The circular device has a “squashed” shape, unlike the spherical designs of cameras such as the recently discontinued Nokia OZO. Around the 360 Round’s perimeter, Samsung has placed eight stereo pairs of depth-sensing lenses capable of creating 3D footage. There’s also a single vertical lens mounted on the top of the device.
Samsung said the 360 Round’s design was chosen because it minimises weight and allows for a fanless construction. The latter benefit is a particular advantage since it cuts down power consumption and stops fan noise from disrupting the recorded content.
The camera’s equipped with USB Type-C and 40GB of storage, expandable up to 2TB with an external SSD or memory card. The maximum capture resolution is 4096×2048 running at 30fps in each eye. Audio input is provided by six internal spatial audio microphones which can be supplemented by a further two external addons.
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The 360 Round captures a 360-degree field of view so it can offer a full 3D experience. It’s accompanied by a software suite that can livestream the camera view with “little-to-no latency” to social media platforms. At launch, Facebook, YouTube and Samsung VR are amongst the streaming options available.
Samsung said it’s created the 360 Round as a way of spurring interest in high-quality VR entertainment. It’s aimed at “specialists and enthusiasts” who are looking for the best possible experience. Although the camera’s oriented towards livestreaming, it could be used for regular video capture or 360-degree image production. Samsung’s designed it to be applicable to all forms of 3D content creation.
“The Samsung 360 Round is a testament to our leadership in the VR market. We have developed a product that contains innovative VR features, allowing video producers and broadcast professionals to easily produce high-quality 3D content,” said Suk-Jea Hahn, EVP of Samsung’s Global Mobile B2B Team. “The combination of livestreaming capabilities, IP65 water and dust resistance and 17 lenses makes this camera ideal for a broad range of use cases our customers want – from livestreaming major events to filming at training facilities across various industries.”
The Samsung 360 Round will launch later this month in the United States. It will reportedly cost $10,500, making the device something only dedicated VR enthusiasts will consider investing in. Samsung said availability will expand to more global markets next year.
