If you think GoPro Hero4 was cool, then think about 16 of them bolted on a spaceship like a rig capturing footage at a super high resolution equivalent to five 4k TVs playing at once. That’s GoPro Odyssey Rig for you.
GoPro and Google’s much anticipated virtual reality rig which started to be shipped to customers in March 2016. The rig is capable of capturing immersive content in the form of 8k30 video. The video from each camera is stitched together through jump assembler online to create an unmatched immersive experience from every direction.
The Build and Design
GoPro Odyssey Rig from GoPro is capable of delivering output at two different resolutions via Jump. The first one at 2K x 2K over under panoramic MPEG4 video with a bit rate of 150Mbit/s while, the second one at 8Kx8K over under panoramic MPEG4 video with a bit rate of 600Mbit/s. The Rig captures footage at a rate of 30 NTSC frames per second and 25 PAL frames per second. The delivered video after the stitching process follows h.264 codec and .mp4 file format.
GoPro Odyssey Rig also includes 16 rechargeable lithium-ion batteries which are rated at 1160mAh, 3.8V, 4. 4Wh. For the Audio front, the rig has been provided with 16 internal mono microphones with support for external microphones. The rig inclusive of everything weighs around 15lbs. The kit which the customer gets includes 16 of the company’s flagship Hero4 Black Cameras, 16 Array Backpacks, odyssey panoramic capture rig, 16 Micro SD cards, Cable Accessories, and a Pelican Case.
What might be disappointing to some is the fact that the rig is not waterproof and using GoPro Odyssey Rig in wet environments might damage the camera. Apart from that the rig has been designed to withstand the rigors of professional use and can be easily used for longer hours of work without any problem. Just like the rest of the 360 cameras we have seen in past few months, the GoPro Odyssey Rig also perfectly fits the spaceship category. It is the first camera that was purposefully built to be used with Google Jump.
GoPro Odyssey Rig Software
The fact that GoPro is Google’s primary partner makes purchasing the GoPro Odyssey the only way to have access to Google’s Jump assembler, a super important stitching web-based platform by Google. On top of that there not many GoPro Odyssey Rigs available and the company is accepting applications from its customers on a rolling basis.
The Odyssey makes use of Omnidirectional stereo to capture seamless stereoscopic footage in all the directions to create a sense of depth for the viewer. But there is a catch here; The GoPro Odyssey cannot capture anything directly above or below the camera itself. The footage captured has a stunning picture quality recorded at the resolution of 8K. While the stitching process was already a nosebleed thing, the stitching process for the stereoscopic images is even more complicated.
This is where Google’s super impressive; Jump Assembler comes into action. The customers just upload their raw footage from the cameras to cloud and rest of the magic is done by Jump. It makes use of technologies like global color calibration and 3D alignment, to get rid of the motion blur that occurs while capturing moving objects. The result is stunning, immersive and crystal clear 360-degree experience to the viewers.
Key Features and Advantages
The ease of use GoPro Odyssey Rig carries along with the automated stitching, and the speed of jump platform opens up great possibilities for the VR industry. The users get fully immersive 360-degree stereoscopic panoramic capture that is rendered at an unbelievable rate of 8k30 resolution. Taking 360 capturing to the next level, GoPro Odyssey Rig gets all its 16 Gopro4 cameras synced to their pixel levels so that they act as a single camera.
The camera also includes extended power capabilities making it suitable for recording longer films even in remote areas. The rugged housing of the camera makes it tough and durable which helps it in standing by all the hardships of professional use. The only thing needed to be taken care of is keeping the GoPro Odyssey Rig away from wet climates as it is not waterproof. The array of cameras included in the rig is packed with custom firmware, and custom made pelican case for convenient handling of the camera. The rig also supports the external power supply through XLR connector which makes it the best choice for videographers who are not satisfied with the duration of work they pull off with other 360 degree cameras.
Price
The GoPro Odyssey Rig is a professional camera being sold at a price tag of $15000 that includes 16 GoPro 4 cameras, microphone, required cables warranty, supports and access to Google’s super impressive Jump assembler for cloud stitching. GoPro Odyssey rig is currently unavailable for rent through rental houses. $15000 might spin heads for the non-professionals or the low budget professionals, but it does include a good amount of equipment. Google and GoPro announced the launch of GoPro Omni before the launch of GoPro Odyssey Rig, a cubical 360-degree camera that consists of 6 GoPro Hero4 cameras. Omni costs one as much as one-fourth the cost of GoPro Odyssey Rig. Odyssey is far more than a consumer-grade device, and at a 1/4th cost, Omni might be a choice for many even with some key features of Odyssey missing from it.
Verdict
GoPro Odyssey Rig sounds appealing, not just regarding specifications offered but the quality of video rendered as well. The video is immersive and takes the viewers on an incredible journey with its crystal clear image and high resolution. With Odyssey, the content creators can focus more on the content and storytelling rather than face technical issues which capturing footage because of its ease to use and handling capabilities. GoPro Odyssey is something great and intends at pushing the limits of Virtual reality to make it an even better experience for its viewers.
Do I miss anything? What is on your mind, good information is like nutrition to our brain, share your thoughts with our readers here!
[Tweet "GoPro Odyssey Rig Camera Review!"]
No comments:
Post a Comment