A Kúla Way to Shoot 3D
3D photography might sound complicated, but it’s more accessible than you may think. And this product, which enables you to do it with your DSLR or mirrorless camera makes it even more so.
When a fellow photog and stereographer introduced me to stereoscopy, also known as 3D photography, I immediately started looking for something I could use with the equipment I already own. And it wasn’t long before I discovered the Kúla Deeper.
Designed in Iceland, the Deeper (aptly named as it does indeed add depth to the images you capture with it) attaches to your DSLR or mirrorless camera lens, and splits the image into two “channels” representing the views that each of your left and right eyes sees. It records both of these channels in a single frame, and downloadable software processes these images into a variety of stereo formats including stereographs and anaglyphs.
The user manual, a small booklet resembling a sales brochure, is an essential read. The Deeper “snaps” onto any 77mm filter thread (or step-up ring) for quick attachment and alignment, and while it can be “threaded” onto that ring, I discovered the hard way that’s not the best option.
The ideal focal length is 50mm for full-frame sensors, 35mm for APS-C format. But using a zoom lens gives you some options for composition depending on subject and distance.
It took only a few test shots to see the potential of this simple but clever device. It’s an opportunity to learn and perfect a new technique, and to explore a whole new dimension in composition — the third dimension.
All this magic is afforded by four precisely-aligned first-surface mirrors mounted in what looks like a wide, horizontal lens hood. The Deeper comes with a colorful storage pouch and a high-quality cleaning cloth, both of which help keep those mirrors clean and dust-free. Plus, 3 pairs of glasses for viewing anaglyphs, and a collapsible viewer for viewing stereographs are also included.
The simplicity of the Deeper and its near-effortless setup help you concentrate on composition and technique. You can preview the stereo effect on your camera’s LCD by using the included viewer, but with practice you may be able to skip the viewer and see it using a “relaxed” gaze. The half-frame vertical format is ideal for portraits, but you can also crop the images down for landscape work. It has a hyperstereoscopic design, meaning that it has a slightly wider stereobase than normal vision. This makes it well-suited for landscape work
Unlike other methods for capturing stereo images such as position-shift (also known as the cha-cha), the Deeper is fully “synchronous”, meaning that it captures both images at precisely the same time. And it’s by far more economical than purchasing a second DSLR.
The Deeper is not without its limitations and it is but one of many ways to capture 3D still photos, and it also works for video as well. But if you’re are as fond of 50mm focal length lenses as I am and enjoy learning new techniques to get the best results from your gear, then it’s a great way to break into 3D photography.
