Ever wondered how you could get your Android-powered smartphone to take 3D videos? The folks at China-based Weeview Inc. definitely did, and they have come up with an innovative accessory that can aid your Android smartphone in capturing 3D videos.
Meet the Eye-Plug, a USB-C accessory that can be plugged into your Android smartphone with ease and adds one more camera sensor to the device.
"With the phone camera, you can begin to enjoy the different conventional way of shooting," notes the company about the double-lens photography feature the Eye-Plug offers Android users.
The Eye-Plug features a reversible lens that pivots to become either a front-facing or a rear-facing camera. The accessory essentially combines the front- and rear-facing cameras of the smartphone with its own photo-taking abilities to generate a stereoscopic-type image.
The Eye-Plug from Weeview is a nifty accessory that is compact and feather-light - it only weighs 6 grams (0.21 grams). The company asserts that the portable accessory gives on-the-go users the option of having something that offers great depth of field, but does not make their smartphone bulky.
It is made from ABS + PC material and sports a fun tangerine color (among other hues). It has an f/2.0 aperture and offers support for HD resolution at 30 fps. The accessory is compatible with smartphones running Android 4.4.2 or above.
Users can switch the focus and adjust the the depth of field while taking photos and even apply selective focus after shooting.
Since the Eye-Plug is only compatible with smartphones that support a USB-C connection, those with an old handset are out of luck.
Another disadvantage of the accessory is that the image quality it generates may not be at par with that of one's smartphone's camera. Moreover, since the sensors are not equal, the color accuracy could be an issue.
However, for those looking to shoot 3D videos that can be viewed on Google Cardboard, the Eye-Plug does the job.
Currently, the model Weeview showed off at Computex 2016 is a prototype, so the company could potentially be making more tweaks.
The final version is anticipated to launch later this year and a spokesperson disclosed to Engadget that the Eye-Plug would set consumers back around $35 when it hits the shelves.
Weeview does not have an iOS-compatible version of the Eye-Plug yet, but it is reportedly in the works.
