People who pre-ordered GoPro’s $5,000 Omni VR Camera Rig will see their investment bear fruit on August 17, when the 360-degree camera sphere begins shipping.
Next Wednesday is also when new customers can order the rig for immediate shipping. It boasts half a dozen Hero4 Black cameras, synchronized to act as one and capture high-resolution 360-degree videos. A rig-only option is also available for $1,500, and includes a waterproof shipping case, plastic tweezers, a microfiber bag, and a 2.5mm hex key.
Footage captured with the Omni VR can be uploaded to the GoPro VR app, a free player for desktop, web, and mobile devices. The app is designed to provide a similar viewing experience whether you’re watching footage with a VR headset or on a 2D device.
Actually building Facebook’s rig, though, will cost you upwards of $25,000. And that pales in comparison to Nokia’s OZO VR Camera, a $60,000 sphere that captures stereoscopic 3D video and spacial audio through eight synchronized shutter sensors and integrated microphones. GoPro’s own Odyssey platform, which includes 16 synchronized Hero4 Black cameras, costs $15,000, assuming you submitted an application when it launched last fall.
