Fujifilm unveils world's first 3D digital camera

While the concept of a camera delivering three-dimensional content may seem like the stuff of Hollywood sci-fi blockbusters, the Fujifilm FinePix REAL 3D W1 (what a mouthful) promises to “revolutionize the world of photography” with genuine 3D images.

Expected to hit the UK market this coming September, the FinePix REAL 3D camera still offers up the same tempting specifications found in many other cameras (i.e., 10.0 mega pixels, 3x optical zoom, a 2.8-inch display screen) but it promises to stand out from the crowd thanks to 3D still image capture and 3D video recording capabilities too.

Equipped with twin lenses and twin sensor technology, Fujifilm’s latest draws upon a processor capable of blending two separate images in order to create a single, three-dimensional result “that jumps out at you,” according to Theo Georghiades, digital product manager at Fujifilm.

The final 3D imagery can be viewed directly through the camera’s onboard display or, if users want physical copies in 3D, they can e-mail their content to a processing laboratory in Japan that transfers images onto special lenticulated paper that creates a 3D holographic print.

Although Fujifilm has not yet announced full regional availability and accompanying prices for its 3D wonder gadget, current online speculation places pocket damage for the UK market somewhere in the region of 600 GBP.

That price should come down as/if the technology evolves and finds traction in the market, with Mr. Georghiades outlining that, while the FinePix REAL 3D will likely only be a favourite with the ‘must have’ tech crowd upon release, Fujifilm is “confident that 3D imagery is the way forward.”