No 3D in 'U2 3D' without binocular vision

The new film, 'U2 3D,' depicts the mega-popular rock band in concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is shot all in 3D, but to someone without normal, binocular vision, the 3D effect is somewhat meaningless.

(Credit: U2 3D)

After months of hearing about it, I finally went to see the new film, U2 3D today, full of anticipation that for the first time in my life, I would be able to actually see the 3D effects in a film.

A little background: I have strabismus, better known to some as "lazy eye," a condition that, among other things, means that I don't have normal, binocular vision, like most people.

In daily life, this condition means very little. I can drive, hit a baseball, probably even fly a plane. I do see a little bit differently in each eye, but basically, it makes no difference.

Where it has always made a difference, however, is with 3D films. Historically, when I would go to such a film, I would put on those ugly glasses with the red and blue lenses, and I wouldn't be able to see the 3D effect because of my lack of binocular vision, which the 3D technology depends on.

But when I wrote a story last year about the emergence of a new era of 3D cinema technology, I was told by one of the people I interviewed for the story that there was a high degree of likelihood that this time around, I would join the masses in getting the benefit.

And that's why I was excited as I walked into San Francisco's Metreon IMAX theater this morning for a press screening of U2 3D.

Alas, for me, at least, my excitement proved unwarranted.

From the first minutes of the film--which, I must say, is quite spectacular, especially on an IMAX screen--I wondered whether I was seeing what my seatmates were seeing.

The film is spectacular, and on an IMAX screen, it is truly larger than life.

(Credit: U2 3D)

There was little question that the film was larger than life and that the imagery on the screen was big, explosive, and more lively than I'm used to seeing in films. And, to be sure, when I took off the special glasses--no, they're not red and blue--I did see double. But if I closed one eye or the other, I saw the same thing that I was seeing with both eyes open.

But I felt pretty sure I was missing something. So when the film was over, I asked my friend, who had been seated with me, if she felt she experienced 3D imagery.

Absolutely, was her unequivocal answer: No question that what she saw was 3D and that the film jumped off her screen in a way that normal films do not.

For me, I guess I got a hint of it. A few times, when something in the film was right in front of the camera, I got the sense of 3D. Some examples were shots taken right behind audience members. I will admit that it felt like they were right in front of me.

And a more visceral moment was a scene when U2 lead singer Bono stands in front of the camera, singing into it with his hand outstretched. That felt much more three-dimensional than anything else I could remember.

But that was about it. It makes me wonder why I would get these small tastes of 3D but that, for the most part, I wouldn't experience it.

Either way, I come away a little depressed and with dashed hopes. I had honestly been hoping that my condition would be made moot by the new technology and that for the first time, I would get to have the same viewing pleasure at a 3D film as everyone else.

But I guess not. I suppose I'll just have to keep waiting for the next generation. Until then, I'll just go on enjoying movies the way I always have.

And by the way, U2 3D is quite the film, 3D or no 3D. Go see it.

[yipcanjo]

I hear ya, brother...

How about those Magic Eye puzzles? I can't do those either. Lame!<br /><br />Here's hoping that I'm still able to view the U2 3D movie in all it's (intended) glory!! :)

[james968]

Magic Puzzle

I can stare at those forever, but never see ANYTHING. It is so <br />frustrating.

[Sandtigrr]

Used to be me too

Just an FYI from someone that has dealt with the same issue <br />until early last year (35 years of binocular vision) it can be fixed. <br />Depending on your insurance plan they can fix this with eye <br />surgery. I had surgery done a year ago which straightened my <br />left eye and after using a eye patch while healing restored my <br />vision to true stereo vision. <br /><br />The trick is to keep the eye patch on your good eye periodically <br />thru the course of the day as you "bad" eye heals from the <br />surgery. If you don't do this then your eyes will go back to the <br />same method of seeing even tho the one eye is now straight.<br /><br />RE: Pain Levels from surgery<br />There was very little pain but it does require you to have <br />someone guide you around for the first 24 hours because you <br />can not open your eyes (due to pain when trying to focus). I <br />realized this was no longer an issue when I saw a 3d film at <br />disney last summer. Another benefit is finally having true depth <br />perception! :)

[kirkmc1]

Surgery

Surgery may work, depending on how sever the strabismus is. If <br />it's quite large, they'll operate; if not, they won't. I've consulted <br />with surgeons, and in most cases, they say, it's a "micro-<br />strabismus", one that can't be noticed when looking at someone. <br />When it's more severe, it generally gets corrected early in life.

[FranticBlagger64]

Sorry

It's like an editor telling he/she didn't hear stereo, while admitting being deaf in one ear.

[soggy0]

Never 3D without binocular vision

I'm sorry that you felt you were misled, and sorry that you have "lazy eye". But there can and will never be a way to convey _stereoscopic_ 3D vision to someone who cannot make the two images in the eyes correspond correctly. There are other forms of 3D perception. The human vision system gets its full sense of 3D depth and curvature from a variety of "cues" such as: shading, haziness, size-differences, textures, motion and occlusion, and reflections. So, while you experience many of these cues in normal life, giving a sense of three dimensionality, a movie viewed with one eye (or with one non-lazy eye) cannot perceive stereoscopic depth.

[SJ2571]

Agreed

The writer said: "I'll just have to keep waiting for the next generation." Don't hold your breath. You'll never be seeing true stereoscopic 3D without two fully-functioning eyeballs. Sad, but true.

[tektaktyks]

omfg

oh,im so sorry,there are people dying from hunger,war and other things around the world..but im really sorry about your condition,why don't you write more articles about your problem,i am very interested in it...

[james968]

Have it also, I ONCE saw something in 3d........

I have strobismus also. I was once looking at a static Hologram <br />that (I think) Samsung setup in the Austin airport, and that was <br />the only time I've ever seen anything 3d.<br /><br />I'm glad that the other guy got his 3d vision back. I saw a <br />doctor about 2 years ago and he said that it would be impossible <br />to adapt to use binocular vision, even if he corrected my eyes. <br /><br />(It was a little strange sitting in the waiting room, everyone there <br />was a mom and kid, I was mid-30 guy sitting alone).

[kirkmc1]

Amblyopia

Actually, you have - as do I - amblyopia, which is called lazy eye. It <br />is _caused_ by strabismus.<br /><br />Yes, like you, I've always wanted to see things in 3D. While there <br />have been some cases of people with amblyopia recovering some <br />of their lost vision through vision therapy, it's not yet very common <br />for people to even try.

[drumtoad]

Indie band rocks 3D like U2

U2 isn't the only band doing 3D these days. Check out Atlanta indie <br />rockers [golden] at their website, www.goldentheband.com. Shot by <br />Eric Deren of Dzinlite studios, [golden] has released the video of <br />the first single off their upcoming album as a 3D video. "Shine" was <br />shot early on a Saturday morning and shows that you don't have to <br />be a huge rock star with a major budget to do a 3D vide

[nzz1]

I feel for you too. I go to see 3D films at the cinema occasionally (last one I saw was Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3D, before that, Spy Kids 3D), each time hoping that I'll be able to see it clearly with the red-cyan glasses. But I can't. :( <br /><br />The real kicker though? I don't even have any visual defects. Every year at my eye checkup, the optometrist tells me I have perfect (or very near) 20/20 vision; no short/longsightedness, no blurriness, no strabismus, no colour blindness, none of it. Yet I still am completely unable to see 3D films properly. What I see is an image that's washed-out with a brown tint, and doubled. And after only a couple of minutes of looking at it, trying to see the 3D effect, is more than enough to have my eyes watering and giving me a massive headache. Maybe my sense of depth perception is off somehow? Don't they check that in the average high-street opticians?