Hands-On Impressions: Fujifilm Real 3D W3

3D Stills:
Put the camera in Auto mode and it's ready to start capturing 3D pictures that are recorded in .MPO format, each of which checks in around 7MB. The autofocus is impressively snappy, at least for a camera with two lenses. But, composing a shot with the camera anywhere except eye-level can be difficult because of the limited viewing angle of the screen.

In order for the 3D effect to actually work, the subject must be at least 6-feet or so from the camera. We did some experimenting with closer focusing and things really did get out of whack. A photograph of some wine glasses from about 2 feet away looked more like an optical illusion.

3D Video:
Being able to add HD 3D video to a $500 camera is a win for Fujifilm. When you consider that there's hardly any 3D content for early adopters to watch on their new 3D-capable TVs, it puts them in a good position. You'll need a 3DTV if you actually want to watch the footage, because trying to watch it on the back of the camera is slightly less than satisfying. But, once you put on the glasses and watch your stuff on the big screen (via the camera's Mini HDMI port), it actually looks quite good. Again, the more separation between camera, subject and background, the happier you'll be with the outcome.