Tag Archives: 3D camera

Canon’s quirky new lenses help you create content for Apple Vision Pro and VR

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Mixed reality platforms try to seamlessly blend physical and digital objects, but our current technologies have their limits. You can, for example, view a regular photo or video in this virtual world, but it’d be like seeing a TV float in front of you. Such content doesn’t fully convey the power and the possibilities offered by these technologies, for which you’ll require specialized tools that are often well beyond the reach of even the majority of professional content creators. Fortunately, the industry landscape is changing, and more accessible tools are becoming available, like this pair of Canon lenses recording at creating stereoscopic 3D photos and videos that don’t require you to buy a new camera, provided you already have a compatible Canon model.

Designer: Canon

To create a stereoscopic 3D video effect that doesn’t look fake, you’ll naturally need either multiple cameras working in sync or one that records in 3D from the get-go. Since there isn’t a huge demand for the latter, 3D or spatial cameras are rare and expensive. More importantly, they require you to set aside your existing cameras and settle for something unfamiliar and potentially less capable than your pro DSLR or mirrorless camera.

Canon’s solution is to actually equip its interchangeable lens cameras with optics designed to take photos or record videos directly in stereoscopic 3D or spatial video. This does mean using two lenses, which is what the upcoming RF-S7.8mm F4 STM DUAL lens will bring to the table. Details are still slim on this particular lens, other than it’s designed with the Apple Vision Pro in mind, particularly its new Immersive Video capability. Best of all, this lens is compatible with existing cameras, though only the Canon EOS R7 has been named so far.

The RF-S7.8mm F4 STM DUAL lens is, of course, also compatible with Canon’s own EOS VR system, as is a slightly odder RF-S3.9mm F3.5 STM DUAL FISHEYE lens, also for the Canon EOS R7. As the name implies, the lenses for this module are farther apart, allowing for a wider field of vision and a deeper 3D effect. It does make your camera look weird and could potentially block easy access to the grip or buttons on the front of the camera.

At $1,099, the RF-S3.9mm F3.5 STM DUAL FISHEYE isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s also within reach of pro content creators. More importantly, they won’t need to buy another camera and can stick to the powerful Canon EOS R7, presuming they already own this model. The price for the RF-S7.8mm F4 STM DUAL for the Apple Vision Pro will most likely be revealed closer to its launch this Fall.

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Blackmagic Spatial Camera for Apple Vision Pro looks like a mini spacecraft

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A lot of the focus at Apple’s WWDC event has so far revolved around the cleverly named Apple Intelligence and its features for iPhones and iPads. Of course, that’s hardly the only thing the company talked about this week, and one of its more highly debated products did get its fair share of attention as well. Although the initial hype seems to have died down and complaints about the device’s comfort have popped up here and there, Apple is showing that the Vision Pro is still going strong and growing strong, expanding not only its features but also its reach to other markets. In fact, Apple has just revealed how the platform will become an even bigger space thanks to devices that will let creators design content specifically for visionOS, like this two-eyed camera that looks more like a miniature version of a space-faring cargo ship.

Designer: Blackmagic Design

One of the strengths of Apple’s spatial computing platform is the seamless fusion of the physical and digital worlds, which means plain two-dimensional objects like apps and photos look almost natural while floating in the air in front of you. Of course, that doesn’t take full advantage of the strengths of the Vision Pro headset, which requires crafting content designed specifically for it. For that, you’ll also need the right tools for the job, and the upcoming Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive camera is one such new device made especially for Apple’s visionOS.

Like any camera system designed to capture stereoscopic 3D content, be it photos or videos, this Blackmagic Design spatial camera has two “eyes,” each of which boasts 8160×7200 sensor. The camera also has 16 dynamic range stops for better color quality and accuracy, and it supports recording 3D video at 90fps rates. This imaging is made possible with Blackmagic’s own RAW format as well as the built-in Blackmagic Media Module that provides 8TB of high-performance network storage. In theory, this would allow creators to record over two hours of 8K stereoscopic 3D immersive video in that high-quality format.

The camera’s design itself is as distinctive as its features. Made with a robust magnesium alloy chassis and lightweight carbon fiber polycarbonate composite skin, the camera is designed to keep up with filmmakers, regardless of where inspiration takes them. The URSA Cine Immersive’s blocky yet sleek aesthetic gives it a retro-futuristic flavor reminiscent of the design for spaceships in films and TV shows from the 80s and 90s. Add to the fact that it can be mounted beneath a drone for aerial shots, you shouldn’t be surprised if it gets mistaken for a UFO from afar.

The Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive camera and an upcoming update to the famed Da Vinci Resolve Studio software are some of the first tools designed for Apple’s new Immersive Video format for visionOS. This is just one of the new features that are coming to the Vision Pro, including the ability to turn any plain 2D image into a spatial photo, with no additional hardware or software required. The Vision Pro headset is also being made available to more countries this month, which will hopefully increase the testing of the headset’s design and its features to help future iterations of Apple’s spatial computing platform.

The post Blackmagic Spatial Camera for Apple Vision Pro looks like a mini spacecraft first appeared on Yanko Design.

Blackmagic Spatial Camera for Apple Vision Pro looks like a mini spacecraft

Posted on by

A lot of the focus at Apple’s WWDC event has so far revolved around the cleverly named Apple Intelligence and its features for iPhones and iPads. Of course, that’s hardly the only thing the company talked about this week, and one of its more highly debated products did get its fair share of attention as well. Although the initial hype seems to have died down and complaints about the device’s comfort have popped up here and there, Apple is showing that the Vision Pro is still going strong and growing strong, expanding not only its features but also its reach to other markets. In fact, Apple has just revealed how the platform will become an even bigger space thanks to devices that will let creators design content specifically for visionOS, like this two-eyed camera that looks more like a miniature version of a space-faring cargo ship.

Designer: Blackmagic Design

One of the strengths of Apple’s spatial computing platform is the seamless fusion of the physical and digital worlds, which means plain two-dimensional objects like apps and photos look almost natural while floating in the air in front of you. Of course, that doesn’t take full advantage of the strengths of the Vision Pro headset, which requires crafting content designed specifically for it. For that, you’ll also need the right tools for the job, and the upcoming Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive camera is one such new device made especially for Apple’s visionOS.

Like any camera system designed to capture stereoscopic 3D content, be it photos or videos, this Blackmagic Design spatial camera has two “eyes,” each of which boasts 8160×7200 sensor. The camera also has 16 dynamic range stops for better color quality and accuracy, and it supports recording 3D video at 90fps rates. This imaging is made possible with Blackmagic’s own RAW format as well as the built-in Blackmagic Media Module that provides 8TB of high-performance network storage. In theory, this would allow creators to record over two hours of 8K stereoscopic 3D immersive video in that high-quality format.

The camera’s design itself is as distinctive as its features. Made with a robust magnesium alloy chassis and lightweight carbon fiber polycarbonate composite skin, the camera is designed to keep up with filmmakers, regardless of where inspiration takes them. The URSA Cine Immersive’s blocky yet sleek aesthetic gives it a retro-futuristic flavor reminiscent of the design for spaceships in films and TV shows from the 80s and 90s. Add to the fact that it can be mounted beneath a drone for aerial shots, you shouldn’t be surprised if it gets mistaken for a UFO from afar.

The Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive camera and an upcoming update to the famed Da Vinci Resolve Studio software are some of the first tools designed for Apple’s new Immersive Video format for visionOS. This is just one of the new features that are coming to the Vision Pro, including the ability to turn any plain 2D image into a spatial photo, with no additional hardware or software required. The Vision Pro headset is also being made available to more countries this month, which will hopefully increase the testing of the headset’s design and its features to help future iterations of Apple’s spatial computing platform.

The post Blackmagic Spatial Camera for Apple Vision Pro looks like a mini spacecraft first appeared on Yanko Design.

Acer SpatialLabs Eyes 3D camera adds a new dimension to meetings and live streams

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Although the buzz around the Apple Vision Pro has died down, there’s little doubt that spatial computing, mixed reality, and the metaverse will be our unavoidable future. We still have ways to go, of course, but the industry is already trying to get us used to seeing digitally in 3D, whether we’re wearing glasses or just looking at specially-designed monitors. Those 3D objects, however, don’t just pop out of thin air and have to be created one way or another. Not a problem for fabricated 3D models, but it’s a big problem when you want to make real-world physical objects into believable digital 3D objects. As part of its own push for spatial computing, Acer is launching a consumer-friendly stereoscopic 3D camera that lets anyone capture the real world in a way that can be easily viewed in 3D glasses and on glasses-free 3D monitors.

Designer: Acer

Video conferencing and live streams have become quite common these days, the latter even turning into a lucrative business opportunity. But while these mediums are able to bridge distances, there are some things that are still difficult to convey in flat, 2D monitors, things such as miniature models of architectural designs or merchandise you’re trying to sell online. While some online stores now offer 3D views of products or spaces, it’s something that’s way out of reach of regular people because of the lack of accessible and affordable tools.

The Acer SpatialLabs Eyes puts one such tool in the hands of the masses. The rather unassuming compact box packs the hardware necessary for a computer to see in stereoscopic 3D, especially thanks to an 8MP sensor per eye and plenty of controls for both beginners and experts to tweak the video quality. The hardware is encased in a weather-proof shell that has a built-in selfie mirror for easier framing, as well as a touch-sensitive LCD screen on its back.

Although the SpatialLabs Eyes is quite capable of capturing still 3D images, it really shines in its capability to record and stream stereoscopic 3D video in real-time. This makes it a powerful tool for making presentations in video calls, showing off products during live selling streams, or simply committing special, once-in-a-lifetime moments to memory in an extra special way. Of course, you’ll need a way to actually view these videos in stereoscopic 3D, and, not by coincidence, Acer’s SpatialLabs brand has a line of monitors and laptops that won’t require you to wear headsets or even glasses just to do that. The Acer SpatialLabs Eyes stereoscopic 3D camera launches in Q3 of this year for $549 in the US.

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This Multi-Lens Camera Shoots Digital 3D Pictures and Captures GIFs

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For hundreds of years, photographs have been the dominant way of capturing memories. Whether of historic events or family gatherings, it’s almost a ritual to take out a camera and snap a picture, freezing a memory in time… but there’s one thing these pictures seem to miss – depth. In fact, Apple addressed this exact shortfall when they announced Spatial videos on their Vision Pro device (and even the latest iPhone 15 Pro), but there’s really no need to spend upwards of $3000 to capture memories more immersively. Multi-lens cameras with 3D shooting capabilities have existed for a while now (the Nishika N8000 or the Kodak Stereo Camera come to mind), but the Moment 3D Camera reinvents and reinvigorates the category. While previous cameras shot 3D images on film, the Moment 3D Camera does it digitally, relying on a linear array of 4 lenses that simultaneously take photographs to capture parallax, which our brain perceives as depth.

Designer: Olga Orel

Simply put, the Moment camera freezes a moment in time, capturing 4 different angles to make it look more immersive, and frankly a lot more cooler than a regular photograph. A series of 38mm lenses work in tandem to take photos at the exact same time, which are then presented on the camera’s viewfinder display. The images are showcased as GIF files,panning from left to right to create a trippy sense of depth. Bet your Polaroid can’t do that…

“I discovered old cameras such as Nishika N8000 and Nimslo from the 1980s made by various companies with the same idea of stereography. They were quadrascopic (four lenses) cameras designed to produce four half-frame images from a click of the shutters. Lenticular prints could be made from the negatives,” says Olga Orel, the designer behind the Moment 3D Camera. “Unfortunately, the demand for these products was low due to people losing interest while waiting for the prints, which could take weeks and by some accounts, months to return to the consumer. You have to understand, these cameras were introduced BEFORE we knew anything about GIFs or JPEG files!”

Designed to look and function like a regular camera, the Moment’s multi-lens system gives you a new way to shoot photos without really having to learn anything. Point, look into the viewfinder, and hit the shutter button and the camera does the rest. A viewfinder lets you compose your shot, although there’s also a touchscreen display you can look at. The camera has zoom functionality, a flash, and the ability to toggle between modes, letting you choose whether you’re shooting humans, sceneries, or even macro shots of objects up-close.

Notably, images get captured in a vertical portrait orientation only. The photos you capture are displayed on a vertical touchscreen interface where you can crop and edit media, as well as view photos/GIFs clicked previously. You can even set timers for selfies, and a tripod mount on the bottom proves exceptionally handy when you want to click photos hands-free.

Images get saved onto an SD card, although you can directly hook your Moment 3D camera to an external display through its HDMI port too. Moreover, a USB-C port lets you connect your camera to devices like your laptop, tablet, or phone, and even lets you charge your camera too. Meanwhile, like any handheld shooter, the Moment 3D Camera has a removable battery on its base that you can hot-swap like most photographers would, giving you the ability to freely and confidently shoot 3D images and GIFs as you would regular photos!

The post This Multi-Lens Camera Shoots Digital 3D Pictures and Captures GIFs first appeared on Yanko Design.