Although GoPro may have already announced its intention to do so, Garmin has beaten it to the punch by releasing a 360-degree spherical actioncam of its own. Called the VIRB 360, the new camera shoots footage at a resolution of 5.7K/30fps, automatically stitching it together into a 4K/30fps video that viewers can pan and tilt within, "as if they were there."
The VIRB 360 is waterproof to 10 meters (33 ft), can run for up to one hour per charge of its lithium-ion battery, and is equipped with four mics for recording 360-degree audio. Along with video, it can also capture 360-degree 15-megapixel stills.
Using a free app, users can edit, stabilize and share their videos, plus they can add overlays that provide data such as GPS coordinates, altitude and speed. Footage and stills are recorded on a user-supplied microSD card (up to 128GB).
While the camera can be controlled using its own physical buttons, it's also possible to operate it "hands-off" using voice commands. Additionally, it's compatible with third-party wireless devices via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ANT+ and NFC, plus it works with Apple and Android mobile devices. Its sunlight-readable display lets users check battery life, storage capacity and video modes.
The camera should be available as of next month, priced at US$799.99 – that price includes a hand grip/tripod. There's still no word on how much GoPro's offering will cost.
You can check out the VIRB 360's handiwork by clicking and dragging on the video below.
Source: Garmin