Technology is exciting this day and age, there’s no doubt about it. Take our phones, for example. We went from the age of taking low-quality, blurry VGA-resolution photos of 1.3 MP to the excellence that smartphone cameras are now. And you don’t even have to shell out a $1000 or more to get a decent camera on the back, or even on the front.
So, what’s the reason for that? You might have guessed it – the competition between brands, forcing each other to be better with every year. And we as customers truly appreciate its existence, especially when our social media presence is in question.
What is a Facebook 3D photo?
You should already be aware of Facebook, which is by far the most used social media network, and in the spotlight for more than a decade. And if you’re familiar with the way it works, you’ll know that a plethora of images will show up in your feed as you scroll down. But as of recently, some of those images seem to come alive, and almost seem to protrude through the screen to your eye. That’s the newest feature that Facebook has rolled out at the end of 2018, and exactly what a 3D photo is.
What makes 3D photos possible?
Do you need VR or any special tools and products in order to capture them? How much does it all cost, and is an investment in gear involved? Those are the common questions of people that are surprised by the way 3D photos look. Let us put your mind at ease – nothing of the sorts is required. In fact, you probably have everything you need right in your hand, or on the table near you. We’re, of course, talking about your smartphone that most likely has a dual-camera setup on the back.
And it will be exactly that specification that makes everything possible. You know about Portrait mode already, the one that automatically makes every selfie you do stand out? The background will be blurred, and the foreground, e.g. your beautiful face, will stay sharp and detailed. Facebook uses that technology and does their magic behind the scenes to generate a breath-taking Facebook 3D Photo. to be precise, Facebook will use the native “depth maps” your Camera app creates in Portrait Mode. Then, it will generate a 3D photo that changes perspective as you tilt your iPhone.
Can my iPhone create 3D photos?
As we mentioned, the fact that you don’t need anything else except a smartphone with a dual-lens setup is the best part. This means that if you’re an owner of an iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XS, you can start posting and viewing 3D photos right away.
How to post Facebook 3D photos with my iPhone?
Thankfully, Facebook has had every type of user in mind, so they made the process as easy and intuitive as possible. Here’s what you have to do.
- Open the Facebook app on your iPhone from the app drawer or Home screen.
- You should see a text box on top of your Facebook feed, so tap on the sentence What’s on your mind?
- A camera roll of the latest photos you’ve taken should show up, but if it doesn’t, look for the Add to your post text at the bottom.
- Find 3D Photo on the list and tap it. It might be all the way down below normal images, locations, friend tags, emojis, and other options.
- Choose the image that’s created via a Portrait Mode on your Camera app. Facebook will start rendering the 3D Photo so you need to wait.
- When the processing is complete, tap Next.
- Enjoy your 3D Photo in private by moving the iPhone or iPad around, or post it as a status for your friends to see!
My iPhone is capable, why can’t I create 3D photos?
While this might be a rare occurrence in 2019, it happens to people that didn’t update their iPhone, or for unknown reasons. The solution is easy, and it involves nothing else than liking a Facebook page. Here’s what you have to do.
- Launch the Facebook App on your iPhone.
- Search for or click the link to open a Facebook 360 page.
- Exit out of the Facebook App and go back to your Home screen.
- Re-open the Facebook app and try to add a 3D photo following the steps above.
360 vs 3D Facebook Photos
At this point, you might get confused. What does 360 have to do with 3D? Well, not a lot, except both are incredible feats of photography and videography. Facebook 360 essentially represents 360 degrees or a full circle. This means you can post one picture that’s actually composed of seamlessly connected images. Then, you can you can simply spin in any direction via touch or your computer mouse. It’s something you have to see to fall in love with, rather than read a description of it. 3D photos, on the other hand, give a sense of depth and life on a completely flat screen of your smartphone.
Why can’t I see Facebook 3D photos on my computer?
Some people report still not being able to see 3D Photos on Facebook on their Mac computer, while they work perfectly on their smartphone. We’ll put your mind at ease – that’s most likely the issue of Facebook updates. After all, your monitor uses the same type of screen in most cases, only much bigger in diameter. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do, except wait for the Facebook updates to reach you, and view and post 3D images on your iPhone in the meantime.
Facebook 3D photos tips, and tricks
Here are some useful tricks while using Facebook 3D photos features. If you are just getting started with these functions, you might find this helpful.
Contrast
Don’t worry, you won’t need to be a professional photographer, or tweak any settings for the most basic use. Just use logic in order to get the best-looking results. As you might realize, if the object or subject in the foreground has the same colors as the background, it simply won’t stand out as much. That means if you’re wearing a yellow shirt in front of a yellow-painted wall, the effect of 3D won’t be as noticeable as it should be, so try and correct that.
Texture
In essence, you still depend on the sensors and focusing features of your smartphone cameras, no matter how talented and creative you are. For that reason, try and take pictures of objects that have clearly defined edges. Anything with a shine or fluid or transparent can cause issues in the depth sensor, and produce mediocre or outright bad results.
Layers
Most people take pictures of two objects – one in the foreground, and the background that’s single-colored or simply boring. But you’re not like most people, right? For the best 3D Facebook pictures that will attract a massive audience, try and include multiple things at a different distance. For example, your dog closest to the camera, then a flower in a flowerpot, or maybe a lamp, or a chair, and then the final background – a wall, most commonly. This will create an interesting image that’s more complex and has multiple things to look at.
What does future hold for Facebook 3D Photos?
While this is just a fun thing to do and share with your friends, it will evolve into much more as time goes on, undeniably. It’s obvious that brands and companies will try and take advantage of this interesting feature to promote or market their products or services. If it’s interesting at this point, imagine how captivating it will be for selling basketballs, vacuums, home decor and furniture, and a wide variety of other things. For that reason, it’s guaranteed that the future is packed with improvements and application of 3D photos, and we simply can’t wait to see what it brings next.