Fujifilm To Ship $600 3D Point & Shoot Camera

For anyone who has paid close attention to the movie market this year,
you'll know that 3D is being shoved down our throats faster that we can
decide whether or not we even like the taste. While 3D has been around
for decades now, only recently has Hollywood (and in turn, everyone
else) decided that 3D is the next big money maker. Most major motion
animation studios have decided that all future films will be made in
3D, and even NVIDIA has decided it prudent to openly support the format.



All that being true, we guess we can't be too surprised to hear that a
mainstay in the camera realm is looking to hop on the bandwagon with a
consumer-level 3D camera. You heard right, a point-and-shoot digital
camera that handles 3D. Currently, Fujifilm holds less than 7% of the
overall digital camera market, and it's hoping to grab back some of
what it has lost to Canon, Nikon and Sony with a new 3D camera later
this year. As of now, it seems that the shooter is still in prototype
form, with the 3D technology being tentatively named the FinePix Real
3D System.




The current camera is hardly larger than a typical P&S camera, with
the main difference being the twin lenses--space about as far apart as
human eyes--that snap shots at different angles. This multi-lens
approach is at the heart of 3D. The 10MP sensor grabs two looks at the
same shot, with the result producing a "stereoscopic illusion of
depth." As for viewing these 3D captures? Fujifilm will offer a 3D
photo frame or printing options for those who prefer tangible assets. If
all goes well, the device will ship in the United States and Europe
this September for $600--a steep premium, for sure. So, are you ready
to capture your next vacation in 3D? As for us, we're still on the
fence.