360 rumors

Here's a 3D 360 video of the Happiest Place on Earth, shot on the Vuze Camera, the first affordable fully spherical 4K 3D 360 camera ( first impressions here ). If you've never tried 3D 360 video before, you ought to.  It's far more immersive that 2D 360 video. However, before the Vuze was released, 3D 360 video required large and expensive rigs that cost $15,000 or more.  Vuze made it possible for consumers to capture 4K 3D 360 video with a camera that costs $799, and can stitch videos in one step. Here's the video: I want to underscore the importance of viewing this video in 3D.  Many people have viewed videos from the Vuze and thought that the image quality was nothing to write home about -- but they only viewed the videos in 2D on a smartphone, which as I said to one reader is like test driving a Ferrari on 25mph residential roads and concluding that it's not good because it has poor gas mileage and can't carry as many groceries as your Toyota. And if you ha...

Here is an update on Vuze, the first affordable 4K 3D 360 camera: - Vuze was featured on a major TV network news show, - there's a video tutorial showing how to shoot with the Vuze; - there's e new video showing the workflow; and - there are some new Vuze samples. Vuze is the first affordable 4K 3D 360 camera, and I've been waiting for it since February of last year. So far, I'm pleased with it, although it needs more careful shooting than 2D 360 video. Humaneyes is still very busy trying to fulfill all the preorders.  Meanwhile, here are some news on Vuze.  First, Vuze was featured on a major network -- on Kathy Ireland's Worldwide Business show on Fox TV.  Check out the feature: I thought the video was cool and it's always nice to see 360 photos and videos being mentioned in media to raise public awareness. Humaneyes also posted new tutorials to help users: one for shooting, and another for processing.  Here's the video about shooting tips (shot on the Vuz...

Google announced that there will be 20 new cameras in 2017 that will be certified for compatibility with Google Street View. Google announced a new Street View certification program, and also announced that there would be 20 cameras "released over the coming months" in 2017 that would be certified under the program. There are four different types of Street View certifications: 1. Mobile ready - can upload to Street View directly from their mobile app without needing a desktop. 2. Auto ready - can be used to take Street View photos from a car "with the highest accuracy." 3. VR ready - these cameras take not only photos but also "geometry" and can generate connected photos. 4. Workflow ready - tools (with or without cameras) that can publish to Street View. Among the interesting companies mentioned are: - Giroptic : mobile ready.  This is interesting because the iO does not meet the minimum resolution for GSV.  I don't know if this means the Giroptic 360...

The Vuze camera is the first affordable 4k 3D 360 camera, and was the camera I was most eagerly anticipating in 2016.  Unfortunately, it was delayed for additional tests . Our correspondent in Germany, Sven Neuhaus, got to see Vuze at Photokina 2016, but they only showed him a sample video.  At CES 2017, I met with Humaneyes' GM for North America, Jim Malcolm, who had been the President for Ricoh Imaging Americas and had helped bring the Ricoh Theta to the US market.  Jim showed me a working camera, and walked me through the entire process from capture to viewing the final video on an HTC Vive.  Here are my impressions of the Vuze. Update: I now have the Vuze.  Here is an unboxing and my first impressions! Here is the Vuze's retail box. HARDWARE First of all, a few things have changed.  Originally, the Vuze's memory was not removable.  That meant that once the memory was filled up (~1 hour capacity), you had to download everything via USB 2.0 before y...

Vuze is the first affordable 3D 360 camera for consumers .  I will be checking it out at their CES booth (hopefully with an actual demo).  I will also inquire about whether they're on schedule for their  February release .  If there is anything else you'd like to ask about, pls. let me know in the comments so I can ask them for you! In the meantime, here is a new product video.

Vuze is the first affordable 3D 360 camera for consumers.  It is the 360 camera I'm most eagerly anticipating.  Here's a sample 3D 360 video that shows the Vuze's performance in low light. The video was captured in an artist's loft lit only by fluorescent lights and a few lamps. The Vuze video looks remarkably good for such difficult conditions.  The video appears to have passable levels of saturation even in the low light.  The white balance also looks very good, judging by the artist's skin tone and the tone of the white canvas. As expected, the video is soft from noise reduction, but there is a usable level of detail, and it performs capably compared to other 360 cameras for consumers. There does seem to be a slight difference in exposure between the lenses.  In the screenshots above, the left image is brighter.  On the other hand, in the shot below, the right image is brighter and a little sharper. This difference is not ideal and hopefully will be add...

​Insta360 Stereo is a camera that takes hemispherical 3D 360 photos and videos.  It is made by Shenzhen Arashi Vision, which has also made the Insta360 4k  and Nano fully spherical 2D 360 cameras. ​ The Stereo was exhibited at CeBIT , but so far there is still very little information about the Stereo.  The Stereo competes with the LucidCam , another camera that also takes hemispherical 3D 360 photos and videos, due for release in December 2016, and with Vuze , the first affordable fully spherical 3D 360 camera due in October 2016.

Vuze Camera is the first affordable fully spherical 3D 360 camera, and it's the camera I'm most eagerly anticipating in 2016.  Vuze has already posted several 3D 360 sample videos, such as this one .  They have now finally uploaded a 360 photo on their Facebook page as well.  It's a beautiful photo of the twin peaks of Maroon Bells in Colorado: As with Vuze's recent videos, the stitching looks excellent, which I find amazing, considering the relatively large distance between the lenses of the Vuze, which creates a larger potential for parallax stitching error.  The photo doesn't have as much detail as some cameras such as the popular Ricoh Theta S , and the shadow areas seem to have color and luminance noise, but then again, the photo will be in 3D.   The contrast is a little low and the color a little undersaturated, but those can be easily adjusted in post. Speaking of 3D, the photo posted on Facebook is not 3D (Facebook doesn't support 3D photos yet)....

Vuze Camera, the first fully spherical 3D 360-degree camera for consumers , is giving away one Vuze VR kit, which includes a camera, specially designed tripod/handle, headset, and video editing software. To be entered into the contest, you just have to register for an account on their website. Details of the contest: https://www.facebook.com/vuze.camera/posts/1639613826352681:0

Vuze (previewed here) , the first fully spherical 360 3D camera for consumers, just uploaded another sample on Facebook. I was very impressed with the stitching, which looked perfectly seamless.  I don't know if the stitching in this case was automatic, or was customized (and if it was customized, I don't know if the included software would allow customization).  I do know that one of their recent videos, of an Austrian concert , had excellent stitching as well. Separate from the stitching, the image quality was also quite good.  I watched the video on the phone and also on the Gear VR.  There was excellent level of detail for the singer.  The piano and the other instruments had less detail because they were farther, but there was still a reasonable level of detail. The color for this sample video was much better and more realistic than the color in the Austrian concert video. There was some glare, which I expected due to the very strong light sources.  (No...