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A Single-Sensor 360 Camera? – feat. Max Richter from Insta360 – ON THE GO – Episode 54

June 26^th, 2017

by Fabian ChaundyJune 26^th, 2017

In the second part of our convertible ride with Max from Insta360 we discuss what could be the future of 360-video camera design, and the best uses of their Insta360 Pro.

The design of 360-degree video cameras is pretty much the same across the board these days: whether its a single unit or a rig of several cameras, the result is achieved by an array of various lenses projecting onto their respective sensors. This of course means there is a stitching process required to combine all the resulting images, which can be done either in post or in some cases in-camera. But could it be possible to design a single-lens, single-sensor camera that does away with the need for the stitching process?

The Insta360 Pro

The multi-camera, multi-lens and multi-sensor approach does provide the advantage of rigging up top-of-the-line cinema cameras like REDs and ARRIs to create amazing-looking immersive video, but at a cost that can easily reach the many hundreds of thousands of dollars. Alternatively, something like the Insta360 Pro can provide 8K resolution, as well as various stitching and live streaming possibilities at a fraction of the price, and at $3,500, it even falls at a tenth of the price of the similarly-shaped Nokia OZO. We discuss the best scenarios to deploy the Insta360 Pro, and the advantages of its compact form factor.

360 video was still pretty much one of the big buzz words at this year’s NAB, and with the recent announcement of YouTube’s VR180 format, it’s clear that the world of immersive video is still very much an emerging medium. Interesting times ahead!

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