Insta360 opened pre-orders for its new Insta360 Pro camera that allows you to capture 360-degree videos at up to 8K resolution.
Saying that 360-degree videos have become increasingly popular over the last year would be an understatement. Streaming providers like YouTube and Vimeo have added support for 360-degree content; upstarts like Hubblo VR, Orah, and Vuze have released 360-degree (and in some cases stereoscopic) cameras; and tech juggernauts like Facebook and Samsung have embraced the format with their own platforms or cameras. It’s easier than ever to consume or create these immersive videos.
Insta360 has supported the expansion of 360-degree content with various cameras, accessories, and apps. Now its product catalog has expanded with the Insta360 Pro, which the company said in a press release was made to cram “best-in-class 360 and 360 3D imaging, a seamless live-streaming experience, and advanced real-time image stitching technology” into one device. It’s also supposed to go beyond 4K (3840 x 2160) with support for 8K (7680 x 3480) capture.
The Insta360 Pro can still capture at 4K resolutions. In fact, that’s what you’re going to see while you’re shooting or live-streaming. The 8K support is limited to photos and post-processing videos. Insta360 also limits 360-degree 3D videos--which offer depth in addition to letting you change a video’s perspective--to 6K (6400 x 6400) via post-processing stitching. The Insta360 Pro’s support for 8K is its maximum resolution, not its minimum or most common one.
Still, the camera does offer live-streaming, mobile apps, wired and wireless connections, and other features that should make recording high quality 360-degree videos easier. You can pre-order the Insta360 Pro on the company’s website now for $3,499, but Insta360 didn’t say when the product will start to ship. The camera’s full specs can be found on the Insta360 website.
If you’re interested in creating 360-degree content but don’t quite know where to begin, you might want to check out our three-part series on shooting, editing, and publishing these immersive videos. We used the Ricoh Theta S in that series, but most of our advice applies to 360-degree videos in general, so it could prove useful no matter what camera you buy.
