By technical editor Matt Allard:
GoPro have just announced a access program for their crazy stereoscopic panoramic capture rig called Odyssey that has been optimised to work with Jump assembler technology. Odyssey packs 16 synchronized HERO4 Black cameras into an all-in-one rig, that according to GoPro, is capable of capturing immersive content in stunning 8K30 video. The company first showed the Odyssey rig at the Google I/O developers conference in May. You can watch an example video above, but be warned it does not work with some browsers such as safari.
The camera rig consists of 16 camera modules in a circular array. The size of the rig and the arrangement of the cameras are optimized to work with the Jump assembler. The Jump assmebler uses advanced computer vision and whole lot of computing power to transform 16 pieces of video into stereoscopic VR video.
Jump assembles 360 videos that allow you to experience a scene in every direction. GoPro claims perfect stereo ensures that near things look near, far things look far. Our 3D alignment approach creates a beautiful, seamless panorama, so you you won’t see borders where cameras are spliced together. The final assembled 3D videos are super high resolution – the equivalent of five 4k TVs playing at once.
Jump is also coming to YouTube soon, which will allow viewers to experience immersive video from your smartphone, tablet or computer.
If you think you can run out and buy one, then your out of luck. Odyssey will only be available to select industry professionals. GoPro says that due to Odyssey’s limited production, the rig will be available exclusively to qualified applicants. To apply, you need to submit your information to GoPro. If your application is accepted, a GoPro representative will contact you. The price for the Odyssey rig is $15,000US and they won’t start shipping until November.
KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS:
STEREOSCOPIC PANORAMIC CAPTURE- Records immersive 360˚ 3D video with unrivaled depth perspective for realistic playback on VR devices.
HIGH-RESOLUTION RENDER- Jump assembler technology results in incredibly realistic video capture of up to 8K30.
SYNCHRONISED RIG- All 16 HERO4 cameras are synced down to the pixel level to function as one camera.
EXTENDED POWER- Ideal for longer recording times and additional power supply in remote locations.
RUGGED ALL-IN-ONE HOUSING- Designed to withstand the rigors of professional use.
Warning: Rig housing is not waterproof. Using the rig in wet environments will damage your cameras.
