Canon's new hybrid VR camera 180/360
Canon has a new affordable VR 180/360 hybrid camera coming out soon, and it could transform the world of VR film-making, bringing VR content creation to a much wider market. Here’s everything you need to know about this new piece of VR equipment.
What do we know so far?
Canon’s upcoming VR camera looks set to capitalize on the success of the Meta Quest 3 and the eagerly anticipated Apple Vision Pro, which is set for release in early 2024.
Canon have a very strong reputation in the VR field, thanks to the success of the industry-standard and expensive Canon VR EOS, which consists of the Canon R5C and RF2 lens.
However, this RF2 lens has a smaller IPD (60mm) than the ideal width of 66mm. The DeoVR team have attempted to modify this IPD, but it’s a time-consuming process which voids the warranty and means the lens is no longer waterproof. Hopefully, this new, cheaper model will tackle this IPD issue.
Specs
At IBC 2023, Canon showed off a prototype, sealed in a glass box, but revealed some basic specs. It will be capable of:
- 8K 30FPS
- 4K 120FPS
- VR180 video
- 360 video
- Live streaming
Design
In the images we’ve seen, it comes with a hinge which allows one of the two lenses to be rotated, taking the camera into back-to-back mode for full 360 degree recording. For VR180, the lenses will be side-by-side, like human eyes, similar to all major VR180 video cameras.
Pricing
Rumours are that the device will cost under $1000, though this has not been confirmed by Canon. We reached out to Canon for a comment but they said they can't give an answer at this stage - we will update when we have more details.
Who is it geared towards?
If it lives up to the hype, it will be an affordable item for anyone interested in creating high-quality VR content on a budget. Currently, the CalfVR fills that role, but it maxes out at 6K 50FPS, so a leap up to 8K quality VR will hold mass appeal.
The addition of live streaming means it could be picked up by influencers keen to give a more immersive look at their lives, as well as TokTok users, and models participating in the fast-growing live cam industry.
Want to learn more? Join the discussion at the DeoVR forum, Facebook and Reddit.
