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RED is building an 8K 3D holographic camera for its Hydrogen One smartphone

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The release of RED’s new Hydrogen One holographic smartphone is drawing ever closer. We’ve known about its modular connectivity through the pogo pins on the back, but very little has been said about what they’re for. It’s been suggested that we’d perhaps see battery packs or small camera modules to use “real” lenses and that it may offer communication with RED’s range of cameras.

Well, the first of those cameras has been announced. RED has teamed up with a 3D VR camera company, Lucid on an 8K prosumer 3D camera. A camera not only shoots holographic content that can be viewed on the Hydrogen One but a camera which also uses the Hydrogen One as its “viewfinder” while shooting.

QooCam is a switchable 4K 360 & 3D 180 camera with refocusing capabilities

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We’ve all seen an assortment of 360-degree cameras in the past few years, but I have to say that QooCam‘s design is the most intriguing. Just imagine being able to switch from 4K 360 to 3D 180 by simply twisting it? Furthermore, it also features a depth-sensing technology that allows you to refocus after taking a photo. It appears to be quite a capable for a camera that’s slightly longer than an iPhone.

Google unveils a pair of 3D 180° point & shoot VR cameras by YI and Lenovo

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Well, this is pretty cool, a pair of new 3D 180° VR cameras, developed in partnership with Google for their VR180 app. They’re kicking the new VR180 platform with two offerings from Lenovo and YI Technology.  While the hardware is similar to a 360° camera, the configuration makes the final result very different. Instead of having one lens facing forward and one facing back, two stare in the same direction side-by-side.

This setup allows for 180-degree stereoscopic 3D video or stills when viewed back on Google Cardboard or a VR headset. The first camera is the Lenovo Mirage, which has a pair of 13 megapixel fisheye lenses with 4K sensors. Likewise, the YI VR180 also houses a pair of lenses and sensors, but is capable of 16.6MP images and 5.7K video.

This AI tool makes a 3D model from a single portrait photo

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Creating a 3D model of someone’s face usually requires multiple shots taken from different angles. But researchers from the University of Nottingham and Kingston University have created an AI tool that makes it from a single portrait photo.

The scientists describe the 3D face reconstruction as a “problem of extraordinary difficulty.” However, they’ve managed to use neural networks to turn any 2D portrait into a 3D model. There’s also a free online demo for you to try it yourself.

3D scanning like a pro

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Almost any sensor yields more interesting results if mounted on a moving platform. Remember scanning thermometer? It’s time to mount TOF LIDAR (Time Of Flight / Light Imaging, Detection, And Ranging) on two precision rotary stages arranged for pan and tilt operation. Rig provides real-time position data along with distance to an obstacle. Using simple math we can calculate the position in Cartesian coordinate system. Data is collected point-by- point to reconstruct 3D object model.

These images may look like CG renders, but they’re actually photographs

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In a world where many CG artists are aiming for photorealism, one very skilled photographer seems to be going the opposite way. These images look like something straight out of 3DS Max or Blender. They’re not, though. They’re actually very carefully designed photographs, created by Norwegian design duo Lars Marcus Vedeler and Theo Zamudio-Tveterås at their studio, Skrekkøgle.

Looking at the final work is pretty surreal, and if nobody ever told you that they weren’t CG renders, you’d never be able to tell. In a way, it kind of makes you redefine “photorealism”. I mean, these are photos, so if your renders look like this, they’re photorealistic now, right?

Using both Blender and Photoshop can create the most surreal photos

Domenico Sellaro is a rising talent! A young Digital Artist who specializes in Creative Retouching, and Matte Painting. He began to teach himself Photoshop in 2008, but has since taught himself how to use 3D programs like Sculptris and Blender too. During these years he has been selected for international exhibitions, become featured in the Wacom gallery online, and received features in international Photoshop magazines. He is now Founder and CEO at The Creative Dot and he’s working as Freelance Digital Artist for some clients from Europe and other countries.

Facebook posts its Open Source 3D 360 camera rig and software to GitHub

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Facebook first introduced the world to Surround 360 in April. It’s a 3D 360° camera rig that shoots up to 8K footage per eye. They announced at launch that all the designs and software would be coming to GitHub this summer and it’s finally here.

Built using 17 4MP cameras, it has a total cost of around $30,000. So, it’s not the type of inexpensive weekend project to do with your kids. It will, however, produce significantly better footage than most consumer 360° solutions. At that kind of price, though, you’d expect as much.

Want to shoot 3D photos and video with your phone for $35? Well, soon you can… maybe

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When I first heard the phrase “dual cameras” used in relation to mobile phones, 3D is what first came to my mind.  How disappointed I was to find out that it was nothing to do with recording videos or shooting stills in 3D.

Now, Weeview want to fix that, having announced the Eye-Plug 3D Camera at Computex.  The Eye-Plug gives your smartphone’s camera software an extra lens and sensor so it can see two viewpoints at once.

Now you can capture 3D Video with a single GoPro for only $50

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Stereoscopic images aren’t new.  In fact, they’re one of the earliest forms of 3D imagery available.  They also seem to be making something of a comeback, now that VR headsets are becoming more inexpensive and easily available.

The Vitrima VR Lens wants to bring this capability to the GoPro.  Describing itself as “The first GoPro lens that records in 3D”, the Vitrima works with a single camera, removing the need for any 3D post workflow.  In fact, you can even stream live in 3D.

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