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How to film 3D video?
- Thread starter coolerkid
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The Vision Pro can film 3D videos. Presumably future iPhones will get that capability, but we'll see; I'm not sure if its cameras have enough spatial separation to do that.
I'm looking for one to start filming content before its release. And the Vision Pro can't record 360, but can it even record 180 video?
We won't know more until the headsets release next year but apparently it's a brand new video format. If it is just incredibly high quality 180 video then there are devices that can do that now of varying price points and workflows. However you'd have to invest to serious cash to match the quality of the demos people are talking about.
Something like the Canon R5C is Netflix certified and can shoot 8K Raw with the Canon VR dual fish eye lens. But everything I just mentioned is 10,000£ easy without all the hardware and extras - a 512Gb CF Express Type B card for my R5C costs £650 and can shoot 27 minutes of 8K 60p video - not to mention skill set needed to process and edit the videos for maximum effect.
But until we know about about what goes into formatting videos for the Vision Pro we're kinda guessing and throwing darts at the board with a blindfold on.. so to speak. The cheaper option to get one of the 500-1000£ All in one hold and point 180 video type things so you can at least be shooting 180 video. But be aware its quality won't be anywhere near as high as the Vision Pro can display. But in theory if its standard 180 video it should work??
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The cameras are on the front on either side of the Vision Pro. It's what makes the pass through video possible. They're what you're seeing when you put the headset on.
The iPhone wouldn't have them far enough apart for the 180 effect. A Large iPad in a few years maybe?
The ProCam app [here](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/procam-8-pro-camera/id730712409) allows you to take 3D photos. It uses both of the camera lenses to pull this off. It will create a SBS photo that can be combined into 3D. I’m on a iPhone 13 mini. I know this isn’t what’s asked for. I know 3D video is being asked about. But, just wanted to put this here because if an app can make use of the two separate physical lenses for color photos it stands to reason that an app could possibly use the two lenses for 3D videos. Will an App Store app allow an app that does that? Don’t know… it could be labeled as “sub optimal” method for 3D. Anyway. In short, maybe a SBS video could be made from an app recording video from multiple lenses. I know nothing.
Not sure about 180, but I'm pretty sure Insta360's X3 camera shoots in 5K 360. No 3D camera from them though at least not affordable ones.
And those videos are playable on Quest 2 (I see no reason why Apple wouldn't support 360 videos so fingers, so hopefully that isn't an issue down the line).
Otherwise, if you want to shoot video for the Vision Pro specifically, best option seems to be the 15 Pro once the feature drops later this year. And at least you'll know it will be designed for the Vision Pro.
And those videos are playable on Quest 2 (I see no reason why Apple wouldn't support 360 videos so fingers, so hopefully that isn't an issue down the line).
Otherwise, if you want to shoot video for the Vision Pro specifically, best option seems to be the 15 Pro once the feature drops later this year. And at least you'll know it will be designed for the Vision Pro.
In case anyone missed it, the 15 Pro/Pro Max will be able to record spatial video, coming soon. The lens separation is only 20mm, but one lens is capturing at 24mm and the other at 13mm (And probably the LIDAR sensor is involved), so I imagine the capture will combine them and have a lesser overall FOV.
These will be "spatial videos" so you essentially "look into" a video and can see around things, it isn't 360 or 180 video, to do that you'd need 180 degree cameras on both sides of the device, and even still, it would just be flat 360 degree video.
These will be "spatial videos" so you essentially "look into" a video and can see around things, it isn't 360 or 180 video, to do that you'd need 180 degree cameras on both sides of the device, and even still, it would just be flat 360 degree video.
Insta360 used to make a camera called the EVO. Way ahead of it's time. It shot 3D video with a 180° fov in 5.7k and could take 18MP 3D photos. They even make a lenticular screen you could snap to the front of an iPhone to view the 3D image. They took it off the market 2-3 years ago when it became the first round of VR headsets were not going to drive a media revolution. The camera was very affordable and the results pretty solid for the time. I think the closest thing you can find now is canon has made an RF mount dual fisheye "lens" for their mirrorless cameras for 180 3D.
It will be interesting to see what Apple does for "Spatial Video" on the iPhone. My guess is it will be a mode you can turn on that, as you said, will capture from the wide and ultra wide camera simultaneously while collecting lidar data. Likely the raw data will be packaged and synced to the Vision Pro where the R1 chip can mesh it all into a viewable scene.
It will be interesting to see what Apple does for "Spatial Video" on the iPhone. My guess is it will be a mode you can turn on that, as you said, will capture from the wide and ultra wide camera simultaneously while collecting lidar data. Likely the raw data will be packaged and synced to the Vision Pro where the R1 chip can mesh it all into a viewable scene.
I have a couple questions about 3D video in general:
In 180 video, as you look further away from the center toward the edges of the video, do you get less 3D effect? Since the FOV is so big, does it get more 2D/flatter around the edges because there is less overlap between the two lenses? If so, I assume then 360 3D video (not computer generated) is not possible in any meaningful way?
When watching a 3D video, can you choose what to bring into focus to your eyes? Or is that predetermined by the video?
In 180 video, as you look further away from the center toward the edges of the video, do you get less 3D effect? Since the FOV is so big, does it get more 2D/flatter around the edges because there is less overlap between the two lenses? If so, I assume then 360 3D video (not computer generated) is not possible in any meaningful way?
When watching a 3D video, can you choose what to bring into focus to your eyes? Or is that predetermined by the video?
There's not less overlap, but there will be less parallax as you get towards the left and right edges of the frame. So if you rotate your head to look at the left or right edge of the 180 video, the depth won't look right.
360 3D video uses a large number of cameras in a circle or sphere. This one uses 16 in a circle, and one facing upwards. I'm not exactly sure how it works, but I'm assuming the right eye image is created from merging a strip from the left side of each capture, and the the left eye image is from the right side of each capture.
Turns out this aged really well. The phone 15 Pro will be able to shoot spatial videos with an update later this year.
Much more important than shooting 3D video, is shooting 360degree video, imho. Insta360 cameras are pretty good at that, and there are plenty of other good options as well. Exciting times!
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360 imagery doesn't look great in VR. When everything has the correct visual scale, but not the correct depth, it looks wrong.
I don't think we're speaking the same language here. VR requires 360 degree imagery to be VR. That's what makes it VR. It also has to be 3D, but not all 3D is VR.
You said "more important than 3D", so I assumed you meant 2D 360° video, like the consumer insta360 cameras capture.
Not all 360° is 3D—most isn't. And even 3D 360° doesn't take full advantage of VR—it will break if you tilt your head or look at the ground.