NOTES ON: PANASONIC AG3D-A1
Lenses. - (equivalent on 35mm) = 47mm
Stereoscopic FOV - 25%
Manufacturer recommended closest object 2.2m
Fixed Interaxial (distance between lenses) = 60mm
(Converged Mode Only)
At Shoot 3D - We have been advising on and shooting stereoscopic 3D on mirror rigs (beam splitter) 3D camera set ups for over two years. Recently I had my first real hands on experience with the new generation of 'All in One' - twin lens / single camera units - specifically the Panasonic AG-3DA1.
I had been avoiding using this camera - as it appears to 'fail' on so many levels for professional 3D acquisition.
And yet - I had a job that required using one of these cameras and so it was time to get to grips with my nemesis.
Lenses. - (equivalent on 35mm) = 47mm
Stereoscopic FOV - 25%
Manufacturer recommended closest object 2.2m
Fixed Interaxial (distance between lenses) = 60mm
(Converged Mode Only)
At Shoot 3D - We have been advising on and shooting stereoscopic 3D on mirror rigs (beam splitter) 3D camera set ups for over two years. Recently I had my first real hands on experience with the new generation of 'All in One' - twin lens / single camera units - specifically the Panasonic AG-3DA1.
I had been avoiding using this camera - as it appears to 'fail' on so many levels for professional 3D acquisition.
And yet - I had a job that required using one of these cameras and so it was time to get to grips with my nemesis.
60mm Fixed I-A
The main problem is that it has a fixed interaxial (distance between lenses) of 60mm which means the depth captured is 'locked in' - this wouldn't be as much of a problem , indeed – it is close to the human I-O (interocular) of 65mm – so the depth cues should be more realistic. Unfortunately the combination of 'tiny' sensors and the 35mm lens equivalent of 47mm on the widest setting makes it not as useful in stereoscopic 3D terms - especially with the technical requirements of delivery and the issue of comfort and eyestrain.
Note: When shooting 3D - you specifically try and avoid causing eyestrain - this can be caused by excessive parallax disparities (differences between the images of the two lenses - when projected or displayed back to the viewer)
After my shoot with the AG3D-A1 - I decided to get to grips completely with this camera and make sure we were able to fully utilise this type of fixed IA - dual lens camera. I can see a lot of production companies wanting to shoot 3D content for low -end doco style broadcast use.
So using some fancy 3D pre-visualisation software - I re-created exactly what the camera can deliver.
SHOOTING 3D INDOORS.
If you shoot, for example, a piece to camera - using the closest setting (According to handbook)
then your journalist / presenter would be at 2.2 metres from the camera at 0% disparity (ie. converging on presenter).
The camera would have the 'Zoom' set to it's widest setting (47mm equivalent)
and the furthest point away from the camera at +ve 3% disparity (Maximum SKY3D spec) would be reached at approx 4.2 metres. So YES - it is possible to shoot at 2,2m as the closest point - but it would have to be a very limited area. AND 2.2m is about 7 feet. The frame would roughly resemble the image below.
The main problem is that it has a fixed interaxial (distance between lenses) of 60mm which means the depth captured is 'locked in' - this wouldn't be as much of a problem , indeed – it is close to the human I-O (interocular) of 65mm – so the depth cues should be more realistic. Unfortunately the combination of 'tiny' sensors and the 35mm lens equivalent of 47mm on the widest setting makes it not as useful in stereoscopic 3D terms - especially with the technical requirements of delivery and the issue of comfort and eyestrain.
Note: When shooting 3D - you specifically try and avoid causing eyestrain - this can be caused by excessive parallax disparities (differences between the images of the two lenses - when projected or displayed back to the viewer)
After my shoot with the AG3D-A1 - I decided to get to grips completely with this camera and make sure we were able to fully utilise this type of fixed IA - dual lens camera. I can see a lot of production companies wanting to shoot 3D content for low -end doco style broadcast use.
So using some fancy 3D pre-visualisation software - I re-created exactly what the camera can deliver.
SHOOTING 3D INDOORS.
If you shoot, for example, a piece to camera - using the closest setting (According to handbook)
then your journalist / presenter would be at 2.2 metres from the camera at 0% disparity (ie. converging on presenter).
The camera would have the 'Zoom' set to it's widest setting (47mm equivalent)
and the furthest point away from the camera at +ve 3% disparity (Maximum SKY3D spec) would be reached at approx 4.2 metres. So YES - it is possible to shoot at 2,2m as the closest point - but it would have to be a very limited area. AND 2.2m is about 7 feet. The frame would roughly resemble the image below.
Presenter at 0% - at screen plane 2.2 metres (7 feet) from the camera.
The football is at 1% 2.7 metres (8 feet 10 inches)
the lighting stand is at 2% 3.3 metres (10 feet 10 inches)
background (wall) furthest point from camera is at 3%. 4.2 metres (14 feet)
SHOOTING 3D OUTDOORS - INFINITY BACKGROUND
If you want to shoot outdoors with this camera - and your background is at infinity.
Then you start to run into set up problems for this kind of shot (with this camera).
The best we could achieve with our pre-visualisation software was with the camera
at 4.5 metres (closest we could get to work) from the girl.
This way we could shoot the girl at this frame size and still have a infinity background at 3% (comfortable and 'legal').
In this set up the distances and parallax disparities breakdown as follows.
GIRL 4.5metres from camera = 0% (screen plane - convergence)
FOOTBALL 6.9 metres = 1%
LIGHTING STAND 13.5 metres = 2%
inf - BEHIND THE WALL = 3%
For ref the wall is about 50 metres away (2.8% +ve)
So in order to shoot scenes with an infinity background at a maximum of 3% disparity – the closest object you can have to the camera is at about 20 feet!
I am not going to be negative about this camera – and there are other fixed IA twin lens – all in one solutions - BUT if you are a production company thinking of some ‘quick and easy’ solution to shooting some Stereoscopic 3D content then please be aware of the limitations of use of these types of camera – especially around comfort and delivery spec for the broadcaster.
The football is at 1% 2.7 metres (8 feet 10 inches)
the lighting stand is at 2% 3.3 metres (10 feet 10 inches)
background (wall) furthest point from camera is at 3%. 4.2 metres (14 feet)
SHOOTING 3D OUTDOORS - INFINITY BACKGROUND
If you want to shoot outdoors with this camera - and your background is at infinity.
Then you start to run into set up problems for this kind of shot (with this camera).
The best we could achieve with our pre-visualisation software was with the camera
at 4.5 metres (closest we could get to work) from the girl.
This way we could shoot the girl at this frame size and still have a infinity background at 3% (comfortable and 'legal').
In this set up the distances and parallax disparities breakdown as follows.
GIRL 4.5metres from camera = 0% (screen plane - convergence)
FOOTBALL 6.9 metres = 1%
LIGHTING STAND 13.5 metres = 2%
inf - BEHIND THE WALL = 3%
For ref the wall is about 50 metres away (2.8% +ve)
So in order to shoot scenes with an infinity background at a maximum of 3% disparity – the closest object you can have to the camera is at about 20 feet!
I am not going to be negative about this camera – and there are other fixed IA twin lens – all in one solutions - BUT if you are a production company thinking of some ‘quick and easy’ solution to shooting some Stereoscopic 3D content then please be aware of the limitations of use of these types of camera – especially around comfort and delivery spec for the broadcaster.
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