Useful Reading List

Suggested Reading List for Stereoscopic 3D Ma/MSc

Compiled by Reg Sanders
Industry Sessional Tutor
Revensbourne College London
April 2013

Howard & Rogers (2009) Perceiving in Depth: Volume 2 Stereoscopic Vision.
UK: Oxford University Press

Michel, B (2013) Digital Stereoscopy: Scene to Screen 3D Production Workflow. US: CreateSpace IPP

Pennington & Giardina (Sep 2012) Exploring 3D: The New Grammar of Stereoscopic Filmmaking.  US: Google Books

Woods, A (2010) Image Distortions in Stereoscopic Video Systems.
http://www.andrewwoods3d.com/spie93pa.html

Panasonic AG3D-A1

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.

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.

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.  

3D Storytelling

ONSIGHT CAMERA RENTAL - LONDON. RELEASES FREE FCP 3D PLUGIN

The renowned S3D equipment rental and hi end S3D Post Production experts in London, ONSIGHT, have released a FREE FCP Plugin which can be used either OFFLINE or ONLINE for S3D editing using FCP. Its a great tool and it has certainly speeded the post process up for me and my clients, which saves a lot of money and makes them very happy.
email: reg@shoot3D.tv

Download link here:

http://www.onsight.co.uk/OS3D

Quantel release new list of World 3D Channels

After my own attempts to pull together an up to date list of world 3D TV channels we now have
a page from Quantel.  

http://blog.quantel.eu/2011/01/3d-channels-and-content-worldwide/

Go Pro Results

Rob Black - the reknowned stereographer - took them out and here is a clip...
Go Pro test on Youtube
So you see - it is possible to shoot some stereo-ish 3D of reasonable quality.
If you don't have SI2k money or even Arri mini S2K moneey then at least you can get
your project moving with a pair of non synced 60fps Go Pro's.

Good luck!

http://www.youtube.com/user/robhblackrobhblack#p/a/u/1/h9Y7qO_LIrs

Go Pro - Stereo Car Rig

Go Pros - shooting 30P and a nice tight interaxial

Jonathon Bolton at Procam TV North has just put this little baby together...
We are going to test it this week and I will get back to you with news on how it goes...