Poppy 3D
Last summer I read about a kickstarter project called Poppy. It is a viewmaster like toy where you pop your iPhone and can take and view 3D videos and photos.
I immediately became a backer and started using the device right after I came back from Australia.
I’ve been busy trying to get everything to work so here is a list of my adventures with this project thus far:
-getting a new iPhone
-using the poppy
-sample photos
-Anaglyph (red/blue) photos
-taping trks3d
-fixing the 3d ratio with after effects
-setting up new YouTube channel
-YouTube changes
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getting a new iPhone
I wanted to buy the newest iPhone before I traveled overseas, but Jacqui reminded me that I should keep my current phone so I can buy a SIM card seeing how the iphone 4 I had is unlocked. I wanted to make sure I had the highest resolution camera to use for 3D videos and photos.
-using the poppy for the first time
I opened up the package as soon as I was home, but I waited until I upgraded my phone and restored the software before trying the device for the first time. It was worth the wait.
I took some around the apartment photos and videos, but it wasn’t until the day I took the camera to Santa Monica before I really used the poppy. Then of course I used it at work.
The Santa Monica photos were cool See them here . However, the video compression made my videos a bit lower quality than I’d hoped. The bigger issue was when I was recording the roller coaster coming toward me- the poppy3d app lost a few frames, so I decided then and there that I would record my kids show videos with the ‘native’ iPhone app.
-Anaglyph (red/blue) photos
Eventually the poppy App will have things like “turn your stereograms into anaglyph photos”, but someone on the poppy3d forums suggested the app “3Dshot!” and it works wonders.
-taping trks3d
When I tape my kids show I usually connect my canon camera to the tv so I can see the framing. The 3d video is ‘smaller’ frame wise, than I’m used to- and there’s no way to see what I’m taping while the phone is in the device– so taping took longer than expected. Finally I found a take or two that looked great and I was ready to text upload onto YouTube.
http://theretrokidsshow.com/2014/01/trks3d-special-1-3d-lever/
-fixing the 3d ratio with after effects
Apparently, the poppy app adjusts the slight curving of the images that happens due to the mirrors on the poppy. Whoops! I put it into After Effects and three hours later after testing and testing I realized the problem and solved it. I had to re-crop each side and adjust the 3d aspect ration. Here’s a picture. (Insert)
The hardest part was trying to crop and then do this, but after several attempts I arrived a solution I like.
-setting up new YouTube channel
:: YouTube has changed how they run things and before I realized my mistake I have the unchangable custom URL to my google plus account channel with the unchangeable name of “Matthew Hirsch” instead of a channel named trks3d. After hours of research with no results I just have to say – Whoops!
-YouTube changes
In conclusion (and especially, since I started writing this post 5 days ago and hadn’t yet finished posting it), I’ll add that I’m hopeful to be able to someday change the youtube name to a different channel name or something. At any rate, it isn’t worth getting worked up over at this time.
I am excited about this camera though. I’ve been taking more photos and occasionally videos.. although the poppy app drops frame rates all too often and they’ll have to fix that first. The post editing in after effects is tedious for ‘everyday’ projects.
I’ve been posting more and more to flickr – but someday I’ll have to review if I want all those pictures I put up YEARS ago to still be there or not..
Okay. No to post this and mark it off my to do list. = )
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Note: Published online January 19, 2014