This week on ResearchVR we dig deep into VR cameras, best practices for shooting and the future of 360-degree video with Sacha Tueni and Robert Scoble at the Upload Collective.
Sacha Tueni, Robert Scoble, Az Balabanian
Sacha Tueni is a co-creator of Facebook Zero and now a mentor at the Upload Collective SF. Robert Scoble is the man who made Microsoft look good as a tech evangelist, now entrepreneur in residence at Upload Collective SF. They shared with us their experience and knowledge about 360-degree videos and where they are going.
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What are the use cases for 360-degree videos? How does a user consume it? Why are 360-degree videos so common? And most importantly, does 360-degree video have a future? We address these and many more questions in our exciting discussion with Sacha and Robert.
Coming soon, we’re gonna be wearing glasses. In the next year and a half, I think a lot of people are going to start wearing glasses that are going to do full mixed reality. And that’s gonna be a perfect time to click on and then see it in 360 vid and full immersion. — Robert Scoble
We identified three groups of 360-degree video producers, grouped by the size of their budget:
Greater than $10k = professional companies, who can easily afford either buying their own rig or renting one.
$500 to $10k = *prosumer* (professional-consumer), meaning those who might use it professionally, but want a quick output.
Less than $500 = consumer, a large group that wants to do spontaneous 360-degree videos and capture the moment.
Virtual Reality, including 360-degree cameras, is a fast developing industry. It is not enough to improve your product on a regular basis, in small steps. Now you need to be lightning-fast. This is why companies like Insta360 are seemingly finding success. Their time-to-market is extremely short thanks to direct connection to manufacturers, little bureaucracy, and quick response to user feedback.
In the industry that is emerging, you have to have startup speed, cause it’s not rapid enough to build the version 1.1, 1.2. You need to build version 2, version 3, and an entirely different approach for version 4, and you roll things out. — Sacha Tueni
Since the episode is about 360-degree cameras and video, we did not miss an opportunity to do some testing. Check out the Facebook livestream and tell us: How many 360-degree cameras can you identify?
I had a chance to catch up with Félix Lajeunesse and Paul Raphaël at Oculus Connect 3, where they were debuting their third VR collaboration with Cirque du Soleil with KÀ: The Battle Within, which features some of the most mind-bending, physics-based acrobatic choreography that I’ve ever seen. They continue to innovate with their camera technology to do things that other camera systems cannot, including maintaining decent stereoscopic effects within the near-field, better dynamic range and control over the framerate. In their Through the Ages: President Obama Celebrates America’s National Parks VR experience, they adapted their camera so that it could capture some awe-inspiring, time-lapse sequences at Yosemite National Park.
LISTEN TO THE VOICES OF VR PODCAST
They talked to me about their process of cultivating presence through treating the viewer as a character within the scene, paying attention to camera height, and having long and slow cuts that allow you to really sink into a location. Félix told me that their overarching philosophy is that “everything we do is experiential.” They’re not trying to direct attention, but rather provide many interesting opportunities for you to pay attention to a number of different unfolding processes within any given scene. This is something that André Lauzon told me they always do in Cirque du Soleil productions, and so it’s a natural fit to translate this type of live performance experience into VR. Felix & Paul are always focusing on cultivating that sense of presence and creating an experience whether it’s a branded advertisement for Jurassic World, a documentary about LeBron James pre-season training, or a 40-minute scripted comedy MIYUBI that’s premiering at Sundance 2017.
The quality and caliber of presence that Félix & Paul are able to cultivate within a 360-video is way beyond what I’ve seen anyone else doing within the 360 video space. A big part of it has to do with their camera technology innovations, but it’s also because they have a creative philosophy that involves deeply listening to the unique affordances of the VR medium. Their continued innovation in the space is a big reason why Twentieth Century Fox and The Fox Innovation Lab have partnered with Felix and Paul Studios to develop VR experiences that are based upon Fox IP. Based upon my previous conversation with 20th Century Fox Futurist Ted Schilowitz and what they did with The Martian VR experience, then I expect that they’re going to be treating VR as more than just advertisements for movies, but rather explore how to create VR experiences that stand on their own. Felix and Paul are premiering the longest VR scripted content to date at Sundance in January with MIYUBI, and their VR-specific adaptions of Cirque du Soleil performances and camera technology has proven that their some of the biggest innovators who are dedicated to evolving the language of storytelling within VR.
At the forefront and what looks to be a massive shift in media, many creators and enthusiast are keeping their eyes peeled for the latest and greatest tools. Stand-alone 360-degree cameras and mobile phone accessories are steadily entering the market, raising the bar every step of the way. In April we reported on the new Orah 4i, an impressively compact all-in-one 360-degree live streaming camera, and now you can pre-order the camera for yourself.
Sporting events, concerts, and more are live streamed through a collection of newer and old companies and usually require a complex set-up of equipment to make it happen. With more equipment comes more complications, but Orah is a simpler solution with two components. The camera itself records 3D sound from 4 microphones and 4K video (Ambarella video processor and Sony EXMORE image sensor) with a 30fps live output and it’s all processed through a stitching box. It includes a 3.5mm jack for external output, saves recorded footage to an SD card, and can output live to any CDN (content delivery network). The device is priced at $3,595 which may shock, but we’re at an early stage of adoption for these tools and this particular camera is combining a lot of elements into one.
We previously reported on social vr platform vTime introducing a recording option that could open up avenues for creative content including virtual podcasting. A natural branch of that conversation is live-360-broadcasting of live-action podcasts and similar content, and Orah opens the door for that. Anyone willing to invest right now could get a leg up on other early adopters and trendsetters. There’s risk, no doubt, but the trajectory of growth and interest in 360-video content and VR headsets could make for massive reward. Pre-order the Orah 4i here.
With a virtual reality camera, you can capture the whole world around you in a 360 degree videosphere. VR filmmaking is seeing rapid innovation, meaning that there are more 360-degree cameras on the market now than ever before, geared at everyone from intrigued consumers to high-end professionals. This overview is designed to give you solid starting points across a range of options.
Guest Article by Aaron Rhodes
Aaron is Pixvana’s in-house filmmaker and executive producer. A veteran of the post-production world, he has worked as a director, visual effects supervisor, senior colorist, editor, and more, at renowned facilities including Emotion Studios, Evil Eye Pictures, Spy Post, and The Orphanage; he currently serves as a board member of the Visual Effects Society. Aaron is a creative problem solver who has lent his talents to box office hits such as The Avengers, Iron Man, films from the Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean series, and many others.
At Pixvana, we’re constantly testing new cameras, including custom rigs, to help advise on what the best VR system is for a variety of projects. There’s not one ‘best’ 360 VR camera; the best one is the one that suits your needs.
First, when planning to make a piece of VR film content, it’s important to ask yourself: does this experience really need to be immersive? How will the content be delivered and experienced? What are my budgetary and production constraints? All of these factors can help narrow down your camera choices from the get go. Integrated, off-the-shelf VR cameras make the post-production process much simpler, but custom camera rigs can also have some advantages for more discerning filmmakers. I’ll cover a variety of options here.
Entry Level
For entry-level choices, I like the Samsung Gear 360 or Ricoh Theta S, both of which let users easily experiment with VR for under $400. These dual lens 360 cameras are consumer-friendly, with small, portable form factors and accompanying smartphone apps to quickly review footage. The Ricoh Theta S can also livestream which is a nice perk.
These cameras offer lower resolution than the more high-end options, but if you’re a consumer or even a professional just dabbling in VR for the first time, these are solid yet affordable options to help give you the lay of the land before making a larger investment. Even more experienced professionals shouldn’t overlook these cameras, they’re great to have on hand for proof of concept, scouting, and pre-visualization.
Mid Range
Photo courtesy GoPro
Moving up to the mid-range, the GoPro Omni ($5,000) is a strong off-the-shelf option, offering six synchronized HERO4 Black cameras in a portable spherical rig, all capturing content at 8K resolution. In addition to the hardware, GoPro’s Kolor software suite gives users a straightforward way to import, stitch, view, and publish content.
The Omni has some drawbacks, notably, no live preview or real time stitching. But combined with a Ricoh Theta S or Samsung Gear 360 you can still get quick on-set previews. The Omni remains my first choice in this price range because it provides a one stop-shop for VR at high resolution. And at the size of a grapefruit, it gives filmmakers a lot more freedom and flexibility on set than they might have with a larger custom rig. If you need something that won’t break the bank but will still produce high-res content, to me this is the most straightforward option on the market.
High End
If you’re looking for a professional camera, the Nokia OZO is a great option. Specifically designed for professional VR production, the Ozo is one spherical camera with eight synchronized sensors, and it comes with a standalone computer with Ozo software for live stitching and preview. It also offers ambisonic sound recording, partial stereo, and can live stream in HD resolution (and can capture footage up to 6K resolution).
The Ozo costs about $45,000 to buy or $3,000 per day to rent—nothing to sneeze at—but it does provide significant perks and a well-designed end-to-end workflow. Professionals looking for a robust, self-contained production pipeline, or who need to live stream at high resolution, should give the Ozo a try.
Custom Rigs
Lastly, custom camera rigs are another option for those filmmakers wanting a specific set of benefits not fulfilled by any off-the-shelf solutions. For a recent shoot, I opted to use a custom rig of five RED Weapon cameras in order to capture content at 10K resolution and 60 FPS. The higher your resolution, the better the content will look in a VR headset, something to keep in mind when deciding on a camera system. Using this custom rig also let me fully control the exposure, swap out lenses, and make other modifications to meet the goals of the production.
Though the rig delivered, it was large and cumbersome to move around on set, and was more complicated to use than an ordinary VR camera. Even seasonedpros should make sure their shoot is very well planned and really needs to meet certain requirements before experimenting with custom rigs.
Once you’ve decided on a camera, you’re ready to start capturing 360-degree video! With so much innovation in the VR space, I anticipate that higher resolutions and streamlined workflows will become even more standard.
Follow the Pixvana blog for more field tips as we continue to test available camera systems. HTC Vive and Oculus Rift users can also check out our SPIN Technology Preview on Steam to see firsthand how our Field of View Adaptive Streaming (FOVAS) technology delivers crystal clear content wherever you look.
Ricoh, the Japanese imaging and electronics company, today announced a new model of the Theta, the company’s pocketable 360 camera. It’s called Theta SC.
The new Theta SC is a lighter, more colorful version of the Theta that has almost everything the $350 Theta S camera has. Almost.
It has the same twin-lens design for 360 video and still images, same 12 megapixel sensors, same internal 8GB storage, same estimated battery life of 260 photos—the list goes on. It does however lack one big thing: the Theta S’s HDMI-Micro terminal, meaning you won’t be able to livestream video to online platforms like YouTube and Facebook, but in exchange, the SC comes in at $300, $50 less than its older sibling.
Positioned as a standard option between their Theta S and lower-spec Theta m15 model, Ricoh decided to sacrifice livestreaming video in the Theta SC (it can still take video, just not live) while offering a lower price-point, lower weight, and more mature swatch of your choice of four metallic colors (beige, blue, pink and white)—a clear bid to hit something of a consumer sweetspot for newcomers to 360 image capture.
According to Kaz Eguchi, president of Ricoh Imaging Americas Corp., Ricoh’s wants the Theta SC to “introduce more people to 360-degree spherical imaging. With the growing popularity of immersive imagery, augmented and virtual reality, we wanted to produce a high-quality camera at an affordable price point that appeals to anyone who is interested in capturing and sharing the world around them in this new, exciting digital imaging format.”
Like the Theta S, the Theta SC captures up to 5 minutes of fully spherical mp4 videos at 1920×1080 pixels at 30 frames per second, and can hold around 1600 photospheres at 5376×2688 pixels in JPEG format. Images can be uploaded to the theta360.com website, and shared across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr, and of course videos can be uploaded to sites like Facebook and YouTube for full 360 playback.
Alongside the Theta SC’s unveiling, Ricoh will be updating the Theta S app for iOS and Android devices to make capturing, viewing, managing and sharing 360 photos an easier process.
Using the smartphone app, the camera can be handheld with one-button operation or placed on a flat surface or tripod to be remotely controlled. The Ricoh Theta SC also has an LED indicator on its front panel for at-a-glance confirmation of the current mode, and a still-image/video switching button on the side panel, letting users operate the camera in a stand-alone mode without the need of a smartphone or computer.
Beware, using this software may remind you of your favorite racing video game. A new partnership between 360Fly and RaceRender allows users to upload custom speedometers, track maps, and more to their own 360 footage.
French phone maker Alcatel took the wraps off two VR products at the IFA: the Vision, a self contained headset, and the 360 Camera, a VR video camera. Both are set to launch later this year.
