Facebook has for sometime been working on a feature that would transform 2D pictures to appear three-dimensional when posted in the News Feed. The company has now started rolling out 3D photos, the feature that will put this into action.
Using a technology that marks the distance between the subject in the foreground and the background, the feature has been designed to bring a “lifelike dimension” to images shared.
This technology won’t be available to everyone, you should have at least a dual camera smartphone to enjoy it. With it, you can take a photo in Portrait mode, then share it as a 3D photo on Facebook.
Facebook recommends using photo subjects with contrasting colors to their backgrounds and those with solid edges and texture. This makes the photo subject more distinct from its background, giving it the best 3D look.
“3D photos can help you feel even closer to the people, places and things you share on Facebook and relive your memories in a way that feels more real.” – Facebook
How to post a 3D photo
You have to take the photo using a dual-lens phone. Then, you can go ahead and create a new post on Facebook. Tap the icon with 3 dots to see all possible post options. Tap 3D to open your Portraits folder.
Choose the photo you would like to share and preview it in 3D. Add a caption, hit the share button, and you’ll see it in the Newsfeed and also in VR.
In the news feed, you can scroll the photo, pan and tilt, to see it in “realistic 3D”. You can as well view 3D photos in VR using the Oculus Browser on Oculus Go or Firefox on Oculus Rift.
Facebook says 3D photos are already rolling out for everyone to view, and the ability to upload is coming in the coming weeks.