I recently bought a second-hand Finepix W3 camera to experiment with creating 3D slide-shows and movies in Studio20. Using the stills (.MPO) was not a problem, as Studio understood the format, but using the movies (.AVI) it produces was a different story. This is because the L/R channels are stored in the AVI as two separate streams. In fact I have not found any player yet that understands how to display these files. The only way I could view them was to use the camera via HDMI lead to my 3DTV, but I wanted to be able to edit them and save in a format that could be shown on a wider range of devices such as cellphones/tablets, YouTube, and VR glasses.

I tried a few file conversion programs without much success - the best I could do was to break out the two streams into separate AVI files. I persevered for some time trying to find a method that really worked without compromising quality, and finally came up with a solution using Fuji's MyFinePixStudio (on Fuji's CD, or download from web), but this in itself was a bit of a 'treasure-hunt' since it was not immediately obvious how to convert files into a format that Studio understands. I also found that there was something that I had to do to the file in Studio itself to get it to recognise it as 3D (I also found the same thing has to be done to any 3D files created by Studio itself before the timeline treats them as 3D! - even though the timeline itself has been set to 3D).

Studio understands WMV 3D format, so convert file to WMV using MyFinePixStudio

• 1. Open MyFinePixStudio. 

• 2. Click 'View Images' 

• 3. R-Click on video file (.avi) 

• 4. Select 'Tools' 

• 5. Select '3D Tools Pallet' 

• 6. Click '3D Movie Trimming' 

• 7. Set save-format to 'WMV for 3D TV' 

• 8. Click 'Save'

• 9. Choose a save location 

• 10. Confirm Save, and wait while file is converted. 

Now we prepare the WMV file for editing in Studio.

• 1. Open Pinnacle Studio.

• 2. Select 'Organise' tab

• 3. R-Click on chosen WMV movie file

• 4. Select 'Open Corrections'

• 5. Select 'Adjustments'

• 6. Select 'Stereoscopic'

• 7. Choose '3D Side-by-Side 50%'

• 8. Click OK.

This file can now be added to the timeline, and edited normally as a 3D movie, and saved in a variety of formats suitable for the target device.

I hope you find this useful.

I'm ringing the bell of our 3D specialist to see what he can say about your solution.

Thanks.

Hi Jacques,

Well, there's a revelation!

I spent hours searching the User Guide looking for advice like this - but I suppose I didn't ask it the right questions. Now I know the answer, I have looked at the UG again and see that there are vague references to adjustments and corrections that can be made to the library database which was not an area that I was concentrating on.

Anyway, thank you for your advice, I tried it tonight and it works well. I wonder how many other little secrets Studio has hidden in its depths...

My efforts were not entirely in vain, as I now know how to use the Fuji program to create WMVs, which will be useful to me elsewhere.

Something that needs looking at however, is the fact that 3D Movies made with Studio, and automatically added to the library, are not tagged as such in its database. So, if they are dragged back onto the timeline they are treated as 2D, even though the timeline mode is 3D.

Sparks:

I spent hours searching the User Guide looking for advice like this - but I suppose I didn't ask it the right questions. Now I know the answer, I have looked at the UG again and see that there are vague references to adjustments and corrections that can be made to the library database which was not an area that I was concentrating on.

Vague ?

From PS20's user manual :

• page 52 : An important purpose of the media correction tools is to allow you to make ‘adjustments’ on material that is not correctly identified automatically. With video footage, for example, the Adjustments group of tools allows you to override the Library-assigned aspect ratio, interlace mode and stereoscopic 3D format.
• page 139 + 148 : Adjustments
  During import, Studio automatically detects certain parameters, but a variety of factors can lead to the occasional incorrect identification. Adjustments allows any of these basic image properties to be changed, if needed.
• page 144 : Stereoscopic 3D: The icon and dropdown arrow to the left of the loop play button let you choose amongst several modes for viewing 3D material. The icon has a different appearance for each mode.
  If your video is in 3D, but the dropdown arrow does not appear, go to Adjustments to choose the correct 3D setting. See “Adjustments” on page 139 for more information.
  
• page 297 : If Studio has not correctly identified your 3D media, choose the correct setting from the Stereoscopic 3D dropdown in the Adjustments group of Corrections tools. Please see “Adjustments” on page 148 for details.
  

saby:

Vague ?

Yes, I think it must be. I visit several enthusiast movie forums (non-product related) and this Fuji-AVI/Studio problem has come up several times over the past 2-3 years without resolution.

The usual advice is to move over (down?) to Magix (yikes!). I have just seen a post on the 3D forum here from some time ago, where I see someone else is suggesting to do what I did to overcome a similar problem, so I am not alone in failing to find the answer in the UG that was kindly detailed by Jacques.

I have spent a little while this morning interpreting the 4CC codes embedded in the video files and conclude this -

• The Finepix files are identified as being Fuji, and containing 2 video streams. Therefore I see no reason why Studio cannot identify the AVI as being stereoscopic, especially given that the Fuji stereo cameras were the most popular ones around.

• Other files, such as MP4, WMV, etc. have nothing to identify them as 3D or their stereoscopic format (SBS, UD, Anaglyphic etc.). But when Studio adds an exported 3D file to the Library, I do not understand why this info is not added to its entry into the Library database.

It is unusual for a seasoned Studio user like myself to be stumped over problems like this, but we usually persevere to develop a work-around as I did rather than switch to another product. Imagine what it must be like for a user with little patience or technical knowledge...

Hi Jacques, 

jacques72:

Hello

For the videos made with the W3, remember that it is 720p at 24 images / S

I have a friend who programmed a toolbox for fujifilm and to make corrections.in 3D

StereoPhoto Maker

StereoMovie Maker

  Http://stereo.jpn.org/eng/stphmkr/

Http://stereo.jpn.org/eng/stvmkr/

Good shots and good editing.

cordially

Yes, I have these two superb free utilities, and use them often. Very useful programs - especially SPM for producing various format printed stereographs.

I was not aware of the Fujifilm toolbox in SMM - is this a plug-in?

Regarding 24 fps, I always make 3D movies at 30fps which shares the same factor 3, and reduces flicker with shuttered glasses. 

Cheers, 

Hi Jacques,

I misunderstood you. I thought you meant your friend had written a fuji-related 'toolbox' (plugin) for these programs. I did not realise that he was the author of SPM and SMM themselves. Please tell him how much his efforts are appreciated out here.