Why use the MArCEL Close-up Adapter?

Features of the MARCEL Close-up Adapter

Which cameras is it suitable for?

What is MArCEL?

MArCEL  is a camera attachment which allows you to create 3D close-up shots with a digital 3D camera.

The name “MArCEL” is an acronym and is based on “Mirror Arrangement for Close-ups in Extended (Camera) Limits”.

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Why use the MArCEL close-up Adapter?

Fuji Real 3D W1 and W3 Stereo Cameras have a stereoscopic base (Lens Separation) of 77 mm and 75 mm, respectively. This is excellent for shots at a distance of 1.5 meters or more. Closer shots will rarely be “functional” 3D pictures, depending on the overall deph captured in the image.

 
Background information: At such close distances, the horizotal shift between foreground and background, between the right and left image (which make up the stereoscopic photo) is more than the human brain can easily handle, thus not being able to join the two images to a coherent 3D impression. This may result in discomfort or hadache while looking at such images; in any case, it prevents us from enjoying.

To address this problem, we have developed MArCEL. The MArCEL Close-up Adapter will reduce the lens separation to app. 32 mm. This makes portraits of people, shots of flowers, insects, technical and scientific detail shots, etc. possible.
The risk of image disintegration is greatly reduced when using MARCEL. However, it is still present, at a much lower level.

Note: The DSC-W1 Fujifilm Real 3D camera is able to focus on a minimum distance of 0.4 meters. Fuji Real 3D W3 can get even closer, at approx 0.25 m.

Features of the MArCEL Close-up Adapter

The MArCEL Close-up Adapter is designed for easy handling with minimum restrictions of all camera functions and maximum performance in the tele zoom range. At the same time, focus was placed on a rugged design at low cost.

Handling: Attach the MArCEL Close-up Adapter to the tripod screw mount on the bottom of the camera, zoom in to the maximum - these are the only steps necessary for successful close-ups in the range of about 0.35 - 1.5 m.

Camera functions: Of course, no interference with the camera itself is necessary. The camera can regularly be turned on and off while the MArCEL Close-Up Adapter is installed; no external flash unit is necessary for flash shots, video recording is possible, including sound, since the two microphones are not obstructed, Parallax setting and all camera functions operated on the back side of your camera will not be affected. The auto focus feature of the camera will work as usual.

 
The only restrictions are

1. you can only shoot in “Tele” zoom setting and 1-2 levels below without image cropping
2. Memory card and camera battery cannot be retrieved while MArCEL Close-up Adapter is installed.

Performance in the telephoto range: At maximum telephoto setting, images at a scale of app. 1:3 are possible. Please note however that these shots will not be possible with backgrounds too far from main focus.

Robustness: All external parts of the MArCEL Close-Up Adapteres are made of metal, with a robust surface coating. The mirrors can be cleaned with simple means (e.g. standard lens cleaning cloths).

Compact dimensions: Never in the history of stereoscopy was it possible to build such a compact device for three-dimensional close-ups: Camera with installed Adapter are as small as 125 x 105 x 65 mm (5” x 4.1” x 2,6”)

Fine adjustment of the mirror: Two small set screws to adjust the mirrors to compensate height differences. MArCEL Close-up Adapters come with this adjustmant made.

We have deliberately avoided an encapsulation of the mirror chamber to reduce the number of air-to-glass and glass-to-air transitions and to avoid problems with condensation water, etc..

 
Treatment of the images: We strongly recommend to post-process your images with either COSIMA, Stereo Photo Maker (freeware), or equivalent softwares in order to compensate small differences between LH and RH image. This will increase your viewing comfort largely.