Earlier this week Facebook released the design specifications for its brand new 360 degree camera, Surround 360, used for shooting virtual reality (VR) video. The document provides clear instructions for assembling your very own version of the kit, which captures footage in 3D for viewing with head-mounted displays (HMDs). But what are the best components for the job and where’s best to buy them? That’s what Immersive Technology Studios (ITS) is ready to help with.
Over on its website the company has provided a complete list of components needed to assemble the camera, which made its debut at Facebook’s own developer conference, F8, earlier in the year. If you click through the list, which is divided into sections, you’ll find the types of cables, cameras, and other such parts you’ll need, complete with individual links to different retailers to pick them up. ITS also goes on further, offering the components for a PC needed to process the video.
All told it’s an expensive shopping list, coming in at $56,134 (USD) for every part, though just the camera itself is around $30,000 like Facebook initially stated. If you do have a good enough PC already then Facebook has its own software for stitching and processing video shot with Surround 360 ready for use.
The Surround 360’s price tag makes it seem like more of a professional product than an item for enthusiasts. That said, there are plenty of options for that market too, including Nokia’s OZO. Hopefully the price of the components needed for this camera come down over time and make it more accessible for everyone; 3D 360 degree video is going to be an essential part of improving VR moviemaking.
For the latest on VR camera, as well as all the news, updates and features in the world of VR, make sure to check back with VRFocus.
