3D still images in HX20V

[seytox]

I bought a new Sony Cyber-Shot HX20V camera a few weeks ago and and it works according to my expectations in all respects except one, "3D still image" mode.

It is told on page
http://www.sony.co.uk/hub/cyber-shot-3d-camera/3/1

"Forget carrying around a bulky camera with two lenses. Cyber-shot 3D cameras can now take 3D still images using just one lens. Simply press the button and your camera shoots two images in rapid succession at different focus settings to create a single 3D still image. Share your 3D images on a 3D TV or VAIO® 3D laptop."

I have also a Vaio VPCF21Z1E/BI 3D laptop which thus should be applicable for showing 3D still images taken by HX20V.
Until now I have taken about 30 3D still images in various situations, but only in two of them some weak hints of a 3D effect may be detected. The others look like normal 2D images. I have tested these images also on a Sony 3D TV (by a local Sony dealer) with similar negative results.

3D panorama pictures are shown prettily, but according to my experience the "3D still image" mode is invalid and just takes 3 times more space (1 jpg file and 1 mpo file containing 2 jpg images) than a 2D still image.

I wonder, why Sony has included such a false "3D still image" mode and gives totally misleading information about capabilities of this  camera -- or maybe I have missed some important information about settings of the camera when taking "3D still images" and/or when trying to show them in 3D.:smileyconfused:

[seytox]

Here is now a sample 3D still image created (without the 3D still image mode of the HX20V) by means I described in my previous message

http://www.survo.fi/tmp/DSC00574.MPO  (less than 5 MB).

Message was edited by: seytox

[cmosse]

"this "technique"

may be enhanced by using the burst shooting mode (e.g. two images per

second) and moving the camera at the same time slowly to the right and

let it take a few pictures."

basically the 3D panorama mode does exactly this. Please note that you can influence the 3D effect (3D base length) by changing the distance from the center of the rotation to the camera. Have you tried the 3D panorama mode in the 16:9 setting?

[seytox]

Yes, I have tried and it works well producing 3D still images
suitable for viewing on my 3D laptop. However, it is somewhat difficult
determine wherefrom to start sweeping in order to get an image showing
exactly the intended target.

This procedure creates both a jpg file and a mpo file in the 1920x1080
format just appropriate for watching on the screen. For my purposes,
I would like to get (at the same time and without altering the settings
in the camera) still images more accurately (4896x3672 format) as 4:3
pictures. Therefore I still prefer the "technique" I told about earlier.

In any case, the "3D still image" mode described by Sony on the webpage
http://www.sony.co.uk/hub/cyber-shot-3d-camera/3/1
saying that
"Cyber-shot 3D cameras can now take 3D still images using just one lens.
Simply press the button and your camera shoots two images in rapid
succession at different focus settings to create a single 3D still
image..."
seems to be worthless in almost all situations when using HX20V.

[cmosse]

the 3D still image mode tries to create an 3D image by applying the 3D depth map technique. So it takes 2 images in short sequence, from which one is set to a certain defocus degree.

Using this technique it is possible to assing each pixel a "distance" value and create some kind of pseudo stereoscopic image.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_map

http://www.swell3d.com/2008/07/turn-2d-painting-into-3d-anagl.html

I use the term "pseudostereoscopic" because in fact you do not capture the image from two different viewpoints - which I would call true stereoscopic imaging (and what is actually done when using the 3D panorama mode).

Therefore the 3D effect of this mode is really limited and I think it is easy to understand for someone like you who apparently has deeper knowledge of 3D imaging. I agree that the statements on the product advertisement page are misleading when it comes to the effect of this special 3D mode.

[Jean--Pierre]

Hallo,

could you please post some good 3D pictures, taken in this 3d still image mode ?

With those photos all readers might better understand what kind of 3d effect you might expect from this mode, and maybe for which kind of subjects this will be a suitable mode.

I add the link to some examples of "3D still images"; and there I also added 3D pictures of the same subject, produced from 2 consecutive single pictures (marked by ² at the end of the name), processed with the free software "stereo photo maker" - as mentioned on posting of cmosse at 18.06.2012 14:56 in this thread.

http://phereo.com/organizer#515632ffe155856301000003

(Using "stereo photo maker" you can judge the 3D effect even on 2D screens, opening a single .mpo picture and look at it in L&R switching mode (Ctrl-F11). Or use the same software on a 3D screen with adequate display mode.)

My conclusion up to now is the following: For simple 3D scenes, like a person in front of lanscape, this  mode might give an acceptable 3D effect. But for more complex scenes, you should use a different method.

Jean Pierre