3D Camera

[rsanchez1]

The camera API was released a while ago with webOS 2.1, but we haven't seen much from it yet. The first app to really take advantage of the camera API, in my opinion, is the 3D Camera app. I've been using this app for a couple of days now, and it works great for taking photos with a 3D effect. Sure, it's not an actual 3D camera/display like you have with the Nintendo 3DS or the Evo 3D, but it still creates photos with a very nice 3D effect, depending on how well you can handle the camera.

The app makes it very easy to take 3D photos. It gives you the option of selecting several 3D formats: three of them require those color 3D glasses (the ones with different-colored film for each eye) and two of them are glasses free. I've used the glasses free options, mainly since I don't have 3D glasses, but also because I can use the techniques to view those images pretty easily. Basically, if you don't have the glasses, you're gonna have to cross your eyes some way to see the photos in 3D.

The way the app makes it very easy to take 3D photos is that it has you take two very similar images, slightly offset from each other for the 3D effect. You take one photo, then the app overlays that photo on the screen and has you take another photo. The instructions tell you to hold the phone in one hand, take a photo with your other hand, and then move the phone so that the second photo button goes under your finger. It tells you to align some object in both images, and this I find easiest to do. Just take a photo, then when you get ready to take the second photo, align one object in both photos. That way, you get to use both hands to hold your phone, giving you added stability.

You will need added stability to take 3D photos. A steady hand is needed to make sure your photos come out sharp and not blurry. You need to make sure the phone is still for both photos. If even one of the photos is slightly blurry, then the 3D effect will be ruined. It takes practice, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to take great 3D photos.

One other nice feature is the ability to save the 3D photo, and both the left and right photos. Saving both images separately allows you to do separate processing later and may help with producing better images. However, I find that the image produced by the app is good enough to not require the use of other image processing software. The photos always look better when you view them on a larger computer screen anyway.

With all the nice features that this app has, there is one I wish it did have. The ability to drop pictures before processing is done. This helps when you can't get the images aligned, or if someone walked in front of you when you took one of the images, or if the lighting changed dramatically between images. It can take a few seconds to process the left and right images to make a 3D photo, and if you were trying to take a picture in a crowded area, or of an animal, then wasting a few seconds on a picture you're gonna throw away is very inconvenient.

In short, I really like this app. I had some experience with "cross-eye" 3D images, and when this app came out and mentioned it takes those kinds of pictures, I just had to try it out. It definitely takes some practice, both for taking 3D photos and for viewing them if you don't have 3D glasses. But, the developer really made it as easy as possible to take the photos by providing an overlay which you can use to customize the 3D effect for each photo. In fact, for the cross-eyed and parallel 3D photos, which are the ones that preserve color perfectly, I find that I get sharper images with more vibrant colors than if I just use one photo from the regular camera. It's sometimes even possible to view a good amount of detail from nighttime photos with poor lighting (although you really need a lot of practice for those photos to come out well). I would say, if you like 3D effects or are at all curious about them, try this app. Like I said, it requires practice, but that only makes it more exciting when you finally can take 3D pictures well. I definitely recommend this app.

What kind of pictures can it take? I attached a few photos I took which I felt had the best 3D effect. These are all cross-eyed 3D photos. If you want to learn how to view the 3D effect, there is a guide here. I find that the parallel stereo format almost always has a stronger 3D effect, but it is even more difficult to learn how to view those kinds of images, and it almost always gives me a headache. The cross-eyed 3D format is much easier on the eyes.


Note: It looks like imageshack won't provide thumbnails for the landscape images, so here are links:
ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting
ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting
ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting
ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

Here's another photo I took with a particularly nice 3D effect (shared with the box.net client for webOS):

http://www.box.net/shared/svns9dsitk

And here is a direct link to the app:
http://developer.palm.com/appredirec...tware.3dcamera

[jhoff80]

I assume it doesn't have an option to save to the growing standard .MPO format, does it?

[rsanchez1]

Nope, everything comes out as a .jpg image, although since it allows you to save the left and right image as separate .jpg images, I suppose you could generate a .mpo file from them if you want. Not too familiar with .mpo though.

[RyanCell]

i got me some 3d glasses ordered on ebay for 99cents to try it out for fun. seems cool.

[kataran]

like this app..but i'm running 1.4.5...

[DanPLC]

I tried the "cross-eyed" method to see the 3d images you posted and I couldn't see any of them. And I can easily see 3d images in any stereogram image. For example:



This image has 2 birds.

[xylos555]

Originally Posted by DanPLC

I tried the "cross-eyed" method to see the 3d images you posted and I couldn't see any of them. And I can easily see 3d images in any stereogram image. For example:



This image has 2 birds.

I see 4, 2 in foreground, 2 in background.

[rsanchez1]

Originally Posted by DanPLC

I tried the "cross-eyed" method to see the 3d images you posted and I couldn't see any of them. And I can easily see 3d images in any stereogram image.

To be fair, viewing the birds in your image is different than viewing the effect in my image. You have to work to find the hidden birds, which for me is more difficult. Also, you won't see anything popping out of the screen with my images, but you do see a nice amount of depth.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums

[DanPLC]

Originally Posted by rsanchez1

To be fair, viewing the birds in your image is different than viewing the effect in my image. You have to work to find the hidden birds, which for me is more difficult. Also, you won't see anything popping out of the screen with my images, but you do see a nice amount of depth.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums

Stereogram images, like the one I posted, have amazing 3D depth. I just can't see anything 3D in the images you posted. Perhaps I don't have the ability.

[rsanchez1]

Originally Posted by DanPLC

Stereogram images, like the one I posted, have amazing 3D depth. I just can't see anything 3D in the images you posted. Perhaps I don't have the ability.

Its just not the same.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums

[kel101]

times like this i wish i could cross my eyes

[rsanchez1]

Originally Posted by kel101

times like this i wish i could cross my eyes

Well, if you want to see 3D photos from the app, you could also use 3D glasses like the red/cyan type. Like I mentioned, I use (and posted) the cross-eyed ones because I don't have 3D glasses.