Skip to Content

Poppy Kickstarter Project Aims to Turn the iPhone into a 3D Camera

by

Poppy is an iPhone accessory that looks like a cross between a set of binoculars and the View-Master toys designed for children. Poppy morphs the iPhone into a 3D image viewer and camera, which can be used to capture 3D videos and photos.

The device itself functions similarly to a View-Master, with two eyepieces to look through and a top slot where the iPhone is inserted. When the iPhone is firmly in place, Poppy can be used to record 3D photos and videos and view the 3D content that others have created via YouTube.

poppy
Poppy is capable of viewing YouTube's entire catalog of 3D content, and according to the creators, 3D content on Poppy looks much better than with traditional 3D glasses.

There are no electronics inside Poppy, which instead uses a system of mirrors to record two stereoscopic images through the iPhone's camera, which are then combined into one 3D image or video.

Poppy works with iPhone 4, 4S, iPhone 5 and the fifth generation iPod Touch. You put your phone in and Poppy's mirrors capture two stereographic images using your iPhone's single camera.

When you look in the viewfinder, Poppy's lenses combine the two video streams into a single, crisp, 3D video. It's beautiful, and really hard to describe or show in two dimensions.

It doesn’t need batteries and there are no electronics. It's just optics and your iPhone's camera and screen, so we can keep the price low without sacrificing quality.


While Poppy will come with a dedicated iOS app, any standard camera or video app (including Vine) will work with Poppy. Interested backers can get a single Poppy for $49, while a $59 Poppy Plus set provides a neck strap and a microfiber bag. Poppy is estimated to ship in December 2013.

Top Rated Comments

166 months ago
Reminds me of one of these things
Image (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xqxoJYtQB48/UYbKnDj05hI/AAAAAAAABus/G3HwYvSFBaA/s200/view+master.jpg)

Hence the VERY FIRST SENTENCE...
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
boshii Avatar
166 months ago
Reminds me of one of these things
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
0098386 Avatar
166 months ago
Even though the 3DS cameras are very low res, I find myself looking more through my 3DS photos than my iPhoto or SLR ones (once processed). Maybe I'm a sucker for 3D.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nagromme Avatar
166 months ago
3D is cool.

3D recording and playback for $49? Even better.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
166 months ago
Heard of the Hasbro My3D?

Available from Amazon for < $8US (but note that I don't believe the iPhone 5 fits in the My3D). But nice that they have optics for taking pics/videos.

http://www.hasbro.com/hasbromy3d/en_US/
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
166 months ago
And best of all, you can look like an utter moron for just $49!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple Released Seven New Products Today

Wednesday March 11, 2026 7:05 am PDT by
Starting today, the seven new Apple products that were announced last week are available at Apple Stores and beginning to arrive to customers. The colorful MacBook Neo and all of the other new products are on display at most Apple Store locations around the world starting today. Apple Stores have inventory of the new products for both walk-in customers and Apple Store pickup, but...
iOS 27 Mock Quick

10+ New Features Coming in iOS 27

Friday March 13, 2026 2:13 pm PDT by
We're only three months away from Apple's WWDC 2026 event, which will see the company unveil iOS 27. With the fully revamped version of Siri possibly delayed until September, iOS 27 is shaping up to be the update we wanted iOS 26 to be. There will be new Apple Intelligence features, updates for the iPhone Fold, and more, with the latest rumors summarized below. Foldable iPhone Features...
iOS 27 Mock Quick

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Be Like Mac OS X Snow Leopard

Sunday March 15, 2026 9:42 am PDT by
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated that iOS 27 will be similar to 2009's Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that one of Apple's biggest priorities is bug fixes for improved performance and stability. During WWDC 2008's State of the Union, Apple showed a slide that said Mac OS X Snow Leopard had "0 new features," as it opted to focus on performance and...