Since the QooCam EGO was released recently, I’ve been asked quite a few times how I think it compares to other compact digital stereo cameras, so here’s a post to do exactly that! I’ve taken three cameras, the Kandao QooCam EGO, the FujiFilm Finepix Real 3D W3, and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1, with me to try all of them in automatic mode in the same surroundings to see how they hold up against each other for taking still 3-D photos. I’ve also added the specs for taking photos for anyone who is interested.
I’ve still got to confirm a lot of the QooCam EGO’s specs as the manufacturer hasn’t released many of them.
| Camera | Fuji Finepix W3 | QooCam EGO | Lumix DMC-3D1 |
| Size | 124 x 66 x 28 mm | 94 x 53 x 22 mm (without viewer) | 108 x 58 x 24 mm |
| Weight (inc. battery) | 230 g | 160 g (without viewer) | 193 g |
| Photo Resolution (side-by-side stereo) | (8:3) 7296 x 2736 | (8:3) 8000 x 3000 | (8:3) 6528 x 2448 |
| Pixels (single mono photo, according to manufacturer) | 10 megapixels | 12 megapixels | 12.1 megapixels |
| Sensor Size & Type | 1/2.3″ (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD | 1/2″ (6.4 x 4.8 mm) (TBD) | 1/2.3″ (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CMOS |
| ISO | Auto (400), Auto (800), Auto (1600), 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 | Auto (100), Auto (300), Auto (400) (others TBD) | Auto, Hi Auto (1600-6400), 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 |
| Focal Length | 35–105 mm | 27mm | 25–100 mm |
| Max. Aperture | F3.7–4.2 | F1.8 | F3.9–5.7 |
| Min. Shutter Speed | 3s (has to be in night mode) | 1/15s (according to Dr. T – thanks) | 30s |
| Max. Shutter Speed | 1/1000 sec | 1/6400 sec (TBC) | 1/1300 sec |
| Lens Separation (cm) | 7.5 | 6.5 | 3.0 |
| Best distance from subject for comfy 3-D depth (cm) | 225 | 195 | 90 |
| 3-D Display? | Autostereoscopic instant display in 3-D (Lenticular 3-D with no glasses) | Attachable magnetic viewer with instant display in 3-D. | Mono (2-D half-stereo) images displayed only. |
| Standard Output Still File Format | MPO & single mono JPG | Single file stereo JPG | MPO & single mono JPG |
| Smartphone App/Connectivity? | No | Yes – but Android currently not as fully functional as iPhone. | No |
| Startup time | Almost immediate upon opening lens cover. | Almost half a minute after pressing ON button! | Almost immediate upon opening lens cover. |
| Battery Consumption | Average (150 pictures) | Poor, lasts an hour at most with the camera switched on. WiFi connection = worse. | Average (200 pictures) |
| Water/Shock Resistance | No | Yes (confirmed by Dr. T – thank you!) | No |
| Image Stabilization | No (but there is an ‘anti-blur’ scene mode) | No | Yes – MEGA O.I.S. |
| Manual settings option? | Yes – can be fully manual. | A few limited manual settings. | Not in 3-D mode, fully automatic. |
| Available? | Discontinued | Available | Discontinued |
Now for the stereos. Most of them I’ve not edited at all, but the few I have aligned and cropped, I’ve made it clear. All of them are on Auto settings – the QooCam EGO, however, does not have automatic focus, so I set the distance manually. I’ve also made sure that the file sizes haven’t been automatically reduced for display on the website – they are the direct size from the camera when un-cropped. If you click on the images, you can see them full-size in Flickr, depending on what device you’re viewing it on.
I have to point out that the Lumix’s lenses are much closer together than the other two, so please keep that in mind as it needs to be closer to the subject.
Indoor, Studio Lighting, At the Best Distance According to the Lens Separation, On a Tripod
FujiFilm Finepix Real 3D W3 (225cm away):
Kandao QooCam EGO (195cm away):
Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1 (90cm away):
Indoor, Studio Lighting, At the Best Distance According to the Lens Separation, On a Tripod, Cropped and Aligned:
FujiFilm Finepix Real 3D W3 (225cm away):
Kandao QooCam EGO (195cm away) (the left lens focus difference is very noticeable!):
Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1 (90cm away):
Indoors, Same Distance, Hand-Held:
FujiFilm Finepix Real 3D W3:
Kandao QooCam EGO:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1:
Outdoors, Hand-Held, Same Distance
FujiFilm Finepix Real 3D W3:
Kandao QooCam EGO:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1:
You can really see a difference between the contrast and field of view with each camera.
I was quite shocked by the difference in the focus of the lenses for the QooCam EGO for the image I cropped, and it’s been apparent in other images I’ve taken, mostly when using it in low-light; it’s definitely a disappointment as the older cameras don’t have the same issue. I’ve contacted Kandao to see if it’s a known and fixable issue or just a fault with my camera and they are being really helpful, they say they’re going to try and fix it with a firmware update at some point. You can read a review of first using the QooCam EGO here, as this covers some other useful aspects of using this camera.
I personally can’t pick a clear favourite from the three cameras as they each have their own pros and cons. It’s also very subjective, so I’ll let the specs and images speak for themselves.
#StereoscopyDay
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I only have the W3 out of these so am pleased it comes out well against the other two, to my eyes anyway! Hope you will you be able to return the QooCam for a focus fix.
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A lot of important things are not covered in this review. The fastest shutter speed is listed but not the slowest (1/15 for the EGO). Other factors that are important for me: Startup time (very slow in the EGO), battery consumption (terrible in the EGO). Water/shock resistance (EGO wins). Stabilization (Lumix wins).
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HI George, you’ll find that I’ve covered many of these in my ‘Straight from the Box Review’, which Is linked in this article, but I’ve added them just for you.
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Thanks Rebecca! That helps a lot. PS. I have tried the shock/drop resistance since I have dropped the camera and had fallen while running with the camera on my hands (got dirty but works fine). Also, made it wet today (not immersing under water but splashing with water), and the camera is fine, so I can testify to the shock/water resistance.
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