Sony Handycam HDR-TD10: Two Lenses, Two Sensors, and Glasses-Free 3D

Source from: http://www.pcworld.com

Sony claims that the new Handycam TD10 is the first consumer camcorder to offer two lenses, two imaging sensors, and two processors to deliver full HD 3D footage in both the right and left visual channels. The only similar consumer camcorder at this point-Panasonic's HDC-SDT750K-offers a dual-lens setup but a single sensor, and it uses "side-by-side" 3D playback methods, which drastically reduces the resolution of each visual channel.

Sony claims its new camcorder offers superior 3D video quality, as it shoots left-channel and right-channel 1920-by-1080 HD video that's displayed in full 1080p resolution during playback. Instead of using "side-by-side" 3D technology, the new camera uses "frame-packing" 3D, which displays full-resolution video captured from each lens.

Adding to the camcorder's appeal is the fact that you can also view the 3D effect while playing back video on the camcorder's 3.5-inch LCD screen without needing to wear glasses. The TD10's screen uses parallax-barrier technology to simulate image depth when viewed with the naked eye--a method that's rumored to also be the secret sauce in Nintendo's glasses-free 3DS console. For viewing footage on a TV, however, you'll need a compatible Sony 3DTV and active-shutter glasses.

The camcorder definitely feels beefy in the hand, but it's kind of a nice departure from the ever-shrinking consumer camcorders of today. As long as you've got big-enough hands, its added weight and square, husky build feels like the tape-based video cameras of yore (yore meaning the late-1990s).

For 2D traditionalists, the Handycam TD10 also shoots full 1080p high-definition video out of a single lens in 2D mode, as well as 7-megapixel 2D still images. Switching from 3D to 2D mode simply involves flipping a switch on the camcorder.

The TD10 features a 10x optical zoom lens with optical stabilization, 64GB of internal memory in addition to an SD/MemoryStick combo slot, Auto-mode shooting when capturing 3D video, and manual controls when shooting 2D footage.

At $1500, Sony's 3D-shooting camcorder will cost about $100 more than Panasonic's 3D consumer camcorder. The Handycam TD10 is due in April.