Only a few smartphones are capable of shooting videos and images in 3D. As iPhone lacked this function, an accessory had to be invented to satisfy that need.
The problem with some of today’s gadgets is that you don’t know that you need them until you see someone else playing with them. The world would still spin and life would continue to exist on Earth just fine without shooting in 3D, but hey… 3D videos and images are more realistic, aren’t they?
The following iPhone accessory, which goes by the name Poppy (as in Tall Poppy Syndrome), resembles quite a lot the stereoscope I had as a kid. Its function, however, couldn’t be different from seeing stereographical images, even though there’s no denying that Poppy’s design is actually inspired from the ViewMaster and the tech behind stereographical images. The low-price and the light weight makes this accessory is perfect for any iPhone user who wants to shoot 3D stills and videos on a budget.
There is a series of mirrors inside Poppy that splits image taken by the camera into left and right. The two images, thus taken from two different angles, are then put together so that the eye perceives them as 3D.
Obviously, there’s also an app that needs to be used with the Poppy device. One of the strongest points of the said app is that it integrates with YouTube so that users can both watch and post 3D videos. In addition to that, any 3D images and videos stored on the phone can be watched with the help of the Poppy iPhone accessory.
Poppy was crowdfunded, which means that it is currently featured on Kickstarter. Since its developers received more than the initial goal, the product will enter mass production. If all goes as planned, Poppy will be available in the following months for $49. At least that is the price backers must pay to make sure that they receive one.
The way the prices of iPhone accessories go, this among the cheapest ones. I only wonder if compatibility to future iPhones is assured, as Apple could decide to make its phone longer at any time. One option would be to make Poppy adjustable so there aren’t any compatibility issues between it and the future iPhones.
Either way, instead of buying an iPhone and such an accessory, people might also want to consider 3D cameras. No matter how good the sensor of the iPhone camera is, it will surely not surpass anytime soon the ones found in fully fledged cameras.
If you liked this post, please check the 3D-capable Cinexplayer for iPad and the i3D iPad hologram app.
