There is a wide variety of ways in which stereo 3D images are currently being produced. To shed some light on the state of the art, television gurus Andy Quested (BBC) and Barry Zegel (CBS) have written an EBU Technical Review article about the 3D-TV systems and techniques in use and their pros and cons. The article is based on the duo's work as ITU-R co-rapporteurs on 3DTV production formats.
In their article the authors cover the whole stereo 3D production chain and identify a number of key issues, including:
Camera set-up
Camera set-ups used for 3D image acquisition vary widely. The authors conclude that for long-term daily use in all environments, stereo 3D camera set-up must come closer to matching the features of current 2D camera rigs.
Standardised left/right image labelling
In current systems there is a risk that viewers are presented with the right and left image swapped and no means to correct for it as the viewer will recognise maybe a discomfort and less depth but will have no chance to improve the 3D picture.
New production "grammar and syntax"
The authors note that addressing the "dual shoot" problem [having to shoot both a 2D and 3D version] is key to making 3D affordable and simple viable, but that we are in a very early stage of the 3D-TV era. The limits of what is possible and desired in terms of 3D grammar and syntax are not totally clear yet.
3D "intensity" control
Keeping the level of 3D (e.g. parallax/depth parameters) in a safe and comfortable range may be challenging for live content, such as highlights of a sports sequence or for 3D ad inserts.
Archive value
To in the futurer benefit from 3D material created now, it is advisable to produce it in the highest affordable quality. This is similar to the role 35mm film has played as a high-end acquisition format for use on television later. And even the archiving of S3D content is more complex and consumes much more storage.
More in-depth information
Above are just some points from the arcticle. You can download the complete article here. You may also want to read this EBU 3D Briefing document . For more information on the EBU's work on 3D-TV, contact: Yvonne Thomas (EBU).