Last week, Kandao Technologies hinted at a new camera, with the tagline “Beyond the Max.” Aimed squarely at GoPro’s latest all-in-one 360-degree camera, the GoPro Max ($499), we knew whatever Kandao had up its sleeves would be sure to compete with the recent release.

Now we know: Kandao’s QooCam 8K.

The latest 360 camera from Kandao ups the ante on 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 (GoPro Max, for comparison, shoots 5.6K), as well as recording 4K at 120 fps, and is equipped with 1/1.7’’ sensors (that’s 54 percent larger than a 1/2.3 sensor). It also offers 16-bit DNG capture and 10-bit color for stills and automated image stacking at Raw level for increased dynamic rangeThe varying degrees of brightness that can be captured by a camera or displayed by a playback device. You can think of i... More and detail.

We’ve long talked about the need for a small 360-degree camera capable of shooting 8K.  Not only would it raise the bar for consumer 360 cameras, but it would also give professionals a new tool to use for close-proximity shots (or drone shots, shots with tight camera weight restrictions, or shots a bit too dangerous to risk your multi-thousand-dollar 360 camera).

But, perhaps even more relevant–and at least more directly related to the way GoPro is marketing the GoPro Max–is what 8K 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 will offer in terms of overcapture (cropping traditional video out of the 360 shot). This ability has become a key feature for users of the Insta360 One, One X, GoPro Fusion, and now, GoPro Max, as it makes the cameras useful for more than just shooting 360–and particularly useful for vlogging. Although existing cameras with this capability boast HD video quality once cropped, the results are not exactly what you’d expect for true HD video.

The QooCam 8K companion app, and QooCam Studio desktop software, has reframing capabilities to make it easy to use this camera for overcapture. QooCam 8K also has built in 6-axis stabilization, a 2.4-inch OLED touchscreen, and can live stream 360 video at 4K.

Another useful feature of the QooCam 8K is its standard 3.5mm mic input, which is feature missing from nearly all small 360 cameras. The GoPro Max has some pretty interesting audio potential, with six built-in microphones for for immersive audio, directional audio for vlogging, and wind-noise reduction.

It’s not as rugged as the GoPro Max, nor is it waterproof, and the camera is the size of about two GoPro Maxs. So, is the QooCam 8K “Beyond the Max”? We’ll have to wait until user samples from the camera start to surface. Until then, all we can go off of are specs. If the camera stands up to its specs…this will be the small 360 camera we’ve been waiting for.

Kandao QooCam 8K can be pre-ordered on the Kandao website for 599 euros ($660 USD), with an expected ship date of December 2019.