This is your one-page guide to your new Samsung Gear 360 (2017 edition). Download the full guide at the bottom of this article to takeIndividual instance of a shot; a take = each time the camera is started and stopped. with you on your first shoot, or gift it alongside any YI 360 VR cameras your friends, family or co-workers will be unwrapping this holiday season.
Why this camera rocks:
This camera opens Samsung Gear 360 cameras to iPhones–including live streaming!
What comes in the box:
Camera, USB Type-C charging cable, strap, pouch
What doesn’t come in the box:
- Micro SD card (up to 256GB)
- Tripod, monopod, or selfie stick to avoid “claw hand”
Helpful hints:
- Back up your product key for the camera’s companion Action Director software for PC and Mac. It’s hard to acquire a new one, should you lose this.
- The battery on this camera is not removable, but it does allow up to 130 minutes of recording on a single charge (for 2.5K footage). For 4K footage, expect the battery to last less than one hour.
- Although the manual said you cannot charge the camera while you record video, it does seem to charge while recording. However beware of overheating!
- Although not marketed as an action camera, the 2017 Samsung Gear 360 is dust- and splash-proof.
- Did you know you can record with only one of the lenses–front or back? Now you know!
- Samsung’s cameras have an issue with balancing exposures across the lens. Try to balance the light across both sides of the device. For example, place the sun in the stitch line.
- Although the video resolutionThe number of pixels in an image, typically presented as a ratio of the total pixels on x axis to the total pixels on th... More is better with this Samsung Gear 360, the photo resolutionThe number of pixels in an image, typically presented as a ratio of the total pixels on x axis to the total pixels on th... More of the old Samsung Gear 360 is better than this one. So, if you have both, use the old one for photos.
- Make sure you’ve gone through the settings to record 4K video. Initially, it’s set to 2.5K.
- You must use the app to live stream. You’ll also need to have the apps for whichever platforms to which you plan to live stream installed on your phone.
- Consider setting your camera to have a 2-second delay to give you time to hoist overhead, get into position, or let the tripod stop moving.
- The app offers a live preview before clicking record. You can view the default split screen footage, or change to 360-degree or panoramic mode.
- You can view in VR mode from within the app by tapping on “View on Gear VR” from the camera rollTerm meaning “record,” dating back to a time when physical film was rolled on an axle past the gate of a camera..
- For better stitching results, consider using a third-party stitching software, like Kolor Autopano Video Pro or MistikaVR, both of which have templates available for this camera.
Support:
View tutorials and troubleshooting resources on Samsung’s Gear 360 support website, and contribute to its user forum. You can also call or email support, or use Samsung’s live 24-hour chat feature.
There’s also a Samsung Gear 360 user group on Facebook, showing sample footage, crazy mounts and answering user questions.
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