I’ve always been interested in panorama and fisheye photos, so I’ve been following the 360 degree camera scene out of curiosity. This new camera could represent either the next big thing, or it could show the last gasp for the 360 degree camera.
Insta360 ONE X - Own the moment.
It was released yesterday. If you can get past the presenter’s accent, this video by Lok Cheung gives a good idea of what this hobby level camera and software combination can do.
The shift in purpose of these cameras started about a year ago. I think the camera makers realized two things. First, VR goggles will remain a specialized product. We will not see them in everyone’s living room any time soon. Second, viewing 360 degree footage on a phone or computer screen is not a pleasant experience. It takes too much work by the viewer (spinning, zooming, and panning the image) to get a good experience.
Because of these things, the latest generation of 360 degree cameras emphasize editing the footage down to a size that fits on a single screen with no manipulation by the viewer. This makes it easy for the viewer, but adds a lot more work for the videographer.
The results of all of this is a heavily processed image from two fisheye cameras that aren’t particularly high spec to begin with. I don’t see technical perfection here, but I do see some promise.
Insta360 ONE X - Own the moment.
It was released yesterday. If you can get past the presenter’s accent, this video by Lok Cheung gives a good idea of what this hobby level camera and software combination can do.
The shift in purpose of these cameras started about a year ago. I think the camera makers realized two things. First, VR goggles will remain a specialized product. We will not see them in everyone’s living room any time soon. Second, viewing 360 degree footage on a phone or computer screen is not a pleasant experience. It takes too much work by the viewer (spinning, zooming, and panning the image) to get a good experience.
Because of these things, the latest generation of 360 degree cameras emphasize editing the footage down to a size that fits on a single screen with no manipulation by the viewer. This makes it easy for the viewer, but adds a lot more work for the videographer.
The results of all of this is a heavily processed image from two fisheye cameras that aren’t particularly high spec to begin with. I don’t see technical perfection here, but I do see some promise.