Can I buy a 3DVX camera?

Right now the answer is no. All 3DVX cameras are hand built and therefore very expensive to make. 21st Century 3D does not offer 3DVX cameras for sale, but they are available for hire. You can rent them on a daily or weekly basis. All rentals include a 21st Century 3D representative who acts as a camera technician and stereographer to ensure smooth operation and a successful shoot. No 3DVX cameras can be rented without a representative from 21st Century 3D.

How does the "tapeless" workflow of the 3DVX3 affect production and post production?

The 3DVX3 records RAW CCD data to removable hard disk recording modules. These recording modules hold one hour of material each and the 3DVX3 accommodates two at a time (one hour for left eye, and one hour for right). Once the data is recorded and the drives are full it is highly recommended that the drives be backed up to some form of redundant media. A drive array is the recommended option. It takes about 45 minutes to download recorded RAW material. Once this is complete, the recording modules can be reformatted and recorded to once again. This formatting process also requires an additional 45 minutes to one hour. Once the recorded material is on a redundant drive, it must be processed into bitmap image data. The time required for this process varies. You can choose to have your material processed at standard definition for a final output size of 720x480, or you can choose high definition for a final output size of 1280x720. This rendering step is a non real time process that is typically done after a shoot is completed. The rendered frame sequences can then be made into compressed Quicktime, Windows Media, MPEG or AVI files. These standard file formats can be edited and manipulated in any standard software.

The 3DVX3 does not appear to have adjustments for interoccular spacing or convergence. How can I control the 3D parameters of a shot?

There are many different approaches to shooting 3D. Some like to have the option to vary the distance between left and right eye camera views. Some like to have the camera's viewpoints cross, or converge on an object of interest. 21st Century 3D has a slightly different philosophy of shooting 3D. Since our own eyes never move farther apart or closer together, but still see very realistic 3D images in the real world, we believe that it is possible to create great looking, comfortably viewable 3D images without varying the distance between cameras. While it is true that extremely long focal lengths can benefit from wider camera separations, we choose to avoid these type of shots. The telephoto lens has a flattening effect that can hurt the 3D image and create an unusual effect. As for converging on objects, this can also introduce distortions that we prefer to avoid. The same effect is achieved with the 3DVX3 by offsetting the image axes in post production. This allows for precisely setting the zero parallax distance without introducing distortions, vertical errors or exceeding positive paralax values. Because the 3DVX3 samples the full output of the CCDs, there is ample data available to adjust left and right eye images without losing any picture information. This approach also greatly speeds up production during photography.

If HD output is a post process, how is the high resolution of the 3DVX3 monitored on location?

The 3DVX3 features an 800RGBx600 per eye LCOS binocular viewfinder. It also has left and right analog VGA outputs that can be set to even higher resolutions. The uncompressed data can be monitored in near real time via these outputs. Upcoming software revisions will allow for real time monitoring through these ports. Future software revisions call for digital vectorscope and and waveform monitor functions. Right now a histogram is available. Standard definition, compressed data can be monitored and / or multiplexed in real time via S-Video, composite or IEEE1394 ports on both left and right eye cameras.

Can I edit 3D footage on my own non-linear system in my own studio?

Yes you can, but we do not recommend this. Editing 3D video is significantly different than editing 2D video. We won't force you to use our editors, but we do suggest that you do. Our 3DVX2 cameras record onto miniDV tape and do have synchronized time code between left and right cameras, but there is more to the editing process than just matching all your cuts. It is also important to note that our 3DVX3 camera system records RAW CCD data that must be converted by 21st Century 3D in order to be edited in standard NLE software. 21st Century 3D does work with our clients who want to edit their own videos by providing 2D window dubs that you can edit. Send us your Final Cut Pro project file, an EDL or the window dub edit and we will conform your 3D show.

Can someone from 21st Century 3D come to my office and show me how to edit 3D videos?

Unfortunately no. 21st Century 3D utilizes techniques that are in some cases proprietary and have been developed over the course of years. We are happy to work with you in making your 3D video a huge success, but we do not currently offer training in 3D animation or post production techniques.

Can animation be shown in 3D?

Yes. Most animation being done today is created in 3D animation software but presented monoscopicly, meaning one eye only. 21st Century 3D has a team of experts that excel at creating stereoscopic 3D animation. We have been doing it for years. There are many companies that use software like Maya, 3D Studio Max, Softimage and Lightwave 3D, but stereoscopic animation is a specialty, and expertise is required for maximum quality.

Can an animation we have already done be shown in 3D?

Maybe. Depending on the software used and techniques employed in creating the original animation, 21st Century 3D may be able to work with your existing material to create a new stereoscopic 3D animation. Very often, 2D tricks are used in surfacing, lighting and creating special effects in 3D animation software. These tricks don't always translate well to 3D, but often alternative methods can be used to create a successful stereoscopic animation from existing 3D data files.

How can I view 3D videos created by 21st Century 3D?

There are many ways to display our 3D videos. Here are just a few:

• Anaglyphic red and blue 3D is a method most people are familiar with. This technique is good in that it can be lower cost and can work in a variety of mediums including print, video and internet. It is generally considered to be among the lowest quality methods of viewing 3D and also has many limitations. The most obvious limitation is the negative impact it has on color reproduction. Another problem of anaglyphic 3D is "retinal rivalry"; that is, one eye sees things that look very red, the other sees things that look very blue. This is not the normal scenario in natural vision and can break down the 3D effect for some people. A given anaglyphic 3D video may also perform much differently on different displays. Playing the same video on an LCD display, a plasma display, a DLP display and a CRT may yield dramatically different results. The playback medium can also affect 3D quality as most digital video formats such as DVD reduce color space dramatically as part of their video compression schemes.

• Individuals who want to watch 3D videos can use a standard CRT monitor and electronic shutter glasses. Computer monitors offer high refresh rates, but this technique can work on a normal NTSC television as well. Typically a field sequential video tape or DVD is used. The field sequential format stores left eye images on even video fields and right eye images on odd video fields (sometimes it can be the other way around). The shutter glasses reveal the appropriate image to each eye in rapid succession creating the illusion of a 3D image. This can be a low cost technique for small numbers of simultaneous viewers, but has many limitations in terms of resolution, frame rate and audience size. Inexpensive shutter glasses are available from many sources, but be aware that this technology does not work with most plasma, LCD or DLP type televisions.

• Head mounted displays are a popular method of viewing 3D. These are futuristic visors or helmets that actually place tiny screens right in front of the viewer's eyes. HMDs can often work with field sequential sources like DVDs or page sequential sources like computers. Page sequential sources offer significantly improved quality as each eye receives a full resolution image. Field sequential files cut resolution in half in order to multiplex left and right images. HMDs are good options for personal use, but can be problematic in public settings where many, many people will be viewing a 3D video. The affordable units are consumer products that aren't necessarily built to the rugged standards required for dozens and dozens of daily uses. Industrial quality HMDs can be exorbitantly expensive.

• Polarized projection is a great option for trade shows, sales meetings and other special events where a 3D video will be presented on a large screen or to a large audience. Standard DLP or LCD projectors can be used, although a minimum of two are usually required. Optical polarizing filters are placed in front of the lenses of two projectors; one projector shows the left eye image and the other shows the right. The images are superimposed directly on top of one another and projected onto a special polarization preserving screen. Polarized glasses worn by the audience members correspond to the filters on the projectors and ensure that only the left eye image is seen by the left eye, while only the right eye image is seen by the right. This method offers the best balance of quality and cost for most situations. Front or rear projection can be used, but it is important to note that two projectors and a polarization preserving screen must be used for this method. Alignment, color matching and brightness matching between the two projectors is very important for a high quality 3D experience. While this can be achieved easily by our experts, care must be taken in the setup and execution of the playback.

• High refresh rate single projectors are among the latest technology in 3D display. This method has the advantage of using only one projector to show high quality 3D. Color matching, brightness matching and alignment are not considerations as only one image source is used. These projectors operate at two times the speed of normal projectors and rapidly alternate between showing left eye and right eye images. These systems require the audience to wear shuttering glasses, but in this case do not require special screens. Several movie theaters around the United States are now equipped with these high refresh digital projectors. In these theaters, the projectors wear the shuttering glasses and audience members can use inexpensive disposable glasses.

• One of the most commonly heard questions is "hasn't anyone invented a technique for viewing 3D that does not require glasses?" Of course the answer is yes, but as always there are compromises. Autostereoscopic displays that do not require glasses to show 3D images do exist. There are limitations however. Currently, most of these screens are limited to 50" or less. They are generally not suitable for large audiences, and currently there are limited options for presenting live action material on them. The smaller sized variants of these displays can be good for individual users. Larger screens can be good eye catchers at trade shows. It would seem that the technology needs some development to accommodate large audiences and all types of 3D images.

Where can I get the glasses?

21st Century 3D can help you select the appropriate technology and style of 3D glasses to fit your production and your budget. Paper and plastic varieties are available for polarized and anaglyphic formats.

Can a 2D video be converted into 3D?

There are companies that offer this service. Quality varies as does price. 21st Century 3D does not do this. There are ways to integrate existing 2D material into a 3D video, but for true stereoscopic effects, a stereoscopic camera must be used.

Can a 3D video be shown in 2D?

Yes. Either left or right eye image channel can be taken alone and viewed as a normal 2D video.

How much does it cost to make a 3D video?

21st Century 3D has spent years developing technology that is designed to make 3D production easier and more cost effective while maintaining a high level of quality. Productions that were once cost prohibitive and limited only to big Hollywood budgets are now within the grasp of trade show organizers, special event planners and independent film makers. Each project is unique so cost is dictated by the parameters of the job. 21st Century 3D can help you select the right production techniques and display technologies to fit almost any budget. Specific quotes are provided on a per project basis.