When 3D cameras came onto the scene, technological developers were sure they had created a hit! However, most everyday photographers didn’t see any potential in the unique and immersive experience.
With such a deflated response, manufacturers slowed down the production line, which means those of us who are interested and want to explore this new land of technology have to search super hard for high quality cameras!
Cry no more my friends! We have scoured the internet to find the best 3D camera available, and we have given you a link so you can find them easily too!
We have given you a Quick Best List, a Buyer's Guide to help you understand why these cameras are great, and a review of the 5 Best 3D Cameras so that you can see that new information in practice.
5 Best 3D Cameras
Best 3D Camera – Comparison Table
Best 3D Camera – Reviews
The Matterport Pro2 is our best 3D camera because of its amazing picture quality. It has a professional grade resolution of 134.2 megapixels which translates to a 4K print quality photograph.
This camera only takes 3D images, so you won’t be losing any pixels by switching settings.
Originally this camera was designed for real estate agents to capture the real depth and feel of a home.
Because of this, it is amazing at scanning spaces and recognizes their size, so the viewer doesn’t feel jarred by incorrect spatial awareness.
It has an 8 hour battery life and it has a 20 second capture time. 20 seconds is relatively slow for a normal camera but very fast for a 3D camera!
To save an image you need to be subscribed to Matterport Professional or Business, which is an additional charge.
However, when you join this app, you will be able to use their 3D models, floor plans, and tagging system to allow information to be embedded into the videos.
Unfortunately, you cannot upload the photos anywhere else first, so this additional charge can feel super limiting. Once it has gone through the app, you are free to send your photos or videos anywhere.
- Amazing Image Quality
- Fantastic App Which Allows You To Add Details
- Long Battery Life
- 99% Accurate Spatial Awareness
- Easy To Use
- Subscription Is An Extra Charge
- Expensive
The Qoocam is a great 4K resolution camera with a 360 degree as well as a 3D image creator.
Instead of having one large camera or 2 adjoined lenses, the Qoocam has 3 wide angle fisheye lenses to create these 360 and 3D images. This allows the technology to create either 2D 360 degree images or 3D 180 degree images.
The reason why we have called it the best action 3D camera is due to its 3 foot selfie stick which you can attach to your bike, use as you walk, or to film anything that requires you to focus more on your movements than the camera itself.
If you hold the stick straight, it will become invisible to the viewer, making your creation amazingly immersive, just like a drone.
The perfect distance to keep the Qoocam is 2-3 feet away from the subject you are trying to capture. This will allow your subject to be the main focus of the 3D camera.
You can edit your images using Kandao Qoocam software which you can install into your smartphone. It is also able to let you live-stream to Youtube or Facebook as part of the software so you can share your images straight away.
- Great Image Quality
- Editing Software Included in App
- Selfie Stick
- Youtube and Facebook Ready
- 360 degree Images
- 3 hour Battery Life
- 360 Degree Images Prioritised Over 3D Images
Lenovo Mirage is the cheapest 3D Camera on our list, but that doesn’t mean it has a bad image quality! It has two 13 Megapixel fisheye cameras which will create detailed images. The two cameras also help provide a depth perception to create a realistic 3D image.
The best thing about this camera is its social media design. Unlike most cameras, the Lenovo Mirage has a built in WiFi connection and an integrated modem so you can share your images and videos instantly.
Lenovo has a tight connection to Google and YouTube, so all of your content can be backed up immediately by Google Drive or Google Photos, and it can also be live streamed onto Youtube in VR.
The only real downside to this camera is that it has been solely designed for VR use, so if you don’t plan on sharing your images with VR users or if you don’t own a VR headset yourself, then this camera might be completely useless for you.
The Lenovo Mirage was designed to be simple, so it only has three buttons – the power button, the shutter button, and the function button.
You need to toggle between the last two buttons to sift through the functions available, which means it isn’t as simple as it could be. Instead of being clear, we would suggest that it is simply more streamline.
- Good Image Quality
- Designed for Youtube and Google Photos
- Smart Phone/ Wallet Sized
- 360 Images
- Cheapest
- No Editing Software
- No Screen To Instantly See Captured Image
The Vuze XR is the most durable 3D camera, which, like the Qoocam, was designed for action; however, it has sacrificed its 4K resolution for its waterproof casing.
With the Vuze XR, you will receive a waterproof dive case made of clear polycarbonate. It can protect your camera from water damage, and its dive cases also means you can take the camera 30 meters (100 feet) down in the depth of the ocean and still be protected from the natural gravity force around you.
To get this level of protection, the camera quality isn’t as sharp as some of the other 3D cameras on our list, but it does have two 12 megapixel fisheye lenses to create a good image.
Along with being a 3D camera, the Vuze XR is also a 360 degree camera too. These images can be streamed straight to YouTube or Facebook through your smartphone.
If you are worried about your arms being seen in the 360 degree camera, you should be happy to learn that the selfie stick, just like the Qoocam, is out of the camera’s field of view. This means that the image will have the same smoothness as a drone.
- Great Image Quality
- Editing Software Included in App
- Selfie Stick
- Youtube and Facebook Ready
- 360 Degree Images
- Waterproof Dive Case
- Short Battery Life
- Not Great at Stabilizing Itself
The Fujifilm FinePix is super easy to use. It has an automatic mode that does everything for you, including adjusting the lighting, stabilizing itself, and correcting your focus.
When it comes to viewing your images, you don’t have to faff around with glasses or learn to use VR. Instead, the Fujifilm FinePix is a glasses-free 3D image, again making the whole process of 3D photography easy.
However, this ease does come at a cost, as the image is only 720p resolution from a 10 megapixel lens. This means the picture will be fine for a 3D image. It’s no way near as good as the other cameras we have shown you.
- Okay Image Quality
- SD or SDHC Memory Compatible
- Automatic Mode
- No Glasses or VR Needed
- Expensive
- Image Could Be Better
Best 3D Camera – Buyers Guide
To see how we judged these cameras, you need to know what the most important features are.
Image Quality
When you search for a standard camera, you often search the number of megapixels and the level of resolution. High numbers in these features will mean that your image is both detailed and has a large depth of view.
To get this high quality image in a 3D camera, the same principle applies. You should be looking at a camera with at least 10 megapixels to create a crisp photo, and you will also want a resolution of at least 4K to create a natural balance of light and dark in a wide screen video.
Pixels are the number of small squares that the camera can convert into an image. If you had only one pixel in your camera, the image will be just one color and therefore won't be an accurate display of your surroundings.
Megapixels means “one million pixels.” With a million squares on the image showing different colors, you will be able to pick up on more subtle or defined lines in the picture, making the overall image crisp.
The more pixels you have, the more details you can capture.
The resolution of the image is determined by the number of pixels and the zoom or final size of the image or video. For example, zooming into your field of view will worsen the resolution even though the pixel amount hasn’t changed.
App Compatibility
The majority of smart technology can connect to your smartphone, whether that is through an app, through BlueTooth, or through WiFi.
If you are live-streaming your content, then this connection is vital. If you edit your images through an app, then the compatibility needs to be seamless.
Some cameras will only upload to The Cloud, which may be a pain if you don’t own a Cloud storage space that is large enough for the number of pictures you wish to save.
These are the types of restrictions that you may not be aware of until you have already bought your camera.
Compact Design
This feature might not be important to you, depending on how you usually use your cameras. If you like to set up shop in one location and don’t plan on moving much, then having a compact design isn’t necessary. However, most 3D camera users will be on the go as they film or snap a picture.
In our modern world, portability is an essential factor in most technology, which is why we have still included it in our buyer’s guide. If it can’t fit in your pocket or camera bag, then you need to think twice about its worth.
Technical Parameters
We have already discussed the number of megapixels you should be looking for when buying a 3D camera, but there are more specifications that you should think about. These are less general than the image quality, as these features need to match your needs.
Do you want to use the camera underwater? Do you need the camera to be sturdy? Should the camera be able to extend?
Think about what you need your camera for and what critical technical features should ideally be available for you to reach your needs.
Memory
Most cameras have the ability to store your images both on their hardware and on portable memory storage like SD cards, however, the amount of storage these cameras have will vary.
If you want to use your camera to take a handful of pictures a day, then whatever camera you choose should be able to store your images. Simply transfer them at the end of the day.
If you are hoping to spend the whole day photographing, or taking videos, then you will need a larger storage space than most. Most cameras will only let you start recording if you have an SD or SDHC card installed.
SD stands for Secure Digital, and they are small cards you insert into the camera. SDHC is the same size physically, however as the name suggests (Secure Digital High Capacity), they can store a lot more data than a simple SD can.
Some cameras will only accept SDs, and others will only accept SDHC, so you need to weigh up your memory options depending on your usage.
For comparison, a standard SD can hold at least 2 GB of storage, whereas a standard SDHC can hold around 32 GB. This is a massive leap that might be unnecessary for casual users or a lifeline to major enthusiasts.
3D Glasses & VR
There are three ways in which a 3D image or video can be viewed; with a VR headset, through 3D glasses, or without any aid.
If you are hoping to make VR content to share with your friends, gaming community, or with your work, then you want a camera that is supported by VR. VR stands for Virtual Reality and requires the viewer to wear a headset.
Although VR is a growing medium of entertainment, it isn’t a mainstream technology yet, so using a VR only 3D Camera might be more restrictive than you were hoping for.
Despite the lower user count, VR 3D glasses are the most popular form of 3D viewing.
3D glasses are no longer a blue and red film, but instead, they are often a reusable grey plastic. These glasses are designed to let home viewers watch 3D movies in their own spaces. Most cameras don’t use this technology unless they are professional grade.
The last and more sought after way to view 3D images is without any aid. As long as the viewing platform has 3D capabilities, you can view these images and videos without buying additional equipment.
Many TVs have been built with 3D monitors and capabilities when 3D technology first hit the market.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Cameras Take 3D Pictures?
Normally, you’ll find that a 3D camera takes a single image and then splits that image across two lenses. The multiple lenses will then “see” this image from two angles, just like our eyes do, creating more depth and, therefore, a 3D image.
Can you Post 3D Images on Instagram?
Yes, you can! A 2019 update allowed 3D images and videos to be added to users’ stories. Depending on the image uploaded, you may need 3D glasses to view these images.