In pictures: Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3

Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3 - coming September
Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3 - coming September

Fujifilm is no stranger to 3D. In fact it was the company which debuted the world's first 3D camera for consumers, the Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W1.

That was back in September of last year though, and now the W1's update has arrived and it comes in the form of the Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3.

One looks at the camera's specs and it seems a definite improvement on the original, adding some extra features.

These include adding 3D video recording to the device and an Auto 3D mode, which means that you can start shooting 3D content straight away - regardless of your (lack of) photography skills.

Below is some more information on the camera which wants to bring 3D shooting to the photography masses.

Fujifilm finepix real 3d w3

The FinePix W3 combines two lenses, two sensors and advanced synchronised controls.

Inside is a proprietary 3D Processor which analyses shooting data from the two lenses and sensors and combines these two images into one HD 3D image or movie.

Fujifilm finepix real 3d w3

To mimic the effect of 'binocular parallax' - the thing that tricks our brain into thinking what we are seeing is 3D - the FinePix W3 has two Fujinon lenses that shoot images like a set of human eyes would see them.

The Ienses of the camera are roughly 20 per cent further apart than a pair of eyes (usually around 64mm) but this is so that the impression of depth is maximised.

Fujifilm finepix real 3d w3

The FujiFilm W3 uses two 10MP CCD sensors. To make the 3D effect work, the controls are synchronised, coinciding with the camera's left and right shutters so that all shooting info is captured at the same time.

This is then merged by the Fujifilm 3D RP (Real Photo) HD Processor. All this can then be displayed on your 3D TV or on the parallex LCD on the back of the camera - which measures 3.5 inches and is said to be 1.5x brighter than the original FinePix W1.

Fujifilm finepix real 3d w3

The FinePix Real 3D W3 camera UK release date is September 2010 and will cost £399.

Go to http://fujifilm.co.uk for more details.

See the FinePix Real 3D W3 camera in action below.

Marc Chacksfield

Marc Chacksfield is the Editor In Chief, Shortlist.com at DC Thomson. He started out life as a movie writer for numerous (now defunct) magazines and soon found himself online - editing a gaggle of gadget sites, including TechRadar, Digital Camera World and Tom's Guide UK. At Shortlist you'll find him mostly writing about movies and tech, so no change there then.