Nokia launches camera for VR

The increasing buzz around virtual reality headsets and YouTube's formal support for 360-degree video beg the question of how to produce such content. While ad hoc solutions abound such as strapping together a number of GoPro video cameras in a group to get full 360-degree video, there have not been many products on the market that address what could be a new wave in video production.

Now Nokia, not normally known for camera equipment, has announced its OZO panoramic camera, a spherical device equipped with eight camera lenses and eight microphones, and is capable of creating stereoscopic 3D video and sound. Pricing is not known at this point.

The device is clearly aimed at developing content for the continually proliferating number of VR headsets and solutions. Content is able to be viewed immediately by connecting a VR headset and can be replayed immediately after shooting, something that is not typically a feature in competing solutions. It is compatible with standard tripod mounts and output video in already-accepted formats.

The camera is expected to be launched late in 2015.

See a comparison table of selected digital video camera suppliers on GlobalSources.com