360 rumors

The Insta360 Pro is an amazing camera, and the marketing materials can't even capture all of its remarkable features (partly because Insta360 keeps adding new features!).  Here are 17 undocumented features of the Insta360 Pro.  Since there are so many of them, I tried to group them into Photo, Video and live streaming, and both Photo and Video. PHOTO 1. 60 second shutter speed .  It has full manual exposure and you can specify a shutter speed as slow as 60 seconds -- slow enough to capture night sky photos. 2.   Unlimited intervalometer .  The Insta360 Pro has an intervalometer (i.e., it will take a photo after every time interval), and the time interval is anywhere from 2 seconds to a practically unlimited time interval (I put in a crazy number like 200,000 seconds and it accepted that value).  Note: The intervalometer is in the video mode as "time lapse". 3.   The intervalometer / time lapse can be for 3D not just 2D . 4.   Stitched 360 Photos i...

Rec360 posted a new sample video from the CatEyes Cat360, a 360 camera that with 4K 360 live streaming. The Cat360 is a 360 camera that is uniquely capable of wireless live streaming for as long as four hours (when connected to a USB power source).  Here is a recap of its specifications: - two lenses - Video resolution: up to 3840 x 1920 @ 30fps - Photo resolution: 3840 x 2160 - six-core processor with realtime in-camera stitching - Micro SD card memory up to 128GB - 2000 mAh battery with up to 90 minutes recording time in 4k - compact size:  90mm x 34.8mm x 44mm - weight: 160g Rec360 posted a new sample 4K video from the Cat360: Cateyes Cat360 is  available from Rec360.ru .

Last week, Essential announced their PH-1 phone and its 360 camera accessory.  Here are sample videos from the camera: As posted last week , Essential PH-1 is a smartphone with cutting edge features such as the latest Snapdragon 835 processor, a titanium-reinforced body, a screen that covers nearly the entire surface of the phone.  It also has a 4K 360 camera accessory that is being offered for only $49 (note: it can be used only with the Essential phone).  Here are sample 360 videos from Essential's 360 camera (it's a playlist, so use the upper left menu to choose between the videos). What do you think of the videos?  Let me know in the comments!

I've updated my tutorial for the Xiaomi Mi Sphere, including a faster workflow. Here is a detailed tutorial for Xiaomi Mijia Mi Sphere 3.5K 360 panoramic camera.  This tutorial has been updated for Mi Sphere iOS app 1.6.4 and Mi Sphere Android 1.6.4.12888 and above. Here is the video: Xiaomi is available here: https://goo.gl/kO0CuA   (GearBest ships to 260+ countries, and I usually get my orders from them in just one week from China to Los Angeles) Photos: https://roundme.com/tour/147936/view/374315/ Video for comparison: https://goo.gl/qtE3tn Workflow and other info: https://youtu.be/GxuwONmLTGE Unstitched files to try: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4RnW2_ZeadSamJpSURuQzktSEU Contents: 00:32 - taking photos and videos without a smartphone 04:15 - shooting photos with the app (including why) 09:18 - shooting videos with the app 10:22 - viewing and sharing photos 13:43 - viewing and sharing videos 25:26 - Summary Changes from previous tutorial (mostly after 13:34): 08:36 -...

Essential Phone was announced today.  Not just another Android phone, the Essential Phone has cutting edge features, including a unique 360 camera accessory. Essential PH-1 is a new phone from Essential, a company founded by Andy Rubin, one of the founders of Android Inc.  It has unique features such as 2560 x 1312 screen that covers almost the entire front surface of the phone, a dual lens rear camera, the latest Snapdragon 835 processor, and a titanium body. Of particular interest to us is that it has a 360 camera accessory that has magnetic connectors to attach to the phone.  Here are the key specifications of the camera: - two 12mp sensors - each lens has a 210-degree field of view - video resolution is 3840 x 1920 @ 30fps. - aperture: f/1.8 - four microphones for 3D ambisonic sound recording I didn't see any mention of the photo resolution or the live streaming capability.  It seems as if it doesn't have image stabilization, because in one of their videos, ...

Xiaomi updated their app to fix a few things, including enabling users to export gyro-stabilized 360 videos from the Mi Sphere 360 camera!  Check out the video! I've had the Xiaomi Mijia Mi Sphere 3.5K and the camera itself is amazing.  The photo and video quality are impressive ( see here for photo comparison , and see here for video comparison ). The only problem was the Mi Sphere's app.  The Mi Sphere app can connect to the Mi Sphere easily and I can control the camera, see the live preview, etc.   The issue is the stitching and export of videos .  In short, I wasn't able to export stabilized 360 video on previous versions of the Mi Sphere app. On an iPhone 6 and SE, it seemed that export resolution was limited to 2304 x 1152.  On my Samsung S6, I could only get 1920 x 960.  On my Samsung S8+, I could get the full resolution, but only by using their video editor, which was limited to 5 minutes. I also noticed that there was image stabilization , but...

CatEyes Cat360 is a 360 camera that can live stream in 4K for four hours ! Cat360 is a 360 camera designed for endurance.  It has a built-in fan and has vents on two sides to allow air to flow through to dissipate heat.  This unique design allows it to operate longer than other 360 cameras. My friends at Rec360.ru tested Cat360's live streaming endurance, and when the Cat360 is plugged into a USB adapter, they found that the Cat360 can live stream in 4K for four hours!  With a battery only (unplugged from an adapter), it can record in 4K for 40 minutes. The fan does create some noise, but the Cat360 has another rare feature for 360 cameras: a 3.5mm microphone input, which allows you to use an external microphone.  The mic input is on the bottom of the camera, so it won't be captured in the video. Another unusual feature of the Cat360 is that it can connect to a Wi-Fi signal and live stream without a phone connected.  The user does use a phone to setup the conne...

Kodak PIXPRO posted a new video highlighting the features of its highly-anticipated Orbit360 camera (also called the 4KVR360). Here is the video! If I recall correctly, this is the same video that they showed at their booth at VRLA. As with the new Orbit360 mini-site , the video places heavy emphasis on the Orbit360's asymmetric lenses, which enable it to function in three different ways: as an ultrawide fisheye, as a hemispherical camera, or as a fully spherical camera. The video also showed a screenshot of the stitching app, which looks like it has the same interface as the current stitching app for the SP360 4K Dual Pro, but with a different name (PIXPRO VR Utility) implying that it is a separate program. One new feature is a "Wi-Fi Control" tab, which is not in the SP360 4K's app.  This seems to imply that there will be a tethered mode, and I *speculate* that it might even be usable for some type of live streaming. As with the current SP360 4K app, the software ha...

Kodak PIXPRO has created a minisite for the Orbit360 4K  that shows the Orbit360's unique features and the available packages. The site has a new interactive, fully spherical Orbit360 photo that you can check out.  The photo shows very good quality and excellent dynamic range. The site also showcases the Orbit360's features and places heavy emphasis on the Orbit360's unique asymmetric lenses, which allow it to be used in three different ways: as a fully spherical 360 camera, a 235-degree hemispherical camera ("dome mode") or as an ultrawide 197-degree rectilinear fisheye camera. The site also shows the two different packages available: the adventure package and the satellite package.  The extras in the satellite package are the selfie stick, the additional remote control (which can switch between photo or video remotely, as well as between the fields of view), and the housing which can be used to attach the Orbit360 to GoPro-style accessories. Unfortunately there ...

Insta360 demonstrated a 4K live stream from the Insta360 Pro, one of the hottest new cameras for 360 video professionals.  Check out the live stream video! Insta360 Pro is a professional 360 camera that can capture up to 8K 360 video in 2D, 6K 360 video in 3D, or 4K video live streaming (in 2D or 3D).  It is also the only professional 360 camera with realtime image stabilization (see demo here) .  Whereas professional 360 cameras are generally priced in the 5-digit range, the Insta360 Pro is only $3,499, within the range of independent filmmakers and even prosumers. Now here is the live stream video from the Insta360 Pro in 4K 360, posted on YouTube. Insta360 had to reduce the bitrate to 6mbps due to the slow internet connection at their office.  However, the sample still looks impressively detailed.  The stitching also looks quite smooth, which is impressive considering that the stitching is template-based. Based on these samples, and previous samples I've view...

Panasonic AW-360 at NAB 2017. Photo credit: Svend Even Haerra At NAB Show 2017, Panasonic again showcased their 4k 360 live streaming camera, only this time, they confirmed that it would be entering production.  Panasonic is now the third major camera manufacturer (after Ricoh Pentax and Nikon) to enter the growing 360 camera industry. About five months ago at the International Broadcast Equipment Exhibition, Panasonic showed a prototype 360 camera with 4k live streaming .  At NAB Show 2017, Panasonic confirmed that they would be producing the 360 camera, called the 360 Live Camera (AW-360).  They also revealed more specifications. The AW-360 consists of a camera head (AW-360C10) and a base unit (AW-360B10).  Here are the key specifications: - four 1/2.3-inch sensors - four fisheye lenses with f/2.4 aperture - video resolution: 3840 x 1920 - frame rates: 25, 29.97, 50, 59.94 The AW-360 streaming has very low latency and is uncompressed for high image quality. Another...

Ricoh had TWO booths at NAB Show 2017 - one at the VR Pavilion at North Hall, and another at Central Hall.  Here's the news from Ricoh. Ricoh is #1 in the growing 360 camera industry Industry analyst Strategy Analytics confirmed that Ricoh has the highest sales in the 360 camera industry , followed by Samsung and LG.   This is consistent with what I found previously for sales ranking  (except that Samsung is doing much better than in the results I found). Strategy Analytics also forecast that sales for 360 cameras will grow 350% over the next two years.  This is pretty impressive, considering that the market for point-and-shoot cameras has all but disappeared, and even interchangeable lens camera sales are declining (with the exception of Sony mirrorless cameras). Ricoh Theta 4K demo At NAB Show, Ricoh showed the highly anticipated new 4K Theta, which features 4K video @ 30fps, live streaming at 4K 30 fps, 4-channel microphone for spatial audio, and an Android operat...

TwoEyes VR is now live on Kickstarter .  The good news is that it's really $199 for the Super Early Bird ($219 to $239 for others).  The not-so-good news is that the shipping is $50.   Ouch.  Nonetheless, even with the $50 shipping, it is currently both the most affordable 3D 360 camera and for backers up to $219, the most affordable 4k 360 camera.  The next cheapest 4k 360 camera is the Samsung Gear 360 at $275 ( reviewed here ). The release date is planned for August 2017 .  The caveat is that it's a crowdfunding project which are usually delayed and moreover, it could fail completely and in the worst case scenario means that you might lose the money you paid. Some updates: - I asked TwoEyesTech about the flickering in their sample video and their Director of Business Operations said the flickering is from the artificial lights used in the room and not the optics or sensor of their camera. - TwoEyes uploaded some new photos, including photos that show ...

On Friday January 20, the United States will inaugurate its 45th President, Donald Trump.  USA Today Network will be recording and livestreaming the inauguration in 360. The camera that USA Today will be using is a  Nikon Keymission 360 (review and related posts here) , a camera that is actionproof (waterproof, freezeproof, shockproof) and currently the only 4k consumer camera that stitches videos automatically in-camera, making it useful for journalists who need a quick turnaround time. The Keymission is also  the 360 camera used by the Associated Press . The Keymission doesn't have livestreaming capabilities so USA Today will be using a modified version of the Keymission. Thank you very much to Jim Jensen (moderator of Google's Photo Sphere Community ) for bringing this to my attention!

Mark your calendars: TwoEyesVR (hands-on here) will launch on Kickstarter on January 16 .  I'm still not sure about the exact price.  The reps said would be $399, but the Kickstarter draft preview still seems to show an early bird price of just $199 (???).  Even at $399, it would be the most affordable 3D 360 camera by a significant margin.  If it really is available at $199, it would not only be the cheapest 3D 360 camera but the lowest cost 4k-capable 360 camera.

Liiv360 is a hemispherical 360 camera with 4k video and can be used underwater up to 100 feet deep, with its waterproof housing. Here are the key specs: - V3+ Sony IMX179 sensor - Video resolution: up to 3840 x 2160 @30fps - Photo resolution: up to 16mp Functions include: - time lapse - loop recording - slow motion (720p @ 120fps) The Liiv360 comes with several mounting options included, and includes a waterproof housing with a depth of up to 100 feet. I didn't see anything that indicates a function for exporting the video to equirectangular mp4 format, so I don't expect you'll be easily able to view the video in VR / gyroscopic view. Liiv360 is now available from B&H Photo for $220.50 in black .  Other colors are available by special order.

IdealoEye presented three 360 cameras and two VR headsets at CES 2017. IDEALOEYE C2 The C2 is Idealoeye's entry-level 360 camera with two lenses, with a new design that looks strikingly different from any other 360 camera (in fact, I initially thought it was just a non-360 camera), and a mode dial on the side.  It can record fully spherical 360 video at 4096 x 2048 @ 30fps , slightly higher than most other consumer 360 cameras (which are usually 3840 x 1920).  The C2 can also livestream in 360 at 4k via RTMP, with 30mbps bitrate. One unusual feature is that it is equipped with a fan for dissipating heat .  I believe the unusual design actually functions as a radiator that further assists heat management.  Idealoeye claims that it can operate for 1.5 hours. The C2 also has two (?) 3.5mm stereo microphone input jacks.  Having even one mic input jack is a rare feature in consumer 360 cameras.  I don't know if it mixes the audio from two microphones or wh...

TwoEyesVR is a compact 3D 360 camera , which I posted about back in August.  I saw the camera in person at CES. Here is a product video: Here is a video showing how the app is used: The reps showed me a 3D 360 video sample from TwoEyesVR and it was indeed stereoscopic 360, in 4k.  As expected, the stereo effect is at its maximum directly in front of and behind the camera, and diminishes when looking at around 90 degrees and 270 degrees (i.e. near the stitch line). Here is an actual sample 3D 360 video from TwoEyesVR (to view it in 3D, you need to use a smartphone and then switch to Cardboard view): The video can also be converted into non-360 3D side-by-side format: The video seems to show the light to be flickering a bit.  At the show floor, I didn't notice any such flickering.  I will inquire with TwoEyes about why there's flickering and how it can be fixed. According to the representatives I spoke with, TwoEyesVR would be $399 and will soon be available in Kicksta...

One of the most intriguing 360 cameras I saw at CES 2017 was HEX, a new prosumer 360 camera from UK-based studio VISR VR. VISR VR is a UK studio with clients such as Google, Microsoft, and Financial Times.  According to co-founder Lindsay West, they were using cameras from other companies to produce content, but found that the quality fell short of what they needed.  They therefore decided to design their own camera from the ground up. HEX has six lenses, and each sensor has 2k resolution.  Since there are few displays available with higher than 4k resolution, HEX photos and videos are down-rezzed to 4k.  However, the photos and videos have a higher quality than many other cameras that have nominal 4k resolution because HEX's photos and videos are effectively supersampled from 12k. HEX's pricing is not yet fixed but will be under $1,000, and it will be available in Q3 2017.  VISR will be providing samples of photos and videos, which I'll post as soon as I recei...

Perfant, makers of Eyesir and Eyesir Mini , added a couple of new 360 cameras to its lineup: the Eyesir S, a 4k 360 camera and Wink, a 360 camera for Android phones. Here are the key specifications of the Eyesir S: - two lenses, each with a 200 degree field of view. - two sensors, each with 10 mp resolution - f/2.2 aperture - video resolution: 4096 x 2048 @ 30 fps up to 120 minutes. - realtime stitching - 6400 mAh battery The specifications are similar to those of the Eyesir, except that the Eyesir uses 13mp Sony sensors, 220-degree lenses, and features a maximum recording time of 180 minutes.  The Eyesir and Eyesir S have identical size and weight (137mm x 59mm x 54mm, 330g). The Eyesir S is available for $999. Perfant also announced the Wink, a 360-degree camera for Android phones.  Like the Insta360 Air , the Wink attaches to your Android phone via the USB port. I'm waiting for more info on the Wink.