This Forum is Apparently Dead - So Where Else for 3D Examples/Discussions?

Someone in the Qoocam Ego Users Group on FB is posting 360x180 3D photos.

This is an HDR 3D 360x180 Panorama shot with the QooCam EGO mounted on a Fanotec dual axis panohead. The panorama is made from 40 3-shot HDR images stitched together. Original resolution is 19,024 x 19,024 (Over/Under). I scaled it down to 9,512 x 9,512 for ease of viewing. This Anaglyph version is 9,512 x 4,756.

screen capture:

Pretty cool.

https://360rumors.com/qoocam-ego-3d-360

My curiosity was recently piqued by the acquisition of a VR headset (HP Reverb G2).

I tried both the Lenovo Mirage and Vuze XR cameras and quickly decided the VR180 format wasn't for me.

I'm currently using a dual RX0 II set-up with the VMC-MM2 syncro cable.  Those cameras come with some serious limitations but the photos are excellent and the results are superb.

I also ordered the Panasonic 12.5mm 3D lens from Japan a few weeks ago, did the macro conversion thing with the washers, and have been out shooting with it this week with my Godox MF12 twin macro flash. The photos are astonishingly compelling in the headset! They take my breath, it's wild.

I also just discovered that the lens works with the G9's high res mode for 80mp stills, which is a pleasant surprise.  I'm currently experimenting shooting video with it by covering the electrical contacts and using the 6K photo mode for the extra resolution.

shock_me wrote:

I'm currently using a dual RX0 II set-up with the VMC-MM2 syncro cable. Those cameras come with some serious limitations but the photos are excellent and the results are superb.

So I would guess one would need 2 of those syncro cables, and 2 of these? Sony FA-WRR1?

So with all things being equal - it mostly works out for generally static type shots?

That is cheaper than getting the commander box.

sludge21017 wrote:

shock_me wrote:

I'm currently using a dual RX0 II set-up with the VMC-MM2 syncro cable. Those cameras come with some serious limitations but the photos are excellent and the results are superb.

So I would guess one would need 2 of those syncro cables, and 2 of these? Sony FA-WRR1?

So with all things being equal - it mostly works out for generally static type shots?

That is cheaper than getting the commander box.

I'm not sure about the flash situation, sorry. I use the RX0ii's mostly for daytime walk-around shots.

With the VMC-MM2 connected between the cameras the one with the right-angle connector becomes a sub-camera to the other, and you can shoot pictures simultaneously on both by operating the shutter on the main camera.

Brian F Flint wrote:

I would be very interested to know if you can get the G9 to do video ( 6K photo mode ) with the contacts covered on the H-FT012. I guess you would need a lot of light as the lens is F12.

Happy to report that the video works fine with the contacts blocked with tape. I need to put some time into learning how to use DaVinci Resolve though. I found a very helpful guide on editing SBS 3D in Premiere Pro but I'd prefer to avoid the subscription if I can.

Edit: Sorry this was misinformation.

Edit: Sorry what I initially wrote here was misinformation.

Brian F Flint wrote:

It is good you can get a video clip with 6K photo mode. I assume you have the left and right image showing with some degree of overlap in the middle. Is the clip 4K 29.97fps mp4 8bit h264.

I'm excited by the potential.  Lighting will be a challenge.  I have a SmallRig Pix M160 that I'll take with me tomorrow.  I need some footage for the weekend so I can start to come to grips with Resolve.

The 6K Photo shoots a video with 4992x3744 dimensions at 29.97fps H.265.  Changing from the 4:3 aspect ratio to 3:2 offers a slightly wider frame at 5184x3456, which might be more useful.

The footage looks similar to this OOC jpg:

I'm only new to this but I believe the rule works a little differently for hypostereo photography?

If you do a Google search for "Macro 3D with Panasonic 3D lens" the first result is a pdf document with focus calculations laid out on page 9.  Optimal distance is around 170mm for a 1mm spacer and this seems accurate in my experience.  By 250mm the subject is moving outside the depth of field.

I've been experimenting with holding a Raynox DCR-250 in front of the lens so that confuses things a little (I think the flower above was with the Raynox).

And yes I believe it's 10 bit so hopefully that's not an issue.  I guess we'll see.  I'll upload some video tomorrow.

Brian F Flint wrote:

I do quite a lot of 3d video on a rig. The spacing between the lens is around 7 to 12mm. I can adjust this. The built in lens on the two cameras will allow me to focus down to around 500mm with the set up I have.

For closer focusing, I use a close-up lens with a strength of 2 dioptre ( focal length is 300 to 500mm) . This works out well and gives a good 3d effect. I also have a close-up lens with strength 5 dioptre. This gives a focal length of around 200mm. For this I need to keep the spacing between the lens to around 7mm otherwise the 3d effect is too strong.

The Raynox DCR-250 is quoted to have a strength of 8 dioptre. This results in a focal length of 1000 divide by 8 = 125mm. This will result in a very strong 3d effect if the lens spacing is say 10mm. The advantage of using a close-up lens is that you don't need a spacer and therefore have no problems with poor or on contacts to the H-FT012 lens. Also the exposure will be settable by the camera.

Hi Brian. I didn't have near the time today that I was hoping for. Here are two files I was able to grab late in the day. The first is taken approximately 20cm from the plant. The second , of the cotton harlequin bug, is at approximately 10cm with the Raynox held in front of the lens by hand. I only had a monopod with fold out feet so this one is a little unstable. Both are 6K Photo in 4:3 aspect ratio.

It sounds like you have a lot of experience. I'm not familiar enough with the craft to have an appreciation for the quality of the 3d effect yet. It all looks amazing to my untrained eyes!

Compounding this is that still image viewing options for PCVR HMD are extremely limited. The only two programs I can find are Whirligig and DeoVR. Confusingly the images render substantially different depending upon which one they're viewed with. I've ordered some anaglyph glasses to help with this.

Mike.

I get wildly different results depending upon the viewing platform. I tried Skybox, DeoVR and Heresphere. They all look distorted to one degree or another in the headset.

Meanwhile if I drop a still frame from original 6K Photo file and feed it directly into Stereo Photo Maker the output looks natural when viewed in the DeoVR photo viewer. I think I'm going to need those anaglyph glasses to attain a baseline to work from. I also wish I could get Stereo Movie Maker to work but it gives an error message I haven't been able to circumvent.

Yes I unscrewed the baseplate of the lens and placed a 1mm spacer between it an the body. I did cover the contacts. The LED panel was used for the bug as it was in shadow but not for the other clip of the orange grevillea.