Brian is a big fan of 3D:
Not content with touring the world as a member of Queen, Brian May has also been busy bringing back Victorian 3D for a generation raised on digital technology.
Source: Rock legend uncovers Victorian 3D – BBC Reel
Brian May is well known as guitarist for Queen, and after Queen, completed a PhD in astrophysics. His 3D business is online at London Stereoscopic Company.
I recently uploaded a 4K/60p 3D video to Youtube. Unfortunately, when I played it on my TV using the Youtube app on the Roku box, it displays as 1280×720/60p. Why did Youtube degrade to 720p? We answer that question below.
A 1280 x 720 3D stream becomes two 640×720 clips – one for the left eye and one for the right eye which looks fuzzy. At 1920 x 1080, a 3D side by side format video retains 960 x 1080 for each eye, which is much greater resolution.
Bottom line – 3D videos should primarily be uploaded as 30p videos, even if originally shot in 60p if they are intended for viewing on Youtube television apps.
What happened?
My TV, like most vintage TVs that support 3D, does not support 60 frames per second except in 720p mode.
In fact, all 60p videos on Youtube are downgraded to 720p when playing on the Roku Youtube app.
The same video, when uploaded at 30p displays correctly as 1920×1080/30p and is not downgraded.
What this means
If you are a weirdo like me and shooting 3D video, do not upload any 3D video in 60p because it will be downgraded by TV-based viewing apps not to 1080/30p but to 720/60p. This is because TV’s that support 3D are, almost exclusively, from the 3D hey day era of about 2011 to 2013, after which manufacturers began to discontinue their 3D TVs. TVs of that age only supported 30p and did not support 60.
Youtube had a choice to degrade the video from 60p to 30p, or to retain 60 frames per second – they chose the later and degraded the resolution to 1280 x 720/60p, unfortunately.
If you intend for your 3D video to be viewed on 3D TVs, you will want to upload videos as 30p, even if you originally shot them in a 60p format.
Videos uploaded in 60p will play correctly TVs that support 60p and on most 3D computer monitors. If your target is a 3D TV, you will want to upload only a 30p version. But if your target is 3D computer monitors, you can upload 60p clips.
You’re not seeing things — that photo in your Facebook newsfeed is 3D. Launching today, 3D Facebook Photos use the depth maps from dual-lens smartphones to add dimension to an image as you move your phone. The effect is an image that pops as you scroll, without any specialty gear (unless you want to use your Oculus).
Source: 3D Facebook Photos Jump Out of the Newsfeed With A Turn of the Wrist | Digital Trends
It’s a more modern version of the 3D “wiggle” method made popular, originally, as self playing GIF files that “wiggled” back and forth between the left eye and right eye images.
3D image capture for this new feature works only on selected iPhone models having dual cameras. Facebook says other phones, presumably Android-based, will be added in the future.
While 3D TV has vanished, VR 3D is now a growing market. The Insta360 Pro 2 is, obviously, marketed at professional applications, not consumers.
3D VR 180 cameras are more likely to be used by consumers due to their simplicity of use and not having to post process to remove the photographer from the scenes.
Source: Insta360 Pro 2 is a VR Camera with Six Cameras for 8K 3D 360 Video
This is a very nice set up – its a Daydream VR viewer but it can also be used to shoot VR 3D.
The “nauseous” problem this reviewer experienced is because he had no understanding 3D shooting.
“Tempted by the small size of the Mirage, I had often treated it like a point-and-shoot camera, and recorded quick and short clips everywhere, sometimes even while walking around. Wearing a headset, most of these clips were dizzying and uncomfortable. What’s more, the 3D effect was often barely noticeable, especially when filming anything further away.”
Well duh!
He liked the 3D stills but found that his 3D video was sickening. That’s because he shot numerous short clips and did not understand the concept of a 3D viewing box or the viewing plane. Consequently, he is almost certainly pushing the viewing plane forward and backward very rapidly, causing eye strain and ill feelings. That’s his problem, not the device’s problem.
In fact, I am thinking of buying one of these soon.
Source: Lenovo Mirage Camera With Daydream VR180 Review – Variety