FUJIFILM FinePix Real 3D W1 - world's first 3D camera [review]

If price were not to be a constraint, the camera appeals as an average 2D camera for casual and household use; but really fails to do justice as a high-end 3D camera incorporating full 2D functionality that could satisfy the needs of a performance hungry user.

Pros

Incorporates Face Detection 3 technology - captures faster & accurate images even with moving subjects
Adds the benefit of Red-Eye Removal technology
Equipped with dual CCD sensors to capture stereoscopic 3D images

Cons

The camera does not ship with an optical view finder
The bulky camera does not ship with a carry bag or camera pouch
3D goggles not shipped with the camera

Overview:
FUJIFILM owns the leadership in building the world's first 3D digital camera 'Finepix Real 3D W1' with two stereoscopic lenses (left and right) and two 10MP image sensors. It lets the user to shoot both 2D and 3D images/videos and view them on the 2.8-inch LCD screen without the use of 3D goggles. However, to view the 3D stereoscopic images on the computer, one has to wear the 3D goggles or one has to purchase the 3D Viewer from Fujifilm.
Build Quality:

The FinePix Real 3D W1 is quite bulky due to the presence of two separate lenses with two 10MP sensors. It has a strong and sturdy all-plastic body casing with a piano black finish, and dimensions of 123.6 (W) x 68 (H) x 25.6 (D) mm. it hardly weighs 260g. However, its slightly bulky body and delicate nature of the LCD screen would prompt us to carry it in a camera pouch or a camera bag for better safety. It has an appealing look with metallic black and silver colour schemes, bright-blue illuminated controls and a sliding door acting as lens cover. In spite of having a metallic finish, the body shell provides a comfortable grip for improved dexterity while handling the camera. The overall build quality mirrors the standards of an average digital camera.

Features and Functionality:
Sliding down the lens cover on the front of the FinePix Real 3D W1 reveals two 3x optical zoom lenses, built-in flash unit at the center and mini-stereo speakers on either side. The 35 to 105mm effective focal range stands out in 3D photography where it is difficult to produce a 3D image with a fixed focal length lens. The zoom control and shutter button are located on top of the camera, along with an infrared port that is intended to allow the user to send or receive images (but not movies) from another Fujifilm camera or device with high-speed IR capability (however the IR functionality test failed during our review). The factory recommended range to share images through IR capability is: 5-20cm between the camera and the other device. Also, the two infrared ports should be aligned at an angle of 15 degrees or lesser and pointing at each other to get proper signal reception. Other notable feature of the FinePix Real 3D W1 is the automatic image compression technology that re-sizes the image file before transmitting to the other device over Infrared. A battery and memory card compartment is located at the bottom of the camera, along with a plastic tripod socket at the center.

2D snapshot - Macro

Since the manufacturer shipped only with a 3D camera without the 3D viewer or print service, we could only test the 3D image quality on the FinePix Real 3D W1's LCD screen. We could feel the 3D realism in the text that appeared in the menus over the LCD screen and also while shooting in the 3D mode. However, it is good to note that we are getting a stereoscopic image, creating an illusion of depth from two layered images presented separately to each eye in 2D to simulate a 3D effect. It is not literally true 3D.

2D snapshot with flash

Basically shooting a 3D image involves 'aim and shoot' technique and the automatic parallax control feature enabled by default comes in handy for this purpose. The automatic parallax control takes care of adjusting the 3D images to avoid mis-aligned subjects in the 3D frame. However, there is a manual mode also available for the enthusiastic and professional photographers to tinker and adjust the 3D image settings.