By Nnamdi Ojiego
Panasonic Corporation, one of the leading electronics companies in the world last week introduced its world’s first ever 3D consumer camera for the Advanced Video Coding High Definition, AVCHD standard that can shoot in 3D with an interchangeable 3D conversion lens.

The camera was unveiled to the public at a regional press conference in Sapporo, Hokkaido Japan. This singular feat has positioned Panasonic to be at the forefront of 3D camcorder technology because previously available professional 3D models were far more expensive, and as a result have not been felt by the general public. The SDT750 is the result of research Panasonic has been conducting in collaboration with Hollywood film studios over the years.

The development of the world’s first consumer 3D camcorder allows 3D images to be recorded at home by simply attaching a 3D conversion lens.

The system incorporates Panasonic’s Broadcast Technology, the camcorder employs a 3MOS System, which lets users create their own 3D movies, currently seen as a technology used only by broadcast professionals. With the 3D conversion lens, the SDT750 records right-eye and left-eye images simultaneously through its two lenses. The right and left images (each with 960 x 1080 pixels) are recorded using the side-by-side method.

According to the source, the most striking thing about Panasonic’s new camcorder is the size. “It’s absolutely tiny. Remove the 3D conversion lens and it’s even more so. It certainly looks like a comfortable camera to operate, whether you’re in 3D or regular mode.”

Two other products announced include the HDC-MDH1 – a shoulder-type style SD Card Full HD camcorder and the HDC-SDX1 —the world’s lightest Full HD camcorder with Advanced Optical Technology in a compact body.

These announcements follow closely from the announcement of five new compact and hybrid digital cameras announced on 21 July 2010, such as the LUMIX LX5.

Besides the 3D capabilities of the SDT750, Panasonic has also announced a new genre HD mobile camera – the HM-TA1 small enough to fit in the palm of the hand, the TA1 slips easily into a pocket or a bag and records Full HD video and high-quality photos. With an integrated USB terminal and easy uploading to YouTube and Facebook, the TA1 users MPEG-4 AVC file format (MP4) and even supports Apple’s iFrame video format (960 x 540/30p) for editing ease with Mac’s iMovie software.

A built-in software, HD Writer PE 1.0 automatically starts up once a user plug the TA1 into the PC and allows one-touch loading of image data into the PC for editing.