Panasonic Developing 3D Lens for Micro-Four-Thirds Cameras

Earlier this week, Panasonic announced its first hand-held 3D consumer camcorder, based on a system that actually allows a regular camcorder to film in 3D using a special twin-lens attachment that captures two side-by-side images. The same principle could easily be applied to stills cameras too, and the manufacturer has now  announced it's developing a stereoscopic lens for its micro-four-thirds cameras.

The picture on the right shows the 3D attachment with its two separate internal lenses. As yet, there's no information on focal length or aperture, so there's no way of telling what kind of picture's it'll take. However, given how thick it looks, it's highly likely to be a zoom lens.

You can see that the two lenses are housed within one larger surrounding lens barrel. The camera therefore receives just one final image, made up of the two side-by-side stereoscopic photos. This should allow direct connection to 3D televisions compatible with side-by-side 3D content.

Panasonic says it'll announce compatible models of camera at a later date. In theory, we see no reason why existing G-range cameras wouldn't be compatible with this new lens, at least after a firmware update. We just hope the manufacturer won't keep this lens for new models only.

The press release slightly clumsily states that 'Panasonic is pleased to announce the development of the world's first* twin digital interchangeable lens [...] *For a digital interchangeable lens of July 28, 2010.'

For a start, the 'digital lens' claim is somewhat debatable, but most of all, we're pretty sure there's been at least one 3D camera lens already. In fact, for a while now, a company called Loreo has been selling stereoscopic lenses, including a model specifically designed for 4/3 and µ4/3 cameras, named the 3D Lens in a cap 9005B (the Loreo 9005A, pictured right, is compatible with APS sensors).

Panasonic hasn't announced a price or a launch date for this new 3D lens yet. Chances are we'll probably find out more at the Photokina trade fair at the end of September.

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