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The HTC Evo 3D starts revealing its claim to fame once you start using the camera. In some ways, it is a bit of a finally realisation, especially compared to the Optimus 3D, which trumpets many of the 3D functions in a more obvious way.
When you start the Camera app, you can flip the switch on the side of the phone from 2D to 3D. When you do, the screen flickers just a bit as the stereoscopic tech takes over. When holding the phone, you have to position the device at arm's length – about 12 inches or so from your eyes. Further away, and the 3D effect is not as obvious. Closer, and you go bug-eyed.
At the right distance, you can use the camera in 3D mode for long stretches, but we found that after about 30 minutes the headache will start.
Part of the skill of 3D photography is knowing how to set up the shot. For example, in photographing a car, the best results came when we angled the phone to capture a foreground object like a rear-view mirror and made the rest of the car look as though it is farther in the background. For straight-on people shots, 2D mode is best.
Oddly, the 3D camera, which consists of two lenses on the back of the phone, captures footage at 2MP per camera, even though they snap at 5MP for 2D shots. Presumably, this is to save on processing time and disk space. However, the Optimus 3D shoots in full camera-spec resolution. That said, the final 3D photos and videos look convincing and clear.
We also had no trouble with fuzzy images resulting from the phone moving around too much, since the auto-focus tends to work quite well.
ANGLES: The best 3D shots came after clever angling
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CLEAR: Shots are clear and convincing in 2D
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LAYERS: 3D images need to be considered for depth
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INDOORS: Colours are realistic in indoor shots
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LOW LIGHT: Colours are almost black-and-white in low light conditions
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In 2D mode, the Evo 3D offers many of the same features as any other HTC phone. You can apply digital effects such as a grayscale look or vintage. You can set manual white balance, use a timer, and add a geo-tag to any image. ISO speed runs from 100 up to 800.
