360 rumors

I found the perfect camera case for the Garmin Virb 360!  Look at it -- it even fits both cradles, and there's no wasted space.  Here's a video: The case is the Pelican Micro 1010 (available here) .  Here are the benefits: - fits the Garmin and both cradles with no wasted space - Virb and cradles will not move around - Transparent cover lets you see if the camera is inside - You can attach your monopod or selfie stick while the Virb 360 is still in the case (while cover is open obviously) - The case can be used to temporarily cover the Virb like a lens cap while the Virb is on a monopod waiting between recordings. - you can attach a strap to it for your backpack, etc. - includes a carabiner - Water resistant, dustproof, crushproof - Low cost - Proudly made in the USA by Pelican.  Comes with a lifetime guarantee. PLEASE NOTE THE DIRECTION that the lenses are facing. Do not face the lenses to the cradles - they could be scratched! Alternatively, you can also remove the...

The Guru 360 is the most affordable gimbal for 360 cameras.  It also has one of the smallest nadirs and in some cameras, it can even become almost invisible .  Here's a demo and tutorial. Stabilizing your video with a gimbal is one of the most effective ways to improve its quality and to enhance your viewers' experience.  Among gimbals designed for 360 cameras, the Guru 360 is the most affordable and it also has one of the smallest nadirs to date. The nadir is small enough that it is possible to make it almost invisible.  Here's a 360 video demo and a tutorial: As I mentioned in the video, the most visible parts of the Guru 360 in the nadir are the motor and the counterweights.  To make them disappear, you need to do two things: 1. Move the camera off the center of the gimbal and toward the pitch/roll motor.  The goal is to put the motor between the lenses. 2. To hide the counterweight that is on the opposite side of the pitch/roll motor, you need to split...

I got an inexpensive third person view mount / harness from eBay  for GoPro, action cameras, and 360 cameras.  Here's a sample 360 video from this mount.  UPDATE: found on Amazon a nearly identical mount . Here's how the backpack mount looks: The harness has clamps that you can use to configure the two included pipes and elbow to choose an angle for the camera.  It uses a GoPro style adapter, so you may need a GoPro to 1/4-20 adapter. For this sample video I used the Xiaomi Mi Sphere yet again because it's lightweight and stabilized.  Here's the video: I would say the harness did its job and I like that you can position the camera in many ways.  The issue is that when walking, the camera will move side to side.  Fortunately, the Xiaomi Mi Sphere's stabilization keeps the horizon level.  Without stabilization, I imagine it would be difficult to watch.  The mount is much smoother for videos while riding a bike, or other wheeled vehicle as you ...

Ben Claremont (Life in 360) shares this tip on how to avoid overheating on your 360 camera.  And no, you don't need to bring a fan. :) Here's the video: So far the cards I have been using are Sandisk Extreme 64GB (U3) and I haven't been experiencing premature overheating issues.  I've also been trying out the Samsung EVO Select 64GB (U3) , which costs significantly less and so far I haven't noticed any issues either.  I'm also using the Samsung EVO Select 128GB (U3) for my Samsung S8+ Micro SD card slot, and haven't noticed any issues.  In fact, when using my Insta360 Air , I've set it to record to the Micro SD, and have been able to record and playback at the higher 3K setting without issues. How about you?  Are there any Micro SD cards that you particularly like or dislike?  Let me know in the comments!

I found a camera case that fits the Xiaomi Mi Sphere perfectly and doubles as a lens cap! Like any 360 camera, you need to take very good care of the Xiaomi Mi Sphere's lenses.  Unlike non-360 lenses, scratches will have a serious impact on the image quality of 360 lenses because of their very short focal length. The Xiaomi does include a camera case, which has a rubberized texture that seems waterproof.  However, I wasn't satisfied with it for two reasons: first, it's not that thick, and doesn't seem like it will protect the Xiaomi in case you drop it.  Second, every time I take the Xiaomi out of the case, I see that the lens is smeared.  It seems like the rubberized texture has some kind of oil in it (perhaps to prevent it from drying out). I searched high and low for a replacement case, and finally found one that's pretty much perfect.    Here is the case I found .  Here is a video showing how well it works with the Xiaomi: To recap, here are the pr...

Some updates on the Xiaomi: - Over the weekend, Xiaomi updated the Mi Sphere app for iOS to give it the same features as its Android version, including stabilization! - There's a rumor that Xiaomi is working on a desktop app.  See the evidence. - Meanwhile, I used my Xiaomi Mi Sphere to take some 360 videos while swimming.  Check out the video! iOS APP UPDATE Xiaomi updated the Mi Sphere app to version 1.6.4 which added several features, including: - can export stabilized 360 video - shutter speed up to 32 seconds in photo mode - video editor Here is a short sample stabilized video: However, the 360 video seems to be missing 360 metadata (the Android version has 360 metadata on export). I expect they'll fix this in the next update.  More importantly, the maximum resolution is still 2304 x 1152.  This seems to be a hardware limitation therefore I don't expect the resolution to increase unless perhaps the next iPhone is powerful enough to stitch the Xiaomi's video at f...

Nolo VR (hands-on here) is a peripheral for mobile VR headsets that adds positional tracking.  They just posted a new video showing the system being used to run NVidia Funhouse, a Steam VR game for the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift . Here's the video: In contrast to my hands-on experience at CES (where there was a lot of radio interference), the video appears to show only a little lag, if any.  Nolo VR said they used a Samsung S6 and Samsung Gear VR for the demo.

I took a photo with a Nikon Keymission 360 ( reviewed here ) and it would have looked good except that my face is "foggy."  It's not because of a problem with the Keymission, but because I scuffed my lens and I haven't bought a replacement lens for it yet. Here is the 360 photo: I took other photos and they have the same issue .  Here is the scuff on the lens protector : As I posted previously, scratches affect 360 cameras more seriously than non-360 cameras because of 360 cameras' very short focal length.  The good thing about the Keymission is that I only have to get a replacement lens protector rather than replace the whole camera. Anyway I found a third party lens cap for the Keymission .  The set includes a cover for the regular lens protector and the underwater lens protector . I would definitely recommend getting one if you have the Keymission because the replacement lens protectors are $40 each for a single lens protector (not a pair) besides the inc...

Koroao is a waterproof case for the LG 360 Cam  (there's also an identical case from Holaca). The case looks very similar to the Ricoh Theta TH-1 waterproof case .  However, the LG 360 Cam cannot be used with the TH-1 or similar 3rd party cases because its 1/4-20 tripod insert is offset from the center (to allow space for the memory card slot and USB Type C). The Koroao case resolves this with an adapter which you attach using an Allen key: Interestingly, it appears that the adapter does not obstruct the use of the LG's own case / sleeve, so it can be left on the LG 360 Cam until you're ready to use the memory card or charge the camera. I haven't tried the case yet so I don't know how well it performs, although at least one user has confirmed that it is waterproof . At around $25, the Koroao case costs much less than another waterproof case for the LG 360 Cam called the Voia .  There is also an identical case from Holaca at a similar price .  BTW, some photos show ...

HTC showed several interesting new accessories and peripherals for the HTC Vive. 1. New headstrap with integrated audio. HTC showed a new headstrap that has a ratchet for easier adjustment, similar to the Playstation VR.  In addition, the new headstrap has integrated headphones, like the Oculus Rift.  The headstrap is also made of a sturdier material like that of the Oculus Rift, unlike the current fabric headstrap that stretches over time and becomes frayed.  HTC said the new headstrap would be available sometime in 2017 but did not disclose the price. 2. Vive Trackers Vive Trackers enable game developers to add tracked peripherals for their games.  For example, a tracker could be added to a table tennis racket to enable the racket to be tracked within a game. 3.  Wireless glove controller At least one manufacturer is adding a wireless glove that can track hands as well as fingers with pinpoint accuracy. You can see that it has a Vive Tracker to track its movem...

Vroomcam is a motorized dolly for 360 cameras with stabilization, and can operate autonomously or via remote control. One of the challenges of 360 videos is that they have to remain level and stable to avoid inducing nausea for viewers.  At the same time, 360 cameras can see everywhere around them, therefore traditional stabilization solutions such as a skilled Steadicam operator will be seen on a 360 camera, possibly detracting from the video. Vroomcam is a motorized dolly that addresses both issues.  It has stabilization to keep the camera level, and it can be operated with remote control or autonomously set to follow a subject, thus allowing the camera to move without a visible operator.  Vroomcam can operate on the ground or on an aerial cable. Here is a video demonstrating Vroomcam: Vroomcam costs $20,000 and is available for lease.   Here is the official website . RELATED POSTS: Vantrix partners with Spydercam and Eye-Live

​Finch Shift is a new motion controller designed for your smartphone which is designed to enable your VR-ready smartphone to play apps for the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift . Finch Shift uses a pair of motion controllers and a pair of arm bands.  Each controller and arm band has modified inertial measurement units.  By combining the data from the arm bands and controllers, the software is able to determine the location of the motion controllers without using external cameras or sensors. ​ Here's a video of the Shift being used: Finch claims the Shift can be used with: - smartphone games adapted for the Finch Shift - games designed for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift - non-VR games where you use the Shift as a joystick. ​ I'm not sure how the Shift can enable smartphones to play HTC Vive or Oculus Rift games because of the processing power required, and because smartphones currently don't have positional tracking.  In any case, Finch Shift will be at CES 2017 and I will vis...

I found an LED light that can work for almost any 360 camera! It's an LED light with two arms, which can be made to face almost any direction. The LED light has a clamp that is not wide enough for 360 cameras, but it can clamp on selfie sticks and lightstands which are often used with 360 cameras.  What makes this light useful for 360 cameras is that the light can be used to face in any direction, or to illuminate two directions at the same time. I tried it with a variety of selfie sticks, monopods, and light stands, and it was able to attach to all of them. It has a little bracket inside that I found useful for stabilizing its grip by resting it against the tripod attachment of a light stand. Here are some sample 360 shots (with a Ricoh Theta) using the LED light. Here is a shot where the light is illuminating both the front and the back at the same time. Each LED has two power settings.  Even on the highest setting and with both lamps facing the same direction, the light is ...

I found an LED lamp that can add light to your 360 photos or videos, and it's slim enough that it's pretty much invisible even to a 360 camera. INTRODUCTION 360 cameras for consumers have small sensors, which do not perform well in low light.  At the same time, there are still no 360 cameras that support electronic flash.  It is possible to add continuous lighting, but because 360 cameras have a spherical field of view, the light source will be captured in the photo or video, and moreover, the light can add glare. I looked for a light source that was slim enough that it would not be visible in the shot.  Here's the lamp that I found: Here's a sample 360 photo when using with the lamp: As you can can't see, the lamp is invisible even to the Ricoh Theta S .  The lamp can also be used for narrower 360 cameras such as the Insta360 Nano ( with a tripod adapter ) or an LG 360 Cam . The lamp includes a plastic mounting clip that can also double as a stand, and a Micro US...