It looks like the hipsters at Luxottica have decided to thrust awesomeness upon us with Ray Ban 3-D glasses! We get the glorious eye-wear news thanks to the professionals at Variety:
As DreamWorks Animation, Disney and other studios ramp up production of 3-D films, a newly formed company called D-mented Entertainment has teamed with Ray-Ban maker Luxottica Group and 3-D technological company Kerner Optical to launch a designer line of 3-D eyewear for the masses. The company is banking on the idea that the public will shell out money for frames that will be higher quality and more stylish than the cardboard tossaways given out free in theaters. The stereoscopically enhanced 3-D glasses will be mounted in Wayfarer frames and should be ready for sale late this year.
The technological production of the glasses will be spearheaded by Kerner Optical founding partner Yuska Siuicki, who thinks designer lenses will eventually become as commonplace as cell phones. “You will be using these high-end Ray-Ban glasses at home, on your computer and TV, and then you’ll stick them in your pocket and take them to the theater,” Siuicki said. “They are much more comfortable than what is out there now, and the lenses will soon be available in prescription. This space is exploding.”
HOLY FUCK! This rules! I am pumped about the onslaught of 3-D films that are coming down the pipe and look forward to seeing as many as possible. I love the 3-D experience. It’s fun, communal and glorious.
In the past, I have kicked around the idea of hunting out the possibility of custom 3-D glasses. My dreams have been birthed upon the earth, and soon we will all be able to get our own 3-D glasses! A solid, sturdy pair of spectacles can only enhance the experience; and owning a pair will add to your geek cred. For those of you in need of prescription – the option will finally be available.
This is fantastic news, I am excited and interested in scooping up a pair when they become available. No word yet on what the pricing will be, but we will be sure to keep you posted when the details are loosed!
http://www.bigsky3d.com
http://www.bigskyindustries.net
Well I hate to be a buzzkill but personally I detest 3D films.
I won’t be buying any Raybans and I don’t attend 3d films.
The film watching experience works well in 2d. Thanks.
Doug, I totally agree with your enthusiasm about these new glasses. Some other blogs I’ve read just don’t get what great news this is for the future of 3-D! I’m glad to see the glasses behemoth Luxotica is optomistic about 3-D. If 3-D tech takes off the way many companies are hoping, then I think Luxotica will have a head start to a new cash cow.
I don’t think the demand is high enough right now for a killing to be made on these glasses, but that’s not the reason they made the anouncement. Ray-Ban is now the FIRST company to offer 3-D designers, that’s the reason for the anouncement. Cinephiles will be sure to buy a pair but until more movies and mainstream 3-D media come out it will be a slim market. But I am truly hoping that movies continue improve on 3-D tech and just think if video games and tv take off, holy crap what a great time to be a tech-freak!
I know a little bit about glasses and polarized lenses. To be the most effective at blocking everyday glare from the sun, polarized lenses have a horizontal polarization. But in movies, one lens has to be offset by 90 degrees for it to block the unwanted image meant for the other eye. So wearing them outside like sunglasses will still work, but not as well.
Anyway, yes they do dim the image a bit on the screen, but in the last movie I saw, Beowulf, it was not noticeable.
This is great news!
@ “DDUDE”: yeah i skimmed too. :)
…”and prescription glasses”… well now I look stoopid.
They thought of us! hooray!
I wear real glasses, for my imperfect eyesight. How are these going to work for people like me, who are not excactly a tiny minority? When will they think of us?…
Oh yay! $200 – 300 3-D glasses… WOO HOO!
NOT!
Seriously, who’s going to spend this kind of money for glasses that will account for less than 10% of the movies you’re going to watch (guessing at that figure, but I doubt it’s more)? Personally, I think that these glasses will not perform well in either facility they’re geared towards (protection from the sun, and enhancing the 3-D experience).
It looks like they are planning standard designer 3-D glasses and prescription glasses for those that require visual aid!
It is a glorious day!
“what about prescription?”
Prescription 3-D glasses sound fucking awesome. I’ll stare at the sun for no less than 3 hours every day to get the 2-D affliction that requires a 3-D prescription.
Oh, were you talking about a ‘regular’ prescription with the 3-D tint? Because I’d buy those too
I have a question to you lucky ones that have seen a modern 3d-movie. Does the glasses affect the picture quality? Is the movie “darker” or can you see the picture without any distortion?
do they have clip-ons? because those never go outta style.
what about prescription? my retro raybans are nice, but if they could work like polarized lenses and change to 3-D mode in an instant that would rock even harder.