China’s Insta360 has announced its 8K professional virtual reality camera, the Insta360 Pro, to raise the bar for 360-degree VR films.
The company made the announcement at CES 2017, the big tech trade show in Las Vegas this week. The 8K-resolution Insta360 Pro camera is designed for shooting 360 films that can be displayed with virtual reality headsets.
The standalone camera can capture 3D images and videos and is also suitable for livestreaming. It is aimed at professional photo and video creators, as well as non-professionals who demand excellence from the camera they use to pursue their creative visions.
Insta360 Pro uses six independent high-definition lenses. It captures 60-megapixel 360-degree 3D stills and supports both HDR and RAW formats to bring out levels of detail and low-light performance unprecedented in a 360-degree camera of this size.
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When recording 4K video, the camera supports up to 100 frames per second. In addition, the VR time-lapse mode adds a new dimension to videos, and the live preview function allows users to get the best angle before shooting.
Insta360 uses real-time image stitching technology and offers both H.264 and H.265 video compression, which substantially improves video quality at the same bit rate.
HD image files can be easily auto-stitched with Insta360 Studio. The company is enhancing the imaging potential of the camera by offering professional 3D 360-degree video that applies the 3D video-capturing capabilities of Hollywood films.
The camera can capture 3D videos in up to 6K (4K in real-time stitching mode). As a standalone camera, it can be used with the dedicated Insta360 Pro iOS and Android apps. It connects via Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or 4G, and it is ready to livestream and share any event instantly on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
“Insta360’s most advanced technology comes together in the Insta360 Pro, the most powerful, all-in-one VR and 3D content capturing platform that empowers you to create the unforgettable,” said Liu Jingkang, Insta360 CEO and founder, in a statement. “Never before has such power been put into an easy-to-use, compact system that enables users to share their VR content live with international audiences.”
The Insta360 Pro will cost $3000 and will be available on Amazon and Insta360’s official online store later this year.
Established in 2014, Shenzhen Arashi Vision Co. is a consumer technology company that goes by the name Insta360.
