We were first introduced to GoPro's 16-camera rig for shooting 360-degree footage earlier this year. Now the action camera manufacturer has announced that professional virtual reality content creators with a spare US$15,000 could soon get their hands on the Odyssey set-up, which is designed for Google’s 3D, 360-degree virtual reality platform, Jump.
Professionals are being invited to register their interest in purchasing the GoPro Odyssey, though its hefty price-tag isn't the only restriction as to who'll get to take it for a spin. GoPro and Google will select which VR film-makers will receive the limited-quantity Odyssey rigs, presumably to ensure high quality for the first 360-degree examples on Google's Jump platform.
For their money, users will get a panoramic capture rig along with 16 of the firm’s Hero4 Black cameras which come with custom firmware, and are held in vertical orientation to capture immersive, 3D, 360-degree content at high resolutions. Also included are 16 array bacpacs with syncing cables, a microphone and a custom-built ultra-rugged Pelican case for carrying it around in.
The set-up boasts features to make shooting Jump virtual reality content easier, including genlock camera synchronization, multi-camera control and extended battery life. Film-makers will be able to use the Google Jump assembler to convert the 16 video sources into a stereoscopic VR video which will be viewable on YouTube.
Users interested in taking part in the limited access program can register their interest via the GoPro website between now and the end of the year, stating what they'd use the rig to shoot, how they currently capture immersive video, and providing examples. It's not clear at the moment exactly when the Odyssey rigs will ship.
Source: GoPro Odyssey