360 video opens up new horizons for film production, but also offers new experiences to consumers. With a much greater immersion than 3D, 360 is certainly the future of video. here is something to be incollable on the subject.
What is a 360 video?
The 360 video format took off at the end of 2014 and the beginning of 2015, in particular thanks to broadcasts on Youtube. If it is possible to enjoy it from a smartphone or computer, the best is to use a virtual reality headset. The viewer is then no longer content to watch a video and can orient the camera lens wherever he sees fit.
How to create a 360 video?
In a 360° video, the viewer can see everything around the camera, what is happening in real time. It is therefore impossible to make one with a “classic” camera, you need a special one, which has several lenses to have a 360 ° view. Basically, we could have put several cameras, which each film a place with a different angle. But this is a lot of material, not very practical and complicated to mount. 360 cameras make it easy to mount, see also downright this step by doing it on your own. For the most part, they are the size of a GoPro.
Some agencies offer to make professional-quality 360 videos (excellent sound and video quality). Obviously, this is a service that is quite expensive: count between € 20,000 and € 50,000 for a 2-minute video (click here for a quote request). However, if you don’t want help, there are editing software like Kolor Eyes (the latter has the advantage of being free). Once edited with this software, you will be able to view your 360 video with or without a virtual reality headset.
How to shoot a 360 video? What material to use?
As is often the case with new technologies, many players are share this market, including large companies. Here are 5 examples of a 360 camera :
Giroptic
Giroptic, a French startup that offers a small 360 camera for 499e. Created in 2008, the Lille-based startup was the first to produce cameras that allow filming at 360 degrees and in high definition. In December 2015, she managed to raise $4.5 million from Partech Ventures, Finorpa, and other investors such as Aloe Blacc.
Ricoh Theta
Other cameras are even more affordable, like the Ricoh Theta sold for $350. It works in High Definition and at 30 FpS (Frame per Second) for a maximum of 25 minutes. She can also film in 360 sphericals, but only 3-minute sequences.
SP 360 Kodak
Kodak, the brand camera history, also released a 360 camera. The SP360 is small, but 20 mm thicker than a GoPro. Of course, she can shoot 360°, but hemispherical, unlike the Ricoh Theta, and in High Definition. Your movies and photos taken with the Kodak SP360 can be sent to your smartphone, in a few seconds. It is sold from €299.
V 360
The V 360 is a camera that targets extreme sports enthusiasts. It is shock-proof, dust-proof and can even hold 30 minutes at a depth of 1 meter under water. No 4K movie for this camera, but in 1080p all the same. It costs $399.
Nokia Ozo
For a more professional use, we must turn to the Nokia 360 camera: Ozo. Thanks to its 8 lenses with a resolution of 2 K by 2 K and its 8 microphones, the Nokia Ozo is one of the most successful on the market. It is also one of the most expensive. In fact, you have to pay no less than € 60,000 to have fun with it. It is therefore better to go through a rental company to use this product.
Several platforms other than YouTube to watch 360 videos
On YouTube, anyone can post a 360-degree video. And of course everyone can watch these videos from a smartphone or computer. Other platforms are available, such as Facebook, which launched its own in September 2015. Others are less well known, like Wevr, a startup that intends to become the future YouTube for 360 video content. For this platform, only professional projects can be published (the site is in beta testing). Some of them, by the way will be paid. To make the most of the experience of these videos, it is recommended to watch them with Google CardBoard or any other virtual reality headset.
What uses for 360 video?
Film productions
At the moment, few feature films have been shot in 360°, but it’s a safe bet that the productions will increase as technology advances. However, watching a movie on a Smartphone, to take advantage of the Google CardBoard or Samsung Gear, will never be as pleasant as on your TV, the laptop screen being too small. And then a smartphone does not have enough good speakers, which makes the its not spatiality, so it is difficult to locate a person just by his voice, but it is by hearing that the viewer must know where the action is taking place and therefore where to give head, unless to have a headset with 360 sound.
Concert or sporting events
On the other hand, for sporting events, this technology has its place. As with concerts or festivals, 360 video surely has a future with these events. It allows you to relive the concert of his favorite artist in 360°, to focus on a player and follow him during a match, or simply to discover a stadium from a new angle. The same goes for immersing yourself in a racing car of Formula 1 alongside the driver.
Advertising
360 video, like many new technologies, will allow many brands to communicate in an original way. In addition, it can be useful for the consumer. Power looking at an item from all angles before buying it is not negligible. This could well revolutionize online consumption.
And that’s all you need to know about the 360° videos. They were the talk of the town when virtual reality headsets were put on the market. Indeed, these technologies cannot be exploited to the maximum without the virtual reality headset
