

Brand: Panasonic
Model: Lumix G 12.5mm f12 Micro Four Thirds lens
Price: $250