The state of shooting 3D on RED in 2025

[Lennert Müller]

I've been doing a lot of research about RED and recording stereoscopic 3D specifically. With 3D I don't mean VR content or "spatial video" but traditional 3D where you have 2 cameras shooting in sync. I hope that this post can help some people who are interested in shooting 3D.

Q: Why should I still care about 3D?
A: There is a fixed limit to how good 2D content can look. Even with 8K televisions, OLED, and 240hz displays which are becoming normal in the pc gaming scene, nothing can top the realism, immersion, and detail of real 3D content.

Q: Why shouldn't I just record VR content then?
A: As long as working full-time is the norm I don't see VR taking off. People just don't have the time to put on a 3D headset every evening and consume content. Market demand for VR devices confirms this. But you could consume 3D content every day on the train/bus to work, if they just put glasses-free 3D displays in phones again. VR headsets before the Apple Vision Pro also didn't have the resolution to look as good as traditional 3D.

Table of contents
1. Camera comparison
2. Sensor comparison
3. Monitoring 3D on set
4. Syncing the focus between cameras
5. Compatible beamsplitters
6. Cost of entry

1. Camera comparison
RED One M and RED One MX:
- High weight of 10lbs per camera (BRAIN)
- Uses a USB 2.0 connection for Master/Slave operation
- The size of the camera limits the options for compatible beamsplitters
- Genlock is required for shutter sync, forum users complain about the camera shutters not syncing correctly
- Forum users complain about pixel offsets between cameras that need to be corrected in post
- Downsides:
1. Weight makes handheld operation impossible even without a beamsplitter
2. The higher cost that you need to spend on a bigger beamsplitter or tripod is not worth it because of the problems with shooting 3D on the RED One, just go for DSMC1 cameras

RED Epic-X, RED Epic-M and RED Scarlet (DSMC1):
- Weight 5lbs per camera (BRAIN)
- Uses a Gigabit Ethernet connection for Master/Slave operation, proprietary lemo connector
- Purpose built for shooting 3D, many 3D movies were shot on RED Epics
- I suspect that there are pixel offsets in the Epic-M like with the RED One since it is hand assembled and wasn't mass-produced
- Genlock is required for shutter sync

RED DSMC2:
- Weight 3lbs per camera (BRAIN) + 1lbs for accessory with Gig-E port with cables
- Uses a Gigabit Ethernet connection for Primary/Replica operation, proprietary lemo connector (note that the term Master/Slave operation was avoided because it is discriminatory)
Since the body doesn't have the Gig-E port you need one of the following:
RED Jetpack SDI (0.5lbs)
RED DSMC2 Production Module (2lbs)
RED DSMC2 REDVOLT Expander (2.2lbs)
Important: If you have a side-by-side 3D rig, using anything else than the Jetpack SDI on the left eye camera will limit your options for convergence. There is no way to get audio into the camera with the Jetpack SDI.
- Genlock is required for shutter sync
- If you only want to shoot 3D content with a beamsplitter the Raven is a good idea

RED DSMC2 Ranger:
- Weight 7.5lbs per camera body (BRAIN)
- The operation guide says that DSMC2 Ranger cameras can be used with a normal DSMC2 camera if they have the same sensor.

RED DSMC3:
- Operation guide doesn't mention anything about 3D or Primary/Replica operation, so you need to configure the same settings on both cameras before recording and start recording manually on both cameras
- Genlock is required for shutter sync
- Third-party tools available for easier dual-camera 3D operation (license costs)
- Compatible with the RF-mount Canon dual-fisheye lenses for VR, however those don't allow you to change the convergence or IOD
- Global shutter is a big advantage

2. Sensor comparison
Important: Sensor noise can be especially unpleasant in 3D footage but also give a dreamy/dizzying look. Using a beamsplitter also makes you lose 1 stop of light. Whilst cutting-edge AI tools to fix noise without softening the image are becoming common, the license costs and the additional workflow steps are something that you need to keep in mind.

Mysterium Sensor (RED ONE M):
- Low base ISO of 320
- Personally I think that there is something in the image that makes me uncomfortable but idk how to describe it

Mysterium-X Sensor (RED ONE M-X, Scarlet, Epic-X, Epic-M):
- Looks like film, really good sensor even today
- Dynamic range doesn't quite hold up with newer sensors

Dragon Sensor (Scarlet, Epic-X, Epic-M, RAVEN, SCARLET-W, WEAPON):
- Looks more digital, gives you extra detail for 3D footage especially useful for filming in environments like forests
- The sensor noise is mainly red while the noise on the other sensors is spread evenly between the RGB colors, this may be unplesant in 3D footage

Other sensors:
Mostly excellent, comes down to personal preference and budget

3. Monitoring 3D on set
You need some way to monitor the IOD and convergence on set. Recheck it if you switch between closeups and normal shots.

One-person operation:
If you have a side-by-side rig you can use a small monitor on each camera and just squint your eyes until the images overlap. If you have a wide IOD you need to bring the monitors closer together by mounting them on a cheese rod or something. The RED non-touch 5.6" LCD for the RED One looks awful if you are a little off-axis, meaning it can't be used for that.
Alternatively you can get two EVFs each with a really long cable and just hold one EVF up to each of your eyes. This looks really funny to everyone else but you can't do it while moving.

4. Syncing the focus between cameras
The professional 3D rigs and beamsplitters from Element Technica offer synced focus adjustment.

However if you throw together a more basic side-by-side rig you need to think of a more creative solution or just manually set the focus on both cameras and don't change focus during shots.

5. Compatible beamsplitters

Since the cameras and lenses are quite large, the width of one camera is higher than the spacing between our eyes. This can be uncomfortable to look at especially for close up shots. Beamsplitters are used to overcome this limitation.
However using a beamsplitter is not mandatory. They are heavy and cost a lot. If you use ultra wide angle lenses with a beamsplitter you will have black corners in your image. You can work around most problems that come with not using a beamsplitter by repositioning your subject and adjusting the convergence.

Here is a table of some professional beamsplitters for filmmaking:

Product name​	Weight​	Still produced today​	Comment​
3ality Technica Quasar	46lbs	No	Fits bigger cameras like the RED One
3ality Technica Atom	19lbs	No
3ality Technica TS-5	17lbs	No
STEREOTEC Mid-Size Rig	41lbs	Yes	Fits bigger cameras like the RED One
STEREOTEC Light Weight Rig	20lbs	Yes
PDMOVIE 3D Air Smart	3lbs	Yes	Max load less than 7lbs per camera + lens, so not compatible with RED One or DSMC1 cameras

From what I've seen online the beamsplitters from 3ality Technica are the ones that were most widely used in cinema production and they also look very advanced. It's sad that they aren't made anymore.

6. Cost of entry
Minimum cost of entry for a side-by-side rig if you buy everything used:
- RED Hydrogen One (lens integrated): about 400€
- RED One M: about 3000€
- RED One MX: about 3500€
- Scarlet: about 4000€
- Epic: about 5000€
- Raven: about 5000€
- Scarlet-W: about 6000€
- Dragon-X 5K: about 9000€
- Dragon-X 6K: about 11000€
- Gemini: about 13000€
- Monstro: about 25000€
- Komodo-X: about 15000€
- V-Raptor [X]: about 60000€
Remember you probably want to find stereo matched lenses (big $$ since nobody cares anymore)
Once in a while a 3D beamsplitter is for sale somewhere but be prepared to wait a year or two for finding a good deal.

This is my first post here on the forum. If I got anything wrong, please tell me and I'll update my post. I'd like to talk about 3D with someone. Feel free to respond to this post.

 

[Phil Holland]

I'll subtly underline that Komodo, Komodo-X, and V-Raptor [X] are currently alarmingly useful when filming single lens or beam splitter setups due to their global shutter.

I own several beam splitters and V-Raptor [X] by a notable margin is the best camera on the market for this setup/application. Same for my multi-camera array rigs.

I haven't had to deal with rolling shutter compensation for multiple cameras this decade. Really big deal. Big cost savings and time savings when it comes down to it.

Lenses, I could write a book on that, but as I've written somewhere on REDuser before, I profile each camera + lens combination. Time spent in prep will save a great deal of time in post.

 

[Lennert Müller]

I'll subtly underline that Komodo, Komodo-X, and V-Raptor [X] are currently alarmingly useful when filming single lens or beam splitter setups due to their global shutter.

I own several beam splitters and V-Raptor [X] by a notable margin is the best camera on the market for this setup/application. Same for my multi-camera array rigs.

I haven't had to deal with rolling shutter compensation for multiple cameras this decade. Really big deal. Big cost savings and time savings when it comes down to it.

Lenses, I could write a book on that, but as I've written somewhere on REDuser before, I profile each camera + lens combination. Time spent in prep will save a great deal of time in post.

Thanks for your input. I always had a passion for 3D and got interested in RED because of the Hydrogen One. I haven't had the chance to use one of the DSMC3 cameras since I work in IT and this is more of a hobby for me. But yeah I can imagine rolling shutter skew being annoying to deal with in 3D footage. I'll update my previous post accordingly.

 

[Karim D. Ghantous]

Lennert, it's interseting that you are posting about stereo photography. Just recently, I bought a Fujifilm Finepix Real 3D camera. It has a 3x zoom and a stereo display (but no EVF). It's much more useful than the Hydrogen, although the screen is half the size. I really do like stereophotography, but the shame is that not many people have easy ways to view stereo images.

The Hydrogen doesn't show MPO files (generated by the Fuji), and when you change them to 2x1.jpeg, they get stretched. I might eventually buy either the Fujifilm V1 viewer, or a Lume Pad.

I own several beam splitters and V-Raptor [X] by a notable margin is the best camera on the market for this setup/application. Same for my multi-camera array rigs.

I thought that cameras could by synchronised, whether or not the shutter was rolling or global. In fact you'd still need some kind of synch either way, right?

And, is a beam splitter something like this?:

Leica Stereoly VORSA stereo attachment | AI_35_37660

rare first type VORSA stereo attachment with black paint arm and fixed viewfinder mask, no serial number engraving in front, in beautiful condition, incl. leather case

www.leitz-auction.com

A final thought: everyone has a camera with them these days. So, those who want to stand out should carry a stereo camera. That's worth a thought.

 

[Lennert Müller]

Lennert, it's interseting that you are posting about stereo photography. Just recently, I bought a Fujifilm Finepix Real 3D camera. It has a 3x zoom and a stereo display (but no EVF). It's much more useful than the Hydrogen, although the screen is half the size. I really do like stereophotography, but the shame is that not many people have easy ways to view stereo images.

The Hydrogen doesn't show MPO files (generated by the Fuji), and when you change them to 2x1.jpeg, they get stretched. I might eventually buy either the Fujifilm V1 viewer, or a Lume Pad.



I thought that cameras could by synchronised, whether or not the shutter was rolling or global. In fact you'd still need some kind of synch either way, right?

And, is a beam splitter something like this?:

Leica Stereoly VORSA stereo attachment | AI_35_37660

rare first type VORSA stereo attachment with black paint arm and fixed viewfinder mask, no serial number engraving in front, in beautiful condition, incl. leather case

www.leitz-auction.com

A final thought: everyone has a camera with them these days. So, those who want to stand out should carry a stereo camera. That's worth a thought.

Hi, it's nice to see someone who is also interested in the RED Hydrogen One. The Leica thing you posted is some old device to view 3D pictures. Kinda like VR glasses but you put a small print of the left eye and right eye picture in each part and then put it on your head. Really basic and no electronics. I have edited the previous post with a section about beamsplitters.

Here is an example of how a 3D beamsplitter rig can look in practice:

Here is a video about how they made The Hobbit in 3D:

 

[Karim D. Ghantous]

Here is an example of how a 3D beamsplitter rig can look in practice:

Oh, okay, so that's what a beam splitter is. Now I understand.

I presume that the cameras are slightly offset? Also, what are the limitations in terms of wide angle lenses? And, which do you prefer: side-by-side cameras, or a beam splitter?

 

[Lennert Müller]

Oh, okay, so that's what a beam splitter is. Now I understand.

I presume that the cameras are slightly offset? Also, what are the limitations in terms of wide angle lenses? And, which do you prefer: side-by-side cameras, or a beam splitter?

Yes, the cameras are slightly offset.

The limit on most beamsplitters is between 16-20mm Super35 coverage, which is about 24-30mm on full-frame. Lenses like the Laowa 10mm f2.8 FF won't work. For reasons I haven't understood yet, there is also a limit to how long the focal length can be. The 3ality Technica Quasar can take up to 250mm lenses. This might also have to do with the front diameter of the lens (there is also a limit to that).

I haven't had the chance to film with two RED cameras or a beamsplitter, so I can't say what is better. I have just looked up a lot of information online and compiled it into this post, to help people decide if they can afford getting into 3D filmmaking on RED. For professional productions a beamsplitter is probably better since it adds remote control for the IOD and convergence. But I imagine that it's too complex to operate if you are shooting alone.

In the end, you can do 3D photography on any camera (if the subject isn't moving). Just take a photo, then move a few centimeters and take the photo for the other eye. You can't do that for video. Apps like 3DSteroid on Android let you easily combine the photos for cross-eye viewing and automatically align them too.

 

[dwjackson]

Hi Lennert, This is my first post as well.

I have been attempting to get two KomodoOG's to trigger simultaneously for quite some time.
It seems to me that this should be fairly straight forward but this hasn't proved to be the case.

For timecode sync I have used two Tentacle Sync E's and for genlock I use an Aja Gen 10.
This arrangement works fine and the TC and GL indicators all show green indicating full sync is working.
I use a Mutiny R/S button with a splitter that goes to either 9 pin EXT and 3 pin Fisher ports.
My problem is that these don't actually trigger frame accurate run/stop.
The start times are usually 1 to 6 frames out and the clip durations are different between cameras.
Mutiny tells me that this is unfortunately the case, even with their Mini Array power and R/S box.
I tried pre-roll and non pre-roll and that didn't make any difference.

I am using DaVinci Resolve 19 to create a 3D stereo clip from the two clips which it will do successfully.
Before I create the stereo pair I can see that the two clips have different durations
so I am not confident that the two clips are properly aligned when converted to 3D clips.
BTW, I am using 4K at 60 fps for my camera project settings.

I even bought two Komodo Link adapters and connected the USB C cables to USC C to Ethernet adapters
with a short ethernet cable as was the advice for the DSMC 2 cameras.
When I checked the Komodo menu I saw that there was no master/slave functionality as there was on DSMC 2 cameras.

Perhaps Red could add this functionality to the DSMC 3 cameras : )

I even purchased the Red Control Pro app to see if that might work but I haven't had any luck getting the Komodo's
to show up in the app. I have reached out to Micheal to see if he can advise me.
I think I am missing something simple here with my WiFi communication settings...

This is where I stand at the moment so If anyone has any other suggestions I would love to know.
I imagine there are a few others who might be attempting the same thing : )

Thanks in Advance
Daniel Jackson

 

[Alex Zeder]

When you create a 3D clip in Resolve, it will automatically align and trim the left/right clips along timecode if it is present in the two clips. I do not even use a synced R/S of any kind, all manually triggered on the cams.
Outside of 3D clips, on a normal timeline you can align them with Clip - Auto Align Clips, then sync using Timecode and finally trim them to the shorter of the two.

 

[MoonLightStudio]

Thank you, Lennert Muller, for this insightful article and valuable information about 3D & cameras. It's a fantastic resource for the new generation stepping into this field!

Facebook | TikTok | YouTube | Instagram |

 

[dwjackson]

When you create a 3D clip in Resolve, it will automatically align and trim the left/right clips along timecode if it is present in the two clips. I do not even use a synced R/S of any kind, all manually triggered on the cams.
Outside of 3D clips, on a normal timeline you can align them with Clip - Auto Align Clips, then sync using Timecode and finally trim them to the shorter of the two.

Alex to the rescue! Thanks Alex. You just answered my question on how Resolve handles the 3D clips as well. Given that the Komodo is global shutter, do you think adding genlock (for shutter sync) is actually necessary. I shoot primarily in the mountains so any reduction in gear and power is a bonus.

 

[Alex Zeder]

Yes, genlock is necessary - unless you shoot the mountains only with slow pans and no birds flying through
I'm using a single Ambient Lockit for this, provides both TC + genlock connected to two Komodos with a Y-cable.

 

[dwjackson]

Thanks for the tip on the Ambient Lockit. Yes, there will be movement... birds and flying climbers on ropes : )

 

[Alex Zeder]

If the climbers are flying vertically, the global shutter will at least help with that