Let me start by saying I'm not necessarily a 3d enthusiast, I wasn't all that impressed by Avatar in the theater... I'm not necessarily jumping on the 3d bandwagon because it seems to be the next big thing getting pushed by TV/display manufacturers. I am, however, a PHOTOGRAPHY enthusiast. I consider myself to be a fairly seasoned photographer -I've got a wide variety of cameras and lenses, am members of some local photography clubs... Creative photography interests me the most. For example I have interest in things like vintage camera equipment, pinhole lenses, Lensbaby lenses, Holga cameras, etc... just all kinds of creative ways to capture things that are maybe outside of the norm.
So while I think of 3d as a gimmicky trend that has been revived by the Avatar movie, I'm also a creative photographer that was very intrigued when I heard about this camera. I bought the camera sight-unseen, basically thinking it was going to be a gimmick. However after seeing the pictures it produces I honestly, truly believe it is not a gimmick and 3d photography is going to be here to stay. It may take a while to catch on, but it's here to stay.
Once you experiment with the camera a bit you'll learn how to get the most of the 3d effect. Taking photos of things that are further away (such as landscapes, distant architecture/buildings where it's difficult to get a sense of depth), the effect is more subtle and less apparent. But taking photos of things that are reasonably close to you, and there are points of interest at different distances throughout the shot (such as a forest with trees at staggered distances away), the 3d effect is much more apparent and can be quite stunning. Either way, with a subtle 3d effect for things further away, or for a much more apparent 3d effect on things that are closer, it truly does add another dimension to your photography. You see things in the photos almost the way you do in real life.
Like all things this is just another creative tool to add to the toolkit. There are lenses for certain jobs, and there are cameras for certain jobs. The images this camera produces really have to be seen to be believed. I, as well as several others I have shown the images to, am really shocked at how well the 3d looks and am still trying to wrap my head around it and when I might want to use this new tool.
Here are my pros and cons:
Pros
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Reasonably compact for what it is. It's more compact than I expected. Have to keep in mind it is basically 2 cameras in 1. Most of the cameras I use (SLR's) are not nearly as compact as this so this really feels like a treat to carry around.
Battery life in my experience has been excellent. I've seen other reviews say the battery life isn't good. I've found that not to be the case. I didn't even fully charge the battery it came with and it's lasted for hours of me messing around and testing the camera out.
The 3d effect, when used appropriately, is really stunning.
Camera boots up reasonably quick for a compact.
Can easily switch between 2d/3d modes, can view 3d photos in 2d, etc.
Can do some creative 2d photography -having both lenses using different settings for 1 shot.
Cons
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You have to hold the camera in a somewhat unnatural way in order to keep fingers from getting into the shots. The lenses are both on the outer sides of the front of the camera. This is a trade-off that I completely understand as they have to have the lenses apart to get the 3d effect but also wanted to keep the camera compact.
I've had poor results when using the Macro (close-up) functionality.
Not a fault of the camera, but until 3d is widely adopted it will be difficult to share these photos with anyone the way they're meant to be seen.
Prints are on the expensive side at $6.99 for a 5x7 print
Prints are only available in 5x7. I really wish there was a larger variety of sizes available. I don't expect to get gallery-sized prints, but a little bigger than 5x7 would be nice.
So is the camera perfect? No. It's obviously a new technology and is only going to continue to get better. But for where it's at right now I am really thrilled with the camera overall and that's why I gave it 5 stars. This camera really does add a new dimension to photography that has sparked a creative bug inside of me that I haven't felt in a long time.
* UPDATE 10/4/2010 I've got a couple observations after having spent a few weeks with the camera, taken some video, AND I just got my first order of prints.
Picture quality I, like many other reviewers, have been "wowed" by the way the 3d pictures look on the camera's built in screen. I will agree with that 100%, however, being critical about the picture quality after reviewing it on a PC, it's really not that great. Don't get me wrong, the 3d effect is absolutely fabulous, but don't be fooled by the results you see on the camera's tiny display -this is essentially 2 mediocre cameras stuffed in to 1 body. I can't say enough how cool the 3d effect is but the images on their own are on-par with about any other cheap point & shoot digital.
Video very impressive. I took some video from the top of a waterfall (looking down). Stunning.
Prints This is one area where I think a lot of other reviewers have not yet covered. I ordered 3 prints. They only come in 5x7 size. I tried to order somewhat of a variety of types of shots, just to get an idea of how they look on paper. I had no idea what to expect. Let me start by saying the prints come on a really thick paper, and it has those ridges on it -you know, kinda like those scratchy 3d things where you can turn them to see 2 different images. Not QUITE the same, but pretty similar. Just due to the nature of the paper it is printed on a lot of the detail can be lost. So that said, I got 3 prints. Portrait decent. Close-up shot not good. Nature shot awesome. The nature shot I took was from a bridge overlooking a river, with trees and such overhanging the edge of the river. The 3d effect was quite pleasing and I am excited about ordering more prints for this type of shot. Now my sample is only 3 prints, but perhaps this advice will serve someone else well. The 3d effect on the camera doesn't quite turn out the same way on a print for all types of shots.
I am a long time fan of 3D and a geek, this camera was an excellent fit for me. It produces very clear, perfect 3D images with good depth. The 3.5 inch screen on the back is very High resolution (1.15 million pixels) and Displays 3D without the need for Glasses. The screen is suitable for Viewing 3D and can display a nice 3D "pop out the screen" effect if you compose the shot correctly. Everyone that has seen the camera's screen is amazed at the quality and 3D effect. There is nothing on the market to compare with this Fuji W3 at the moment, AIPTEK has a low end $200 3D camera and Panasonic has a $1400 3D HD video cam.
This is a good addition to anyone who has a 3D HDTV or 3D projector, considering there is very little to watch in 3D at the moment. The Footage looks very good on the big screen. I am watching it on a 100" projection Screen with Nvidia 3D vision Glasses and the effect is amazing. The Best 3D I have ever seen on the consumer market.
The price tag is a little high, it still makes great sense for anyone that has invested in a 3D TV and shutter glasses. 3D and 2D may also be displayed on a TV using the built in HDMI port on the Camera (adapter required)
Fuji also offers an expensive 3D printing service that will print 3D photos for about $7 per 5x7 print.
Videos are recorded in resolution up to 720P in 3D or 2D. They look sharp and clear. They may be converted to work with Youtube 3D very easily using the FinePix Studio software that comes with the camera. Youtube 3D let's people watch your videos in various 3D formats, with or without glasses.
I am overall very pleased with the W3
Cons:
1. Battery life is ~1 hour Buy a couple spare batteries they are as low as $4.00 on Amazon
2. 3D Shooting distance should be no less than 4 feet in auto mode, anything that comes in closer than 4 feet should be small and centered, it may even pop out of the screen!
3. Buy a medium large case, the camera is a little large for a point and shoot.
4. Format the memory card once you install it, I ran into issues with videos cutting off until formatted.
5. 3D is not for everyone! Avoid the W3 If you cannot tolerate 3D..
6. The screen must be in the center of your field of vision for the 3D effect to work.
7. Video recordings cut off at 11 Minutes in HQ mode and begin a new recording. May be stitched together with software. Video Frame rate is very respectable for a flash recorder but not perfect, way better than the AIPTEK.
I have some movies on youtube 3D converted with Stereo Movie Maker, search for JJROBOTEK FUJI
Use the 3D button on the player to pick your glasses format.
Buy Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3 Digital Camera with 3.5-Inch LCD Now
I must say that I love this camera. I followed the W1 when it first came out and was waiting for it to be offered direct to the U.S. and not be an imported item from Japan. From what I have read the improvements are nice (but not significant at least for what I have used).
I bought this specifically to go on a trip to Civil War Battlefields and take pictures. I got the camera a few weeks ahead of time and started taking pictures right away. Prior to the trip I took took about 200 hundred pictures to get used to it. During the trip I took an additional 1451, so I feel that I have a pretty good feel for its abilities.
Pro's:
As many have stated, the 3D ability is second to none. I liked being able to carry it easily (I bought a small case that attaches to my belt). The screen is large and bright and the controls are easy to learn (I have only used Canon cameras before). It worked really well when you follow the suggestions of having your principal subject about 4-8 feet and then one or two more rows of depth behind. I also found that it worked well when I am shooting down on something. An image I took on the first day of a fire hydrant shot from above at a 45 degree angle is fantastic and I was just playing, but at that angle there is something all the way from top to bottom.
The 3D lens is amazing. It is so cool to show it to people. I have not had one person that realized that I was taking 3D pictures until I showed them and all of them were just blown away with the results. Even after 1500+ images I am still thrilled with that feature.
At first my macro shots were terrible. Others have mentioned poor results. My desire was to try shooting my keyboard from close up. Since it has two lenses I got a view in one image of the left keys and in the other the right side of the keyboard. Obviously not what I wanted. I did not think that I would be able to use it for macro work until I found the Advanced 3D option. At first this seemed kind of pointless. The "advanced" mode only shoots images from one lens (left) and then you have to manually move the camera to take the next image. I could not believe that this was the "advanced" mode, the neat thing about the camera was the ability to do both lenses at the same time. When I applied it to macro mode though it really shined. I took a few coins and put them on the table and took an image and then moved the camera very slightly and took the next image. Using the adjustment feature to adjust alignment I got a stunning image of coins that looks like I had giant coins made for the picture! Since then I have done a lot of macro work and with careful attention to detail you can get amazing results.
I have used the movie mode, but only on a limited basis as it is not as much fun since you can not zoom and moving around makes you dizzy in 3D. The movie mode is good and works well for what it is, I just do not have that much experience.
I have found that when you take a picture it is a good idea to press the shutter 1/2 way, the image will "jump" to a 3D view and you can then frame the subject easier than if you just clicked it. Several times this has saved me from cutting off parts of my subject.
I also really love the flash. I can take a flash image and be ready for the next flash in 2-3 seconds. My Canon is much slower between shots.
2D and 3D at the same time! When you take an image, you get both a regular JPG and a 3D (MPO) format at the same time. While it is possible to turn this to save space on your memory card I find it invaluable to use to find a specific image (2D and 3D will have the same name with different extensions).
Cons:
The screen can be VERY difficult to see in bright light. I know this would defeat the purpose of 3D, but it would be nice to have a small view finder that you could put your eye up to in addition to the screen when the light is too bright. Many other cameras suffer from this same thing, and I have always bought ones that gave me a view finder option. Since there is no other 3D cameras, that was not an option.
Supplied Memory. The camera does have a built in memory but it will only last for 3-4 pictures at the largest setting. I bought a 16Gb card and have been very happy with it, but be prepared to get a card if you don't have one. To access the memory card you need to open the battery compartment this can be a little clumsy.
2D image quality. While I purchased this solely for the 3D features I was surprised at just how poor the 2D images are. I love the 3D feature, but would be sending it back if I purchased it for it's 2D ability.
Battery. Some love it some don't. I think the battery is a bit under powered. I purchased two backup batteries and often go through all of them in one day. So far (thankfully) I have not drained all of them before I had the chance to recharge. If you use flash a lot (and 3D images are best with a lot of light) you might want to pick up a few extras.
Supplied software. This is THE most useless piece of the Camera. I installed it but could not get it to show me the image in 3D! Fortunately I had Stereo Photo Maker(SPM)installed and it does wonders. I set it as my default for MPO files and I love it. I would recommend this free download for anyone with this camera. There is also a Stereo Movie Maker (same source), it works well, but is tricky to install and I do not use the movie mode that much.
The strap can be a problem. While it is nice and comfortable, it is very loose around the wrist. I actually had it slip off and drop three feet to a concrete floor (thankfully no damage). I would like to see something similar to my Canon that has a little adjustment piece that lets you tighten the strap on your wrist after you slip you hand through.
Saving/Not saving certain settings. I took a number of pictures on a tripod (inside museums) and used the 2 second delay feature. As soon as you take a shot it immediately disables this feature. That means if you are taking a series of shots you need to reset the timer every time. If you are trying to do time lapse this can be really frustrating since activating the timer bumps the camera from your desired position. I would like the feature to be active until I change it or shut the camera down. Certain other features stay even after you turn the camera off. For example the flash setting stays off until you manually change it. Nice that it did not follow the logic of the timer delay, but would have been nice if it reset when you turned the camera off. If you turn off the 3D mode it will stay off, it is a one press of the button, so it is easy to do. Movie mode is the same way.
Dial slips. A few times I found the dial slipped from the last time I took it out of the case and started it. This is annoying and caused a few missed shots.
ASA settings can be set differently for each setting of the dial. I found it crazy that I kept having to check what my settings were since they were not global to the camera.
Along those lines, it would be nice to have a remote fire option so I don't have to bump it at all. Wireless would be nice, but even a small cable would be fine.
It is easy to put your finger in front of the lens. This was my #1 reason for wasted shots. Fortunately I had gotten in the habit of holding it between my index and thumb and not gripping it on the sides like most cameras by the time I left for my trip. I did make a few mistakes, but not many.
Tripod mount is off center. Due to the placement of the battery and memory card the mount for the tripod is way off center. I do a lot of panorama work with my 2D cameras and considered doing it with this camera, but the placement of the mount is so far off that will be very difficult.
Zoom. Forget it, this is only a 3x lens. The 3D effect still works well at 3x, but you just can not get close enough. I would like an 8, 10 or 12 x optical zoom. The zoom should also be able to work in movie mode
LCD photo frame price. As of this date (October 2010) the photo frame to show images in 3D is $500! Get it to $100 and make it bigger than 8". Also, printing is difficult to find you have to use their "seehere" website and then instead of using the "prints" option you have to use "photo gifts" area to find 3D prints. I actually had to submit a help ticket to find it. Guess they don't sell a lot of images, just cameras.
Rating:
I rated this down to a 4 for two reasons:
1. The screen can be nearly impossible in bright sun. Several shots were wasted because I could not properly frame the subject.
2. 2D image quality (while not the primary use) is poor. Since the images are essentially made of a pair of 2D images I would like the lenses to be better. This is listed as a 10Mb camera, but if you want to use it in wide screen mode (default option) the camera will be lowered to a 7Mb image. In the 10Mb mode it chops it off in the viewfinder (traditional 4x3 image ratio). You think it would be 10Mb for widescreen, but its not. When I look at the results of the left and right image seperately I notice that one is slightly out of focus with the other. You don't notice it till you go to 100% of image size, but it becomes obvious when you have to manually align images.
Bottom Line:
I love the camera. Just wish some of these things had been improved from the previous version. While I noted many cons, I wanted to be objective and hope that some of these ideas will be in future versions.
Read Best Reviews of Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3 Digital Camera with 3.5-Inch LCD Here
I'm a fan of all that is 3D, so I Have 55 "3D TV, games, movies, etc.. but I never imagined that I could take photos and videos in 3D, and most amazing is that everything looks 3D in the camera itself "without glasses", I don't know how Fujifilm make this happen but is AMAZING lol.
Is amazing how much fun it is to take pictures and videos of everything you want and enjoy this amazing technology.
when I pay $500 for this camera, I was a little scared by that purchase high-priced, but when I start using the camera and started taking pictures, I just said WOW so many times, I can now say that is one of my best buys I've done. if you're looking for something like this, don't even think about it, GET IT, I'm not a seller I'm a very happy costumer.
And if this helps you in someway, I search on ebay, and prices are almost similar to the previous model (W1, around $500 used) so if you get bored you can sell it without losing too much (I do not think you want to sell it)
just only 3 recommendations:
1buy a MINI HDMI cable for your TV 3D, because is not incluided and you'll need it to really enjoy everything in your 3D TV, I have to wait to get mine because I did not know about this.
2get an extra battery, you'll need it, trust me
3you'll need a carrying bag, you don't want this everywhere with no protection.
Cons: little things but good to know, battery life is not bad but can be better (remember is not a regular camera, use more energy) and is a finger magnet (is black)
I hope this will help you make your decision.
Want Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W3 Digital Camera with 3.5-Inch LCD Discount?
My great-grandfather made 3D pictures in the 1920ies. As a child I loved to look at these razor-sharp 2x2in sepia images though a wooden viewfinder. Another era came alive in front of my eyes. Almost a century later, this camera finally allows me to produce the same magic digitally. The 3D effect is stunning on the built-in 3D LCD screen, which can be viewed without special glasses.
Overall, this is a well-engineered 3D camera that feels solid and looks good. Thanks to the built-in electronics, taking pictures is a breeze, though one needs to get used to the 'rules' for producing proper headache-free 3D pictures. Basically, objects should not be too close, and foreground must be centered in the picture. Also, 3D only works in landscape mode. The FinePix includes a good tutorial to get started. Though stunning, the 3D LCD viewfinder screen must be watched with some discretion, in order to avoid getting sick. Similarly, 3D movies should be panned very slowly, so that the brain can latch on to the optical illusion. If the brain misfires, this camera will literally make you puke.
As much as I love the 3D effect, the 2D quality of this camera is poor. In fact, its the worst I have seen come out of digital camera ever in the past 10 years. The pictures are grainy and unsharp, especially in the edges. The camera has a few unique 2D modes thanks to the two lenses, but given the very poor quality that all doesn't matter much. Especially greens such as lawns do not sparkle and look unnatural.
Given the many happy reviews and the 10MP specs of the camera, I was puzzled by the very disappointing picture quality. So I did some careful testing to get to the bottom of this, taking almost 100 pictures in various different situations and light settings. First I went to BestBuy to compare my FinePix 3D to their display model. The 2D picture quality turned out to be the same, so my camera does not have a manufacturing defect.
For every picture I took with the FinePix 3D I also made a reference picture with my phone (an iPhone 4). Since the phone camera is only 5MP and has much smaller optics, one would expect better pictures from the FinePix. The opposite turned out to be the case, unfortunately. Put side-by-side on the computer monitor, the FinePix's pictures were noticeably less sharp and more grainy for both outside and inside under low-light conditions.
I also compared all possible resolution, compression and ISO settings of the FinePix. Despite trying hard, I was not able to get sharper pictures out of the FinePix Real 3D. The main settings for jpg picture files are 2MP (1.3Mb size), 5MP (2.1MB), and 10 MegaPixels (4.1MB). Put side-by-side on a big monitor, it is barely possible to distinguish between the settings.
A thing to consider is that 3D pictures and movies can only be watched on a (new) 3D TV, or on the built-in screen. 3D pictures are stored in an uncommon format that is not supported by most photo software. Luckily, the FinePix also stores a regular .jpg picture with the 3D one.
In summary: 3D is a great gimmick and conversation piece, but the current price level and the awful 2D picture quality make it a little hard to justify. If you like to own something unique and can spare the money, the Fujifilm real 3D is for you. For most everything else, the camera in your phone is better.
Update after a few months of use:
The 3D pictures continue to put a smile on my face, while the poor picture quality continues to annoy. The 3D effects are hit-or-miss: it is hard to predict which pictures will come out well and which simply do not work. Sometimes a few objects in the foreground add a great perspective, while in other similar shots it does not work at all. The remedy is simply to take lots of shots and toss the ones that disappoint. Shots taken through a trees against low sunlight gave very nice effects in 3D.
I also noticed that some 3D shots work better on a big 3D TV while others work better on the built-in screen. I guess it has to do with the way our eyes focus differently on a tiny screen. The only way I found to play 3D pictures on a big TV screen is by connecting the camera to the TV using an HDMI cable. This is clumsy, since the cable is shorter than the viewing distance and there is no way to group pictures. Also the camera runs on battery power, so it turns off quickly.
For the 3D effects it is very important to be aware which foreground and background objects are in the shot. In bright California sunlight the viewfinder of the camera is near/totally invisible, which makes shooting quite a gamble. To salvage this, one needs to take off sunglasses and use the left hand to put a little shade on the LCD screen.
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I wanted a basic starter digital camera and I also own a minolta 35mm, so I knew that it would probably be a good buy. It had all the features I needed. It takes good pictures, but of course not as good as my 35mm minolta. The only negative things about it is the startup speed and battery life, which was solved by getting NiMH rechargeable batteries.
