360 camera – Page 3 – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

September 19, 2017

Sennheiser and Sphericam Join Forces To Produce New VR Camera

Sennheiser are one of the most well-known and popular producers of headphones and audio equipment in the world. The company have recently announced a partnership with 360-degree camera manufacturers Sphericam to create a new high-end virtual reality (VR) video and audio capture system.

Sphericam and Sennheiser have been working together from some months to produce a system called AMBEO for VR, a purpose built high-end VR video and audio capture system that can capture 4 x 4K video at 60fps along with high fidelity 3D audio. The unit will have on-camera controls and instant HD preview capability.

“Our goal is to deliver the highest quality 360º video capture on the market and in Sennheiser we found a partner who shares our values in the audio space. We are thrilled to bring the best of both worlds together to help production groups offer the highest fidelity immersion to their audiences” says Jeffrey Martin, CEO of Sphericam.

“The future of audio is in immersive sound experience, and perhaps this is nowhere more apparent than in the field of VR,” said Véronique Larcher, co-director AMBEO at Sennheiser. “With the launch of the AMBEO VR Mic last year we have provided an easy-to-use tool for 3D audio productions, while our AMBEO Blueprints website provides ample information on recording and mixing 3D audio. Now our new partnership program helps content creators to design the full VR experience with ease.”

A price point and release date for the product has not yet been confirmed.

VRFocus will bring you further news on the AMBEO for VR project as it becomes available.

September 12, 2017

VPai Slide 360 Degree Camera Brings VR Live-Streaming to iPhone

360-degree video remains one of the most popular ways for users to create and engage with virtual reality (VR) content. Technology company VIA are launching a new video camera platform for 360-degree filming and panoramic still photographer aimed at the iPhone market.

The VPai Slide is designed to offer a complete package for iPhone users who wish to begin shooting 360-degree videos, or take panoramic still photos. The VPai Slide can shoot 360-degree photos at 5 mega pixels, and has a host of features for more dynamic photos and videos, such a time-lapse, various view modes such as Panorama, Asteroid, Crystal Ball and VR. The software is capable of live-streaming, so users can offer their footage directly to social media network such as Facebook or YouTube.

The hardware is designed to attach directly to an iPhone using an integrated Lightning connector and has its own battery and storage, so users wont need to worry about running out of power or storage space on their iPhone. If storage becomes an issue, the VPai Slide offers free cloud storage, which can also be then shared to other users or to social media networks.

“VIA continues to push the boundaries of ultra-portable 360-degree camera innovation with VPai Slide,” said Richard Brown, VP International Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. “This highly-integrated platform enables rapid entry to this fast-growing new market.”

Further information can be found on the VPai Website.

VRFocus will continue to report on new VR and 360-degree hardware.

September 4, 2017

Kandao Update 360-Degree Camera Range With Obsidian GO

Earlier this year, Chinese tech firm Kandao announced its new hardware product, the Kandao Obsidian 360-degree camera. Kandao have now announced a new version of the camera is being launched – the Obsidian GO.

In contrast to the Obsidian R and S models, which were launched for early adopters in July, the Obsidian GO is designed for beginners to 360-degree filmmaking and virtual reality (VR) content creation. The Obsidian GO can capture 8K panoramic stills and 4K VR video.

The Obsidian GO shares a similar to design to the R and S models, while supporting several updates features, such as support for the DNG file format, a wireless remote control feature and several options for time-lapse panoramic image capture, such as adjustable time intervals and a maximum of 4 hours shooting time.

The Obsidian GO will be priced at $2,499 (USD) and will come with Kandao’s stitching software. The more powerful models, the Obsidian R and S are also getting an official price of $6,999. The R and S models of the Obsidian received awards for ‘Best of Innovation at CES 2017 earlier this year. The Obsidian R features 8K resolution for 3D-360-degree videos. The Obsidian S models is optimised for capturing high frame rates, able to capture up to 120 fps at 4K resolution.

Kandao’s co-founder and CEO Dan Chen said: “‘With this, we are delivering on our promise to make it easy to capture and create engaging VR experiences, and with attractive pricing and features attracting more content creators to join the game.”

The Obsidian GO is available for pre-order from the Kandao website.

VRFocus will bring you further news on the Kandao Obsidian camera is it becomes available.

September 2, 2017

Boxfish Underwater VR Camera Gets Update

Over 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered in ocean. For many people, the chance to explore the ocean depths it out of reach, for reasons of cost, geography or other reasons. Researchers and educators have been using underwater 360-degree cameras such as the Boxfish to capture visions of underwater life, which will soon get a boost with its new update.

Boxfish Research have announced a significant upgrade for its Boxfish 360 camera. With the new software update, the Boxfish 360 camera can record up to three hours of continuous 5K ultra-high definition video or time-lapse photography on a single charge. A new post-production app is now available for Windows and Mac which offers an all-in-one solution for editing and sharing 360-degree videos.

Research and education organisations like Stanford University have been using the Boxfish 360 camera to capture footage of life under the ocean for the purposes of education, releasing an education virtual reality (VR) experience to show the devastating effects of ocean acidification.

“You’re not watching something, you’re doing it,” said communication Professor Jeremy Bailenson, whose Virtual Human Interaction Lab developed the VR experience, “You learn by doing. These are magic, teachable moments.”

“I’ve shot with several underwater 360 rigs, and the Boxfish 360 is by far the most reliable and easiest to use” says Danny Copeland, freelance underwater filmmaker and Media Manager for the Manta Trust. “And the way it handles is just like a regular underwater camera, with a single hatch to access the memory cards and a button to start and stop the recording. With the Boxfish 360 I don’t have to get up an hour before everybody else anymore.”

Further information on the Boxfish 360 camera, including prices and availability, can be found on the Boxfish Research website.

VRFocus will continue to bring you news on VR and 360-degree hardware.

August 31, 2017

Ricoh announce New 4K 360-Degree Camera

Ricoh is a name that most consumers generally associate with printers, scanners and photocopiers, but the company was also one of the first to bring 360-degree cameras to the world. Now Ricoh are bringing a 4K 360-degree camera to the market with the Ricoh Theta V.

The Theta V camera can connect to an iOS or Android device for easy control using the Theta S app, with connection options including Bluetooth for an ‘always on’ connection, or users can use wi-fi. The device has built-in storage of 19GB, which allows space for up to 4,800 still images or 40 mins of 4K video to be stored.

A new feature of the Ricoh Theta V is support for plug-ins, so users can create their own additional functions for the device. The first of these plug-ins was created by Ricoh and comes as part of the app. This enables remote playback that allows users to view footage stored on the device on a large-screen monitor or projection display without needing to transfer files.

“The Theta V represents a number of breakthroughs in 360-degree imaging, all geared to make it easier for anyone to capture and get the most out of their 360-degree stills and videos,” said Kaz Eguchi, president, Ricoh Imaging Americas. “In addition to extremely high-quality video, our new 4K camera offers truly realistic spatial audio and the easiest approach to sharing–via our industry-first remote playback function. We are proud of the Theta V, and expect consumers and businesses alike will benefit from our new camera.”

The Ricoh Theta V camera is available for pre-order from the Ricoh website for $429.95 (USD).

VRFocus will bring you further news on the Ricoh Theta V camera is it becomes available.

August 30, 2017

Aces Introduces Two New 360-Degree Cameras

360-degree video is one of the most popular ways that consumers create and engage with virtual reality (VR) content. From capturing their own experiences on holiday or at a concert, to viewing films specially created for 360-degree viewing, it is one of the fasted growing areas of VR-related content. Acer are encouraging this trend with the release of two new 360-degree cameras.

The first camera is the Holo360, an all-in-one style camera designed to allow the user to easily capture, view and edit 360-degree material. The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, which has enough power to allow for a 3-inch touchscreen, integrated LTE connectivity and the ability to stitch videos in real time. Still photos can be captured in 6.9K resolution, while video can be captured in crisp 4K. The Holo360 runs on Android 7.1, which makes for easy sharing on social networks without needing to connect to a PC.

The second camera is actually two cameras. The Acer Vision360 is designed for use with a car or similar road vehicle. The pair of cameras work in synchronisation to ensure the entire exterior of the car is recorded using clear 4K video. If something hits the vehicle while it is in motion, a recording is automatically triggered, including GPS coordinates of where the incident occurred. If something hits the car whilst it is parked, the Vision360 will also record a video clip and send it to the user’s smartphone. Users can also activate remote vision of their vehicle on demand from their smartphone.

Acer say that price and availability will vary from region to region, but the Holo360 is expected to be available in North America for $429 along with a water-resistant case. A release date of sometime is Q4 2017 is expected. Prices and release date for the Vision360 has not yet been specified.

VRFocus will bring you further news on Acer’s 360-degree cameras as it becomes available.

August 15, 2017

Video: Insta360 Teases New Type Of 360-Degree Camera

Insta360 is one of the companies in the 360 camera space that has been on an absolute tear. Last year it announced the Insta360 Nano which is a popular iPhone-attached 360 camera capable of doing Periscope and Facebook live streaming. Since last year, it also released an Android variant called the Insta360 Air and a professional camera called the Insta360 Pro that can shoot 8K 360 video.

It looks like Insta360 may be launching something to bridge the gap between the Nano and Pro cameras. Currently, the Insta360 Nano sells for $199 and Pro sells for $3499, and the capability differences between the two cameras are quite vast in terms of photo and video quality.

Insta360 is now teasing a new camera with some video footage that we expect will bridge this vast capability and price gap between the Nano and Pro. Based on these videos we’re seeing, this new camera looks like it could have some sort of high-speed capability and it might take 360-degree videos from an entirely new angle.

From the video, it appears to operate with some sort of selfie stick that places the stitch line between the cameras right on the selfie stick, making it appear invisible and easily removed. Additionally, it likely highlights the standalone nature of the camera itself since I wouldn’t expect that they have a phone swinging around like that on a selfie stick.

Insta360 have proven to be the most full-featured platform for 360 video and photography and it will be interesting to see how the company’s products will evolve with the market and perhaps even how the market reacts to their own capabilities.

The company is teasing that we will know more on Aug. 28.

Tagged with: 360 camera, 360 video, 4k, camera, insta360, Insta360 Air, Insta360 Camera, Insta360 Nano, Insta360 One, video

June 26, 2017

Ricoh announces Price Drop for Theta SC 360-Degree Camera

As 360-degree film becomes more popular, so does the demand for affordable, commercial solutions for capturing events and places in 360-degrees continues to grow. Ricoh is aiming to meet that demand by announcing a new price for its Theta SC 360-Degree camera.

The Theta SC is designed to be small, sleek and compact so it can go wherever the user does as it is small enough to fit in a pocket. The camera can record images that can then be played back on smartphone, PC or tablet. The Theta SC features a 14-megapixel CMOS image sensor and large-aperture dual lenses. Large still images come in at 5376×2688 while medium resolution images are 2048×1024. For video the specs are: L 1920 x 1080 / 30 fps / 16Mbps and M – 1280×720 / 15fps / 6Mbps. The camera also has 8GB of internal storage.

Footage captured by the Theta SC can be grabbed in a single shot, and can be tripod-mounted and remote-controlled by an Android or iOS smartphone using the Theta S app. The footage can then be edited and uploaded to theta360.com and subsequently shared to the user’s social media of preference.

Ricoh Theta SC

“We have always intended for the Theta SC to be a mass-market camera, introducing consumers to the magic of 360 spherical imaging,” said Kaz Eguchi, president, Ricoh Imaging Americas Corp. “Now that summer is here, we expect many families will be using it to capture their summer vacations in a new and exciting way.”

The price reduction to $199.95 (USD) is designed to make the Theta Sc camera, and 360-degree filming, more accessible to consumers and businesses.

VRFocus will bring you further information on special offers and deal regarding 360-degree film equipment as it becomes available.

June 23, 2017

Google Working On Universal Video Format for 360-Degree Film

Currently 360-degree videos are the most popular way for consumers to experience virtual reality (VR) content. With movies, short films, documentaries, concerts and other experiences available for users to experiences in immersive 360-degrees, its not surprising that demand is rising for a simplified way to create 360-degree movies. Google is set to provide.

With smartphones equipped with video cameras being an almost universal accessory along with the rise of YouTube and other video sites, more and more people are making and sharing video content. As 360-degree film becomes increasingly popular, people are wanting to create 360-degree videos as well. Unfortunately, most 360-degree cameras and the software needed to stitch the images together are expensive enough to be out of reach of many consumers. Google has a solution, however, Google’s video team have worked alongside the Daydream team to create a new video format called VR180.

VR180 videos are designed to focus on images in front of the viewer, they are also rendered in high resolution to look good on both desktop and mobile devices. If a user wants to pick up a VR headset such as Google Cardboard, Google Daydream or PlayStation VR, the video will seamlessly transition into stereoscopic 3D for great depth of field. The format allows allows for support of livestreaming.

The Google team are also planning on allowing creators to use currently available editing tools such as Adobe Premiere to edit VR180 videos, so there would be no need to learn a complex now software workflow. It is also the ambition to allow creators to set up and film videos for VR180 exactly the same way as they do for standard filming.

Google are already in negotiations with YI, Lenovo and LG to produce easy-to-use VR180 cameras. Creators who want to test VR180 capabilities early can apply to test drive a VR180 camera from YouTube Spaces around the world. Further information can be found at the VR180 official website.

VRFocus will bring you further information on VR180 once it becomes available.

June 18, 2017

VRDL360 Camera Promises Affordable 7K Photos and 3K Videos

Possibly one of the biggest bugbears about 360-degree video and virtual reality (VR) content is that it’s hard to get it made in high quality – cameras that offer true 360-degree views are expensive, especially if they offer the high resolution you desire in your VR content. Well, content creators on a budget may have found their saviour with the VRDL360 Camera.

Promising 360-dergree views, 7K photos, 3K videos, live streaming and instant sharing, it almost sounds too good to be true. The VRDL360 has recently launched on IndieGoGo, with an attractive trailer.

Luckily, you don’t have to invest your own money to see the results of the VRDL360 campaign – the target goal of $25,000 has already been smashed with over $32k raised, and over a month left of the campaign.

Early Birds were able to nab themselves a VRDL360 for only $99 – potentially one of the best prices for a camera boasting as many features as this we’ve ever seen.

The regular retail price for the VRDL360 is $219 – still quite fair if it can provide everything they promise. The campaign states that the VRDL360 is in the “Prototype Stage,” meaning they already have a physically working version of their product. Exciting!

Young and new content creators who wish to move into VR and 360-degree video content creation might just see this as a the perfect device to invest in – it’s very attractive indeed. For more on the VRDL360, we’ll cover it as soon as we’re able, so stay on VRFocus. In the meantime, watch the trailer below.