Subjective Tests, Continued
Now that you have my opinion, let's see what other folks have to say.
Scotland Baxter
Age: 16
Occupation: Student
"I 100% preferred the Blu-ray 3D version over the 2D version of Monsters vs Aliens 3D that I have previously seen. 3D is ideal for this particular movie. The 120 Hz glasses didn't make my eyes hurt; you couldn't tell it was even blinking. I never experienced a headache. It was very clear and crisp. 3D made the movie that much better. I found that the glasses were fine for comfort."
Jason Zushman
Age: 36
Occupation: Articling Student
"In my opinion, 3D is a gimmick. There's a reason it bombed out in the 1960s. I don't think it offers anything to the movie or the plot. I do admit that Monsters vs Aliens 3D on Blu-ray 3D was cool. The 3D effect seemed better than Avatar did in the theater. It was crisper and clearer, possibly because the screen was smaller than in the theater. I was bothered by the darkness with the glasses on, and had an impulse to watch with the glasses off."
Mark Miller
Age: 26
Occupation: Welder
"I thought the 3D Blu-ray of Monsters vs Aliens 3D had a better 3D effect than Avatar did in the theater. The shrapnel, water, explosions--all of the details seemed much better. I think Blu-ray 3D is superior to what the movie theaters offer. It's clearer and nicer, despite the smaller screen. It would be nice to have a bigger screen, though. I'd like the glasses to be bigger because you lose some 3D effect if you don't put your head in an ideal position. I'd like to see a movie on Blu-ray 3D that isn't animated."
Kevin Rebeck
Age: 36
Occupation: President, Manitoba Federation of Labor
"It is cool that you can do this at home. I like the depth. I noticed some ghosting on bright lights that was distracting, but it didn't happen often so I consider it a minor issue. The picture seemed crisper, more detailed than in the theater. I felt a little light-headed after watching, and found it a little distracting to grab for a drink or shift my focus during the film. But, admittedly, I also find these issues irritating in a 3D theater. At first, I noticed the weight of the glasses, but I got used to them after a little while. They probably weigh about the same as regular shades really. I expected them to be heavier by the looks of them."
Seth Woligroski
Age: 7
Occupation: Student
"I liked the 3D effect a lot, but didn't notice it was there after a while. I didn't even notice that I had the glasses on while I was watching the movie."
Subjective Testing Summary
All of the test subjects (except for seven-year-old Seth) mentioned the sharp clarity that Blu-ray 3D and 3D Vision bring to the table. Aside from that, we see a number of positive comments regarding increased details, an appreciation for the sense of depth this format brings, and the comfort of the 3D Vision glasses. There is a recurring theme that the experience is better than in a 3D theater. One test subject who had previously seen Monsters vs Aliens in 2D even noted that the movie offered a better experience in 3D.
How about the negative comments? One of the test subjects harbors a negative opinion about 3D media in general. This is a pre-existing opinion that this test did not change, and yet he also testifies to the clarity and improved depth he experienced compared to films he'd seen in a 3D theater.
It should be noted that an estimated 3% to 15% of the population probably suffers from stereoscopic vision impairment, with symptoms ranging from a total lack of 3D effect to limited 3D depth perception. This could be an explanation for the variances in our test subjects' experiences. There are some other negative comments about darkness and the impact on the experience when the viewer isn't in an ideal physical position, but for the most part, it seems safe to say that the majority of test subjects were quite impressed by the demonstration.
