Nokia has just announced the OZO Virtual Reality camera that shoots 360 video and audio simultaneously. They state that it is “the first commercially available virtual reality (VR) camera designed and built for professional content creators.”
Set for release in Q4 2015, the camera features eight synchronized global shutter sensors and spatial audio through eight integrated microphones. It offers live monitoring, so photographers will be able to preview live content as they film it while wearing a VR headset. Low res footage can be played back within minutes. According to the press release, it comes with:
“Software built for OZO enables real-time 3D viewing, with an innovative playback solution that removes the need to pre-assemble a panoramic image - a time-consuming process with solutions currently in the marketplace.”
The camera uses a standard SDI and power cable but can also be controlled wirelessly via a wifi remote. A few photos from the live event shows that the camera has a strange tail like area that pokes out on one side, so the assumption is that it may only feature a 270 degree filming radius.
There is no price yet announced for the camera, but Nokia is going for the high-end filmmaker market, and rumors are that it could be in the 5 figure range.
In addition to the announcement, Palo Alto-based VR production company Jaunt Inc, has agreed to partner with Nokia to use the OZO for it’s content creation.
So far there are some press photos and a couple mysterious, Darth Vader-like teaser videos of the camera, but not many more details. We will share more info as it becomes available.
Sean Earley is the Executive Editor of AR/VR Magazine & co-founder of RobotSpaceship Podcast Network. He is the Director of New Biz Development and Publishing at KEMWEB, a musician, producer & consultant. He loves guitars, VR and coffee.
