What's the Basic Principle of 3D Images?

An Entirely New Viewing Experience. You Don't Just Watch the New 3D Images. You Live Them!

From the advent of moving pictures to the invention of TV, historic developments drove image technologies through the 20th century. Among them, color and high definition (HD) were two major advances. Now, Panasonic presents a third breakthrough in the form of FULL HD 3D. This new viewing experience is creating a new dimension of videorealism.

A new page in the evolution of image technologies

To raise the emotional impact and excitement of viewing, image creators and technicians have followed an evolutionary path toward the highest levels of image creation. Today, we greet the 3D generation, while looking forward to even further image evolution.

Hollywood started producing a steady stream of new 3D movies in 2009. As it turned out, 3D images are more than a passing fad. They are now evolving into an entirely new movie genre of their own.

The Basic Principle of 3D Images

Visual Disparity Creates a 3-Dimensional Effect

When people look at something, they receive slightly different images from their left and right eyes. The difference between the two images is called "disparity." When the images are formed into a single image by the brain, this disparity causes the appearance of spatial depth and the appearance of solidity. The basic principle of 3D images derives from purposely creating this visual disparity. Even though the image is projected onto a flat screen, the viewer's brain interprets the visual disparity information as portraying depth and solid-appearing objects.

Two Images Acquired When Shooting -- Left Eye/Right Eye

To artificially produce this visual disparity, separate images must be recorded for viewing with the left and right eyes. A special camera is used on 3D movie sets to do this. The camera has two lenses and is designed to capture both the left- and right-eye images simultaneously.

3D Quality Left/Right Image Reproduction

The key to achieving 3D image quality lies in the method for sending the special 3D left- and right-eye images to the eyes of the viewer. A variety of methods have been examined through trial and error. These include the primitive method of watching the images through glasses that are fitted with red and blue color filters, glasses with polaroid filters or LCD shutters, and a method in which a color filter is fitted to the screen itself and the viewers watch naturally -- without wearing any special glasses. The criterion for determining the best method is the ability to faithfully reproduce the information contained in the original images.

Major Panasonic Technologies

FULL HD 3D Image Display - Frame Sequential Technology

In order to bring cinema-like realism to 3D movies at home, we insisted on using the Frame Sequential technology for 3D image playback. Separate high-quality images for the left and right eyes are recorded with 1920 X 1080 Full-HD quality and alternately played at the high speed of 60 frames per second (fps), making a total of 120 fps. By watching the screen through special 3D Eyewear that are timed to open and close the right and left lenses in synchronization with the alternating images, the viewer is treated to high-quality FULL HD 3D viewing. This technology solves the problems of image deterioration and blurring that were common to conventional 3D methods, and brings theater-quality images right into your room.

Comprehensive Expertise in 3D

From Shooting Locations Right to Your Living Room. A Total Solution for 3D Images.

Panasonic solutions begin with recording 3D content on-location, and extend to image encoding, authoring and disc production, and then to home theater systems for the whole family to enjoy. We are applying our comprehensive expertise to globally promote FULL HD 3D.

3D Movies Are Hitting Hollywood!

As 3D technologies have continued to advance in recent years, Hollywood studios have turned increasingly to producing and releasing 3D movies. As major studios ramp up the number of 3D titles among their new movies, theaters with 3D projection capability are rapidly increasing, particularly in North America. Indeed, we're approaching the age where 3D movies will be the standard.