The world’s first camera that records 3D footage in high definition whilst simultaneously being small enough to fit into a mobile device has appeared from Sharp.
The dinky, high-tech device can capture 3D video in 720p resolution and it is intended to be easily integrated into the smartphones and stand-alone digital cameras of the near future.
Sharp says that it will be putting the impressive gadget into mass-production before 2010 is out and this means we could be seeing the first devices to offer 3D video recording capabilities in 2011.
In order to capture 3D footage, two cameras are required and thus the gadget has one for the left eye and one for the right eye to produce the effect of 3D pictures from a two dimensional display.
Sharp says that its camera has all of the necessary image processing circuitry on-board, which means that image alignment, colour and light adjustment and other tweaks will be handled on the fly as you record, which should minimise the impact on the proprietary processors of the devices that will sport it.
Sharp is clearly in the relatively early stages of preparing the device for production, but it is clear that it has got all of the major functions working and appears confident that it will meet its objective to go mainstream with the first mobile 3D camera.
Sharp will presumably be hoping that 3D technology catches up with the launch of its new camera and with Samsung planning the launch of the world’s first 3D ready phone, it could have at least one industry partner.
