Panasonic Launches First Consumer 3D Camcorder

We’ve seen a few 3D camcorders here at GadgetCrave, but up until now they’ve been focused on the professional market. Panasonic unveiled its first consumer 3D video camera today, so we can get a look at the next-generation of electronics that will be collecting dust in the attics of obsessive first adopters in just a few short years. Here goes–

The HDC-SDT750 features two individual lenses built into one camera housing that record separate images for each eye and then blend them together for playback. Each lens records in near-960 x 1080 HD quality. The camera can also shoot video in standard, ol’ 2D and includes a 12x optical zoom for 2D video.

The camcorder does have some shortcomings. The 3D function works only at distances of one to three meters or so and according to the U.K.’s Telegraph, the images tend to look a little fuzzy.

Oh yeah, and you’ll need to spend a few grand on a 3D TV and stupid active shutter glasses to actually view any 3D footage. All that and the HDC-SDT750 will cost you a lofty $1,400 when it goes on sale in October.

Panasonic also introduced a 3D lens that will work with some of its Lumix cameras, offering 3D still picture capability–which frankly seems even more useless than 3D video. But it’ll be a trend for a while. [via Information Week and Telegraph]