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Got a new 3D camera? Here's how to view the images on your Mac or iOS device

by Mel Martin Mar 6th 2011 at 9:00AM

It's Sunday, and I'm going a bit esoteric for the weekend. A reader wrote to me and said that he had a new 3D still camera, the Fuji Real 3D W3. He has a 3D TV and can plug the camera in and see his images using the camera HDMI out, but he'd like to send his pix to people not so well equipped, and even view the images on his iPad or iPhone.

I have just the right solution, and it's free. First, a little background. Fuji seems to be selling more 3D cameras that anyone else, and Fuji cameras save files as standard jpegs as well as in MPO format files. MPO is a Fuji only format, and it's basically two jpegs with some metadata. Those MPO files are designed to be viewed on compatible devices like 3D TVs or some computers, and you need shutter glasses to see them. However, you can turn those MPO files into anaglyphic images, the kind that you can view with those old red/green glasses that came with comic books in the old days.

A great Mac solution is an app called StereoSplicer. It's still in beta, but it's free and it works perfectly. You grab an MPO file from your camera and open it up in StereoSplicer. You can choose what format you want to save the files in. What's relevant to this discussion is to save the image as an anaglyph. You'll get a jpeg that's viewable with red/green glasses, keeping the red lens to the left eye. There are lot of other fancy options, and you can even adjust the parallax of the two images if your original needs adjustment.

Converting Fuji 3D files to anaglyph

Once you have these images in anaglyph form, it's easy to put them on a website and anyone with a pair of the glasses can view them. They also look fine displayed on an iPad or even an iPhone. If you don't have any of the red/green glasses Amazon has them for low prices, or you can just search the web for sources. Of course the anaglyph color is not as pure as using the high speed shutter glasses that come with 3D TV displays, but this method does the trick and lets you easily share your 3D images.

It's nice to see some Mac software instead of being forced to use a Windows solution. By the way, if you're a 3D fan, there are quite a few 3D apps for the iPhone that will let you take 2 images from slightly different positions and then create the anaglyph picture right on your iPhone. I've used 3D Camera on my iPhone 4 and it's great for a grabbing a quick 3D image without having to buy a pricey 3D camera. It's US$1.99, and there is a free 'lite' version too.

I've posted a couple of sample Fuji MPO files converted to 3D in the gallery. Be sure to view the images with anaglyph glasses if you want to see them in 3D.



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It's Sunday, and I'm going a bit esoteric for the weekend. A reader wrote to me and said that he had a new 3D still camera, the Fuji...
 

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Mike

I think an even better way to view to 3-D images is with "3-D Prism Glasses".

It's basically a pair of glasses with an adjustable "prism lens" for each eye that makes it easy to view FULL COLOR parallel 3D images - no crazy red/green stuff going on.

They're not a "perfect" solution but they're decent, fairly affordable ($25) and I think they even offer Amazon Free Shipping (at least they did when I ordered them).

Just check Amazon for "3D Prism Glasses".

They're also great for watching all the 3-D YouTube vids - another fun way to waste away an afternoon.

March 10 2011 at 5:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
parkds

Has anyone been able to get the download link to work for the new beta of StereoSplicer?

March 08 2011 at 6:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dreamwriter

.MPO files aren't Fuji-only - in fact, the Nintendo 3DS camera app saves its 3D pictures as .MPO files.

March 07 2011 at 3:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
andybaird

I'm with Brainphreak: while red/cyan anaglyphs are relatively easy to produce, they're far from being the best way to view a stereoscopic image. If you want optimum 3D, you must discard the image's natural color completely. If you try to compromise, as in the examples shown with this article, you get poor color and poor 3D.

Side-by side is far better: you get full 3D *and* full color. I've written an article explaining how to shoot 3D image pairs with any camera--not just special ones from Fuji. It includes a printable pattern for a 3D viewer that works with any iPod or iPhone, and which you can make in a few minutes for under two dollars.

http://www.andybaird.com/travels/skylarking/3d/viewer.htm

March 06 2011 at 7:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Brainphreak

Good article on 3d anaglyph, but remember side-by-side is the most versatile. You can view it without glasses in full 3d and it can also be seen with any 3dtv still in full quality using glasses. Furthermore it can then be converted to anaglyph at anytime, once it's anaglyph there is no portability, no side by side, no 3dtv etc will play it. For my small 3D section taken mostly with Fuji w3 or iPhone at www.brainphreak.net I have done a few videos as well in 3d. YouTube supports full 3d too!

March 06 2011 at 6:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
AA

I noticed you haven't discussed how to work with 3D movies from the REAL 3D W3.

Apple's own iPhoto and Aperture software doesn't support.mpo files, but QuickTime can play the 3D-AVI .avi files recorded on Fuji's 3D camera quite well (albeit not with the 3D effect).

I own one too and found Adobe Premiere Elements 9 can import and edit 3D videos recorded easily from it-despite Adobe's Premiere Elements not having any steropscopic editing features.

They are in 3D-AVI .avi format.

Could you do a article on how to work with videos in 3D recorded on 3D cameras with Mac?

March 06 2011 at 6:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rob Lewis

3D Camera Studio for the iPad opens MPO files. I've been using it with my Fuji photos for awhile. It also creates MPO files.

March 06 2011 at 1:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Yikes!

Does anyone knows if there any similar solution for the Sony 3D Panorama files that their recent cameras like the NEX produce?

March 06 2011 at 10:55 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Reggie

Not Red/Green - You'll want Red/Blue glasses for these images. (That is if the samples you posted are the sort of anaglyphs you are trying to view).

March 06 2011 at 10:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Kevin Davidson

Or better yet, 3D pictures work well as a 2 frame animated GIF. Try it.

http://www.boingboing.net/2011/03/02/3d-animated-gifs.html

March 06 2011 at 9:17 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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