Just when you thought Japan was having a rest and rebuilding after their recent troubles they surprise us with a very advanced semi Pro 3D camcorder.

• Two 32-320mm, f/1.5-f/2.7 10x optical zoom lenses (29.8-368.8mm, f/1.5-f/2.8 12x zoom when shooting 2D)
• Nano Surface Coating on lenses for reduced light reflection and ghosting
• AVCHD 3D (1080/60i, 1080/24p, and 1080/30p), AVCHD Progressive (1080/60p), and AVCHD (1080/
  24p, 1080/30p and 1080/60i PH/HA/HE) modes
• 3D video macro setting (17.8 inches)
• Optical image stabilization systems for both 2D and 3D shooting
• Separate adjustment rings for zoom, focus, and iris control
• Built-in microphones (Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround sound/2-channel stereo)
• Two XLR audio inputs (with 48-V phantom power supply for external microphone)
• Dual SD memory card slots
• 2.1-megapixel 2D and 3D still image recording (while recording video)

Please note : Some of my readers in China do not get Vimeo so if you would like to see the Vimeo version click on the Video Review tab.

Yesterday Susan and I took a trip to the heart of Edinburgh to produce a video review of the new Sony HXR-NX3D1 camcorder at the Edinburgh Fringe. The weather was kind to us though some of my shots were on the windy side filming at the top of Calton Hill which is a magnet for video producers and TV stations whenever there is a news story from Edinburgh.

We walked the length and breadth of the Royal Mile in order to show off this exceptional 3D camcorder. Now we all know I can’t show you the 3D results so we went back again using the camcorder in 2D mode.

I bumped into two chaps using DigiBeta who were filming for the tourist board and I caught a last glimpse of the cameraman inserting a DigiBeta tape, this will indeed be archive footage as slowly DigiBeta is being phased out in favour of HD footage.

I was completely at home with the new 3D camcorder from Sony and I love the “live” 3D LCD, this is indeed a bonus when filming 3D work, I do not understand why anyone would choose those cumbersome 3D rigs over dedicated camcorders like this one. I was getting great fly on the wall footage that is not possible using a 3D rig.

EXTRA, EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT…As I was ingesting the footage this morning I got a major surprise…one that will make you all re-think 3D as a filming platform but you will have to wait till my video review to reveal the Sony NX3Ds inner most secret. 

I will be putting together my review this week and you can learn what I like and dislike using the Sony NX3D1 camcorder.

Having just arrived two days ago the Sony HXR-NX3D1 is a cracking hand held 3D camcorder with many professional features. I am not the biggest 3D fan in the world but I am looking at this camcorder from a business point of view.

This is almost an NX70 that has been squished, a second lens added and the viewfinder removed. It has a sexy 3D LCD which works remarkably well.

I filmed my dog outside the garden for a bit of fun and she brings me her plastic bone right up to the front of the camera. I showed the footage with glasses dually adorned to my mother and daughter in law and they both shrieked when the dogs head looks like it’s coming out of the 3D telly…fantastic !

We will be filming footage at the Edinburgh fringe next week which should be fun but I need a dry day for filming as unlike the NX70 the Sony 3D is not rainproof.

A camcorder I saw first hand at BVE was the GY-HMZ1U from JVC Professional. This looked a great wee camcorder and a further commitment to 3D by a professional video manufacturer.

JVC :

The GY-HMZ1U is a 3D camcorder offering full HD recording (1920 x 1080 x 2) to dual SDHC/SDXC flash memory. Its unique integrated 3D twin lens delivers professional results in a surprisingly easy-to-use package. Equipped with JVC’s proprietary Falconbrid™ LSI processing, full HD recordings can be made in either 60i, providing smooth motion for sports and fast action, or 24p for a film-like effect.

• 3D capture with dual back-illuminated CMOS sensors
• 24p or 60i capture and recording
• Twin F1.2 HD lenses with 5x optical zoom (10x in 2D)
• 3.5-inch autostereoscopic (glasses-free) LCD touch panel
• 34Mbps recording in 3D (24Mbps in 2D)
• Memory card slot for SDXC/SDHC flash media
• Internal 64GB memory recording
• Built-in timecode
• 3D digital still recording
• Advanced Image Stabilizer
• 3D time lapse recording
• High speed 3D “motor drive” recording (up to 12 frames)
• Zebra exposure indication
• Includes professional handle with XLR mic inputs, shotgun mic holder (microphone optional)

This shoulder-mount Panasonic AG-3DP1, is a 3D twin-lens P2 HD camera recorder with 10 bit, 4:2:2 independent-frame, full 1920 x 1080 resolution AVC-Intra recording. It offers all the benefits of a familiar, fast, file-based P2 HD workflow including such recording features as instant recording start-up, clip thumbnail view for immediate access to video content on all cards, and a host of time-saving recording modes including continuous recording and interval recording. Building on the success of the 3DA1, the 3DP1 is easy to use and now with the additional quality of the AVC Intra codec. The 3DP1 will be available this autumn, supported by Panasonic’s industry leading five-year warranty program.

NAB 2011 has come and gone with a smattering of 3D camcorders the most interesting from Sony. Sony were showing the HXR-NX3D1U camcorder a fully spec pro camcorder in a handycam format.

SONY :

Double “Sony G Lenses” Double “Exmor R” CMOS Sensors

Inside the HXR-NX3D1’s compact body there are two separate cameras each featuring a high-quality Sony G lens and a high-sensitivity, back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS image sensor. High-quality 1920×1080 Full HD left and right images enable production of incredibly realistic 3D movies.

Active SteadyShot and Optical 10x Zoom (34.4-344mm)

One of the most important considerations during 3D shooting is obtaining stable images to prevent audience discomfort during viewing. The HXR-NX3D1 features Optical SteadyShot with Active Mode, 3-way camera shake stabilizing technology that smoothes out up/down, left/right and rotational motion when shooting in 3D. Capturing stable 3D images with minimal shake is possible even for hand-held shooting.

When shooting in 3D, the HXR-NX3D1 lets you zoom from 34.4mm to 34mm (when converted to 35mm equivalent). Frame composition while zooming is also possible just like in 2D shooting.

3D Shooting with Two Parallel Cameras

The HXR-NX3D1 features two parallel lenses mounted 31mm apart. (the inter-axial distance is 31mm) Disparity adjustment can be performed to change the read-out areas of the left and right CMOS sensors so that they are closer together or further apart. This lets you control perceived 3D depth and the proximity of regions of interest to a virtual screen. Disparity adjustment is also possible during shooting using the manual dial. Moving a region of interest closer to the virtual screen enables shooting of comfortable 3D images with the desired feeling of depth.

Please note, when capturing 3D images, the minimum shooting distance is 80cm (at wide-angle setting)

3.5″ Xtra Fine LCD™ display Providing 2D or Glassless 3D Viewing

The HXR-NX3D1′s glassless 3D LCD (2562×480 PIXELS) lets you preview 3D images while shooting. Switching between 2D and 3D display is also possible as well as separate display of left and right images and a composite mix of left and right images for easier confirmation of disparity.

User Selectable HDMI output for 2D and 3D viewing

Output from the HXR-NX3D1′s HDMI jack to a 3D TV is selectable between Frame Packing with Full HD output of alternate left and right images, and Side by Side with output of horizontally compressed left and right images packed into a single frame. Select the Frame Packing mode for a 3D TV (Sony BRAVIA) and the Side by Side mode for a professional 3D monitor. Connection is also possible via an HDMI-HD-SDI converter to enable compatibility with a wide range of 3D monitors.

Multi-Format Recording

Compatible with a wide range of formats, the HXR-NX3D1 enables 1080/60i/ 50i/24p 3D recording and 1080 60p/60i/50p/50i/30p/24p 2D recording.

XLR Adaptor with Selectable Phantom Power and ECM-XM1 Shotgun Microphone

The detachable handle has a compact, ergonomic design. Two balanced XLR audio inputs are built in with phantom power and attenuation options that professional shooters require for clean sound quality. Default audio settings for XLR recording are highlighted in green for easy reference in the field in order to reduce operator error under difficult lighting conditions.

The ECM-XM1 shotgun microphone, mounted on top of the handle, provides high quality linear PCM audio recording performance similar to larger shoulder-mounted ENG style cameras.

Large Capacity, Internal 96GB Memory and Multi Card Slot

The HXR-NX3D1 has 96GB of internal memory, enabling extended recording in 3D mode for approximately 7.5 hours. There’s also a multi-card card slot that lets you record onto Memory Sticks and SD Cards. You can also use these convenient recordable media to copy data from the internal memory.

Single 3D Recording File for Easy Editing and 2D NLE Compatibility

Easy workflow is an important consideration when creating 3D footage. The HXR-NX3D1 uses Multi-View Coding (MVC) to record left and right channel clips as a single file. Sony Vegas Pro 10.0d offers native import support for MVC video files, so footage can be directly handled as 3D clips to enable import of left and right channel clips together. By eliminating the need for time-consuming pairing, this provides an extremely simple workflow.

And Vegas Pro 10.0d provides the ability to adjust, edit, preview, and output stereoscopic 3D Blu-ray Disc and 3D media with side-by-side, top/bottom, or line-alternate encoding.

Support is scheduled to enable conversion of MVC footage recorded with the HXR-NX3D1 to Cineform codec using the popular Cineform Neo3D/NeoHD as a Codec Plug-In for 3D editing.

The supplied Contents Management Utility 2.1 software also enables conversion of MVC video files to 2D AVC files with independent left and right channels. With these capabilities the HXR-NX3D1 is ready for a wide range of workflows.

The other 3D camcorder from Sony was the PMW-TD300 essentially a PMW-320 with 3D added.

Sony :

Dual 3-chip 1/2-inch Type Exmor Full-HD CMOS Sensors

The dual 3-chip Exmor CMOS image sensors provide high-quality 3D images with an excellent sensitivity, as well as 1920 x 1080 resolution – meeting the industry standard for broadcast cameras. The 1/2-inch sensor size helps achieve an ideal balance between high quality and compact design – the camcorder body is of similar size to current 2D models.

Dual Lens System

The newly developed dual lens system allows fully synchronized operation between left and right lenses with high accuracy – in focus, zoom, and iris adjustments. With the minimized 45 mm IAD (Inter-Axial Distance) of the dual lens system, this camcorder offers a wide shooting zone to capture good 3D images – especially for near-side shooting, with its support for a 1.2 m minimum convergence distance.

XDCAM EX Recording

The recording format is identical to that of the highly successful PMW-EX1R, PMW-EX3, and PMW-350/320 Series. The proven, high-speed, and intuitive XDCAM EX workflow offers seamless integration with leading non-linear editing software.

SxS Card Slots

Left and right images are recorded on each SxS card separately, in synchronization. As the camcorder features two SxS card slots (one each for the left and right), it offers a long recording duration of over six hours in 3D (with four 64-GB cards).

3D/2D Recording Modes

A 2D shooting mode is available for additional production flexibility. With a single SxS card, the camcorder is able to shoot images only through the left lens. In addition, parallel recording onto the left and right cards is useful as a method of redundant shooting in 2D operation. (Images recorded on the left and right cards are slightly different, because different lenses are used.)

Intuitive convergence control with a dedicated dial feature

Viewfinder with 3.5-inch colour LCD…HD-SDI out (L/R dual stream, audio and TC embedded)…HDMI out (3D/2D) for viewing on consumer 3D displays…Genlock in & TC in/out for integration with multi-camera systems.

Tomorrow in part two I will have a look at the new JVC and Panasonic 3D camcorders.

It has come to my attention that Panasonic’s 3D camcorder the SDT750 may not be compatible with Samsung’s 55″ 3D LED TV. The Samsung may be 5″ bigger than the Panasonic 50″ 3D plasma but is that a price to pay for the lack of a 3D camcorder, the choice is yours. Note. It has since come to my attention via one of my readers from Austria that he has no problem using the 3D Samsung with the Panasonic 750 3D camcorder. I will carry out my own tests next week to verify this.

Today I filmed my first Wedding Highlights in 3D using the Panasonic SDT750. This was indeed a challenge as I have little to no knowledge of 3D and how it works…which on reflection may have been a good thing, here’s why. Sometimes when you are too knowledgeable about the camera you are using you can waste a lot of time changing switches, being generally pernickety and loosing as many shots in the process.

When you use the domestic SDT750 the first and most important job is to set up the 3D Conversion lens. This is done by rotating three dials within the Conversion lens itself, the camcorder walks you through the easy 3 steps to ensure you get a clean, crisp, correctly aligned 3D picture.

As you can see from the front of the Conversion lens it has 2 rectangular holes, these produce the precise double image needed to make 3D pictures. This is why you cannot use the 10x zoom lens as by the action of zooming would drastically change the parallax.

Not one person at the wedding questioned the size of the 3D camcorder nor it’s strange looks but these ghosts remain fixed in some videographers heads who insist on using shoulder mount camcorders. George was using a relatively new Sony NX5 camcorder which he is delighted with and produces an HD wedding package that if requested gets burned onto Blu-ray.

The Sony NX5 is becoming the de-facto wedding camcorder as it produces clean pictures onto SDHC solid state memory cards. George was fascinated with the Panasonic SDT750 3D camcorder and can see the extra dimension that such a tool could enhance to his wedding armoury.

When filming with the SDT750 it’s important to remember…

Firstly it’s a domestic 3D camcorder so you don’t get full manual control of the camera while filming.

You only get a wide shot as the 10x zoom is disabled.

Get yourself a stick on Rycote patch for the 5.1 mic on top of the camcorder to prevent wind noise.

Use a pair of headphones firstly to listen to the sound and secondly to prevent camera noises as the camcorder is plastic and can produce handling noise.

Get at least 1 extra spare battery.

Editing…there is a short supply of editing packages for 3D at the moment but you can do some minor editing “in-camera”. Panasonic also supply basic PC editing software and Sony Vegas Pro 10 now ships with 3D editing as standard but once again PC only.
If you are a Mac person like myself you could install Windows 7 via boot camp that would at lease get Vegas on your system.

I had a lot of fun using the Panasonic SDT750 and the 3D effect is truly stunning, this camcorder can produce an amazing picture on a 50″ 3D plasma and is the way forward for domestic 3D. I will be showing my 26 minutes of 3D footage at the ProVideo show in Coventry on the 13-14th October just behind the IOV membership stand. My thanks to George and Maurine of GMW Wedding Productions for letting me hook onto their wedding.

Like the local bus route when you are not looking for a bus along comes two, this happened with the recent delivery from H Preston Media I not only got the long awaited Sony NEX-VG10 but also the Panasonic domestic 3D camcorder. My priority has been to review the VG10 then the 3D camcorder.

Yesterday I had a play with the 3D camera and I did not realise that you have to align the 3D part at the front, fortunately I only shot about 30s worth of footage to see it back to realise there was something seriously wrong with the 3D picture. It’s quite easy as it’s almost like registering a video tube camera…that’s something that was done regularly about 20 years ago.

Once you have aligned the 3D head the rest is child’s play…now you have to understand 2 important rules about filming 3D.

1. Everything is shot at the same focal length in other words you cant use the zoom as it is disabled so you are restricted to one wide shot.

2. 3D depends on the subject matter if you are going to achieve a good 3D image you have to think foreground…3D looks far more impressive if you show something in the foreground…that gives it depth.

The camcorder is childsplay beyond the initial 3D head setup. I filmed my dog walking friends this morning and we noticed a large amount of spiders webs due to the type of morning. It was a tad misty therefore causing all the invisible spiders webs to become visible. Watching the footage back I was stunned by the depth of the spiders web and when I filmed two together you could perceive one in front of the other, fantastic.

This one £1,300 domestic 3D camcorder from Panasonic will in my opinion make the 3D plasma a worth while investment. I have not had much time to look at the instruction book so far so I don’t know if you can copy the footage as non 3D footage or if you can burn a Blu-Ray that will playback 3D from a 3D Blu-Ray player.

I think this camcorder will spark the imagination of young families who want to impress their friends with the latest in technology, 3D like it or loth it is here to stay and that’s mainly thanks to the introduction of the affordable Panasonic HDC-SDT750 3D camcorder.

PANASONIC’S TAKE…

Now it’s your turn!

Recording 3D images is now as easy as attaching the 3D conversion lens that comes with the worlds first* consumer 3D camcorder, the HDC-SDT750. Powerful, true-to-life 3D images like those created by Panasonic 3D recording technologies for use in Hollywood movies can now be easily recorded and viewed at home.**

With the addition of our new 3D conversion lens to our 700 series highly touted 3MOS system you can shoot 3D video using the same principle as human vision. Left-and right-eye images are simultaneously shot with two lenses. The SDT750 creates 3D images by artificially reproducing visual disparity.
*As a consumer camcorder with 3D conversion lens for the AVCHD standard (as of July 1, 2010).
**A TV that is capable of side-by-side method 3D playback, 3D Eyewear, and HDMI cable connection are required to play the recorded 3D images.

Even without the 3D conversion lens attached, there are countless ways to enjoy the SDT750. This innovative camcorder takes an evolutionary leap forward from the many Panasonic models that have excited users worldwide. It is equipped with a wide range of sophisticated functions, including the 3MOS System, which features improved noise reduction (NR) technologies, 1080/60p recording, iA (Intelligent Auto) mode in the new HYBRID O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilization), and a wealth of manual controls.

How it works.

In natural vision, people see slightly different images with their right and left eyes. This difference is called visual disparity. The brain uses visual disparity to perceive spatial depth and the appearance of solidity. This visual disparity is artificially produced for 3D images so that the brain will interpret it as depth and solid-appearing objects. The SDT750 comes with a special 3D conversion lens that records right-eye and left-eye images simultaneously through its two lenses. The right and left images (each with 960 x 1080 pixels) that enter through the lenses are recorded using the side-by-side method. By attaching the 3D conversion lens to the SDT750 3MOS System camcorder, which incorporates a variety of Panasonic broadcast technologies, and connecting the SDT750 to a TV that is capable of side-by-side method 3D playback, vividly colorful 3D images can be viewed at home.**
* As a consumer camcorder with 3D conversion lens for the AVCHD standard (as of July 1, 2010).
** A TV that is capable of side-by-side method 3D playback, 3D Eyewear, and HDMI cable connection are required to play the recorded 3D images.