At NAB back in April, GoPro announced that they were entering the VR camera market with their 360-degree spherical camera, Fusion. Information about this interesting little camera was virtually non-existent, but now that GoPro has taken it out of its pilot program, we're able to catch a glimpse at the whole enchilada, including specs, price, availability, and test footage that might very well knock your socks off.
Fusion boasts 5.2K resolution, powerful gimbal-like image stabilization in-camera, and spherical surround sound. It's also waterproof at up to 16-feet, has a voice command feature, and works with the GoPro app so you can preview your shots and stitch them together right on your phone. Oh, and did I mention that it doesn't look like a ball of cameras glued together?
The compact design is definitely a welcomed change from traditional (bulky) spherical cameras. Cameras on both sides of the housing not only make the body itself more manageable when in use, but it allows you to capture incredible angles and makes stitching more simple and accurate, as well. Not only that, but it's waterproof and mountable, which means you can take it pretty much anywhere that you've taken your GoPro.
Here's a look at what a Fusion VR video looks like:
But perhaps the biggest selling point for this VR camera, other than its unique build and 5.2K capability, is its versatility. It's quite clear that Fusion was designed to be more than a VR camera; it was designed to be a...life...capturing...device. (Marketing isn't my strong suit.) Fusion's OverCapture feature, which is what GoPro seems to be most excited about, allows you to "take spherical content and frame it to traditional video." Because you're capturing everything at once, you're able to go through your footage and select the angles you like best.
Take a look at this video to get a better idea of what OverCapture does:
Technical Specifications
- 5.2K resolution
- OverCapture feature
- Gimbal-like image stabilization
- Spherical surround sound
- Waterproof at up to 16-feet
- Voice command
- GoPro app
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
- Price: $699
- Availability: November 30th 2017
Head on over to GoPro to learn more about Fusion.
Source: GoPro
