Facebook is moving standard posts from a “flat” presentation to a more immersive experience with a 3D photo feature.
If you have an iPhone with dual cameras then you can create and share 3D images through your News Feed as well as virtual reality headsets.
The social media giants says the feature allows users to “share your memories and moments in time with a fun, lifelike dimension in both News Feed and VR. With technology that captures the distance between the subject in the foreground and the background, 3D photos bring scenes to life with depth and movement.”
Facebook originally announced the feature in May but only in the last few days brought it to users. More devices beyond iPhones will be added, Facebook notes.
For Facebook’s 3D Photos, you’ll need to have the iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. Look for the feature to come to Android phones with dual-camera setup soon.
Here’s how the process works, according to Facebook:
1. Create layers
3D Photos use the depth maps that are stored with “Portrait” photos taken on iPhone 7+, 8+, X or XS. You’ll get the best results if your main subject is three or four feet away, and to really make it pop, try to capture scenes with multiple layers of depth, including something in the foreground and something in the background—like a shot of your family standing in a field of flowers.
2. Keep contrast in mind.
You’ll get more of the 3D effect when your photo’s subject has contrasting colors—for example, someone wearing a blue shirt standing in front of a blue wall won’t pop as much as someone wearing a different color.
3. Use texture.
Some materials and subjects make better 3D photos than others. You’ll get the best results from subjects that have some texture to them, have solid edges, and aren’t too shiny. Try to avoid transparent objects like clear plastic or glass, as they aren’t always accurately captured by depth sensors.
According to The Verge, the feature “basically … draws from the depth map that’s automatically created by dual-camera phones, then adds some custom software tweaks that create a more realistic image. The vast majority of people will see these photos on other phones, but you can also view them on the Oculus Go VR headset’s web browser, or Firefox on the Oculus Rift.”
Tips & Tricks
• Scenes with multiple layers of depth work much better (the more contrast, the better).
• Different textures work really well, too
You can get more details at Facebook’s announcement post.
