Exiting the Las Vegas airport to grab a shuttle for the LV Convention Center, I often feel exactly like Jed Clampett of the Beverly Hillbillies did when his shotgun uncovered that "bubbling crude."

I've been attending the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) for enough years - and by that I mean even before the days of the Chicago Summer version - to know that the real highlights are never found on the massive floors of the convention halls. It's not often the "big boys" who make my day (apologies to Clint Eastwood), but the small entrepreneurs and companies found in the hotels, smaller meeting rooms and side alleys.

Knowing better than to go to the hotel room, my first stop is the Press room in the South Hall. Passing the "Blogger Lounge," I file it away in my head as a good place to catch my breath later - noticing that Videomaker's own Tom Skowronski is chatting up with Jon Landau, the producer of Avatar (See Sidebar). To assume that they're talking about 3D seems a safe conclusion, but I'm stoked on seeing some 3D tech working myself. A quick glance around the Press room, a cup of coffee and a bagel wrapped in a napkin, and I'm off. Let's beat the concrete and see what we can find.

Panasonic 3D Full HD Camera Recorder

Which is to say Panasonic HAS to be the first stop - a full HD 3D camcorder using two lenses that you can actually carry around (albeit on a tripod if you don't want the shakes). The 3D Full HD Camcorder is part of Panasonic's 3D Full HD production system, adding to the twin-lens P2 Pro camcorder a 3D-compatible High-definition plasma. While still in development, the P2's non-mechanical solid-state construction allows for a compact shape making 3D shooting less restrictive (as has been the case). What gets shot might not be the next Avatar, but it will most likely be out sooner.

Casio Exilim EX-FH100 Digital Camera

Digital cameras have gotten so feature laden that they've forgotten what they were designed for in the first place: taking pictures as well as shooting video. That's where the high-speed "shutter" of this Casio takes over. Shooting a few frames per second can slow things a bit, but capturing up to one-thousand (1000fps!) frames per second means slow-motion video that's crazy delicious. Talk about seeing things "frozen" in time.

Sony FX Handycams

Sony's Handycams have never been accused of being puny when it comes to the technology powering the video, but don't you think it's time they joined the ranks of all of those SD memory card users? The new FX series builds in support for SD cards, which means you can leave the pain of trying to find a large enough memory stick to the forgotten past. Of course there are advanced features and quality optics working, but now memory needs can be easily fulfilled.

Fuji W1 Digital Camera

With 3D being all the craze now, hats off to Fuji for jumping into the arena head first. The W1 shoots 3D still images as you'd expect from a "3D" camera, but video can also be captured in the "third-dimension". As you'd expect, you need a good sized memory card since 3D video is pretty large and the camera shuts down after about 20 minutes are shot. Of course the fact that the video is in a new format means everybody has to scramble to support it - otherwise what's the use? Viewing the 3D doesn't change the need for a 3D-equipped TV and glasses, unless you go with Fuji's half-a-grand Digital Picture/Movie player that uses glass tech to let you watch a 3D effect without sticking anything on your face.