There may soon be a new professional VR camera on the market: Thor, from Copenhagen-based Absolute Zero.
Thor can capture 8K monoscopic 360 video at 60 fps and 6K stereoscopicVideo shot with two parallel cameras (or in the case of 360° video, multiple pairs of parallel cameras) Commonly referr… More 360 video at 60 fps. It can also capture 39 MP stills and timelapses at intervals as short as .5 seconds.
The system has 12 synced lenses-eight oriented horizontally in a circle, with two up and two down-and 12 1/3 CMOS rolling shutter sensors and four directional microphones for spatial audio capture.
The minimum shooting distance from the camera is roughly 20 inches (50 cm).
The camera can be controlled via the Absolute Zero app, which can be used to adjust settings, including white balance, exposureThe measurement of the brightness and range (latitude) of light being captured by the camera. Exposure is governed by ca… More, EV stopsƒ-stops are the measurement of, and mechanism for controlling how much light is let through the lens to reach a camera … More, ISO, WB and AE lock, sharpness and more. The app can also be used to preview and review footage, and begin and end recording.
Although current photos of the camera show it housed in a 3D-printed case, Absolute Zero representatives have said the final version will be housed in injection-molded cases. It weighs 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg) and is 8.6 inches (22 cm) in diameter and 4.7 inches (12 cm) tall. There’s also a 1/4-inch mount both on the top and bottom of the camera.
Its files-unfortunately only MP4 and JPG-are captured to a removable Sata SSD drive.
The camera’s removable battery lasts for 1.5 continuous, 10 hours on standby, or 4 hours in timelapse mode, and can be charged while recording.
There are a few photo samples from previous versions of the camera on Absolute Zero’s website, but representatives said to expect both stitched and unstitched samples from the latest version of the camera in January.
According to the camera’s spec sheet, it is expected for release in the first quarter of 2018 and will cost €2,999 (roughly $3,500).
Currently, Absolute Zero is offering a 30 percent discount-€2,100 before VAT-to 25 customers willing to be part of the company’s A-tester program, which also includes tutorials and 1:1 support.
For more information, visit Absolute Zero’s website.
