By James Cameron has a bit of a hard-on for 3D films. It’s easy to see why, considering he made his latest film, Avatar, a showcase for the technology. And yet according to SlashFilm, he’s not satisfied. As any tech blogger could guess, Cameron thinks the future of 3D images will be getting rid of the need for dorky glasses. However, according to his estimates, we won’t be watching a lot of 3DTV for another eight to ten years. For comparison, HDTV has been around since the 90s, so it’s a safe estimate to make.
I agree that if 3DTVs are to take off, they need to move away from mimicking the 3D technology in theaters. Glasses are fine in a theater, where they give you a cheap pair, but at home, you need to provide your own. And if you want any quality, they will be expensive. Even if you go out of your way to be Mr. Hospitality and buy a bunch of glasses for other people, all it takes is one additional guest and you’re short a pair of glasses, forcing you to choose between giving him a headache and just not watching 3D at all.
There’s also the issue of glasses-free 3D being different visually than traditional 3D. Whereas most of us are used to images popping out of the screen, the new 3D will be all about providing depth away from the front of the screen, like the screen is a window. It is this technology that will be used in the upcoming Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming system.
Personally? I still have yet to see one film in 3D that achieves something entirely new and significant that could not possibly be done in 2D, something that advances film in the same way as sound, color, or widescreen. Until then, I’ll stick with my HDTV, thank you very much.
[via SlashFilm]