[Leica] 3D is the future

[lrzeitlin at gmail.com (Lawrence Zeitlin)]

We might as well start getting used to 3D, at least in the USA. ESPN is
going 3D. The venerable sports network will launch ESPN 3D on June 11 with a
World Cup soccer match, creating what it says will be the first all
three-dimensional television network to the home. ESPN 3D expects to
showcase at least 85 live sporting events during the first year. There
probably will be a TV adaptor to permit it to work on contemporary TV sets
and you will have to wear special glasses.

Apparently this will not be your grandfather's anaglyph 3D with it's red and
blue lensed spectacles nor the crossed polaroid version. Rather it will be
in a frame sequential format with alternate frames shown for the right eye
and the left eye. The viewing glasses, keyed to the TV set via radio signals
or by a wire, will alternately blank out each eye to let the appropriate
image through.  At the US screen refresh rate of 60 fps the images should be
flickerless.

Selecting the World Cup soccer matches to introduce the system is inspired.
Soccer fans will put up with almost anything to watch their football teams
in combat. We should also remember that ESPN is owned by Disney, whose
largest individual stockholder, other than the Disney family, is Steve Jobs
of Apple and Pixar fame. If the 3D sports broadcasts are successful, surely
3D versions of Snow White and Apple laptops are not far behind. There is a
rumor that the proposed Leica M11 will be a dual lensed 3D camera. Think how
this will hype the sales of Leica lenses. Two Noctiflexes per camera instead
of one. If you can lift it it will be just the thing for those candlelight
shots with depth.

Time to dust off my old Stereo Realist or hunt for a Leica Stemar stereo
lens on E-bay. Everything old is new again.

Larry Z