According to Canon’s executives, in order to produce a true spatial high-definition video for the Apple Vision Pro, a 100MP, 60FPS camera will be needed. Hence, the Big Sky Cinema Camera is the only candidate in town, for now.
Canon: We are not ready (yet) for the AVP
In a very intriguing interview held by PetaPixel, Canon’s executives shed light on the proper camera to produce videos for the Apple Vision Pro. “Taking a look at the trends in the market from last year to this year, I can say that firsthand I am seeing a surge in the demand for VR. So I think definitely the demand will increase for 3D, VR, and AR,” Tetsuji Kiyomi, Advisory Director and Unit Executive within the Image Communication Business Operations at Canon, says to PetaPixel. “The VR market itself has been expanding even before Apple launched its Vision Pro,” Go Tokura, Senior Managing Executive Officer and Deputy Head of the Imaging Group at Canon, adds. “But by doing so, I think it is going to be another push to expand this market. And because the Vision Pro’s resolution is extremely high, what we are hearing is that currently, it might be difficult to find a VR system which has enough resolution for Vision Pro.”
The requirements: 100MP+ 60FPS
“In order to reproduce video for Vision Pro, you need to have at least 100 megapixels,” Yasuhiko Shiomi, Advisory Director and Unit Executive of the Image Communication Business Operations at Canon, says. “So at the moment, we can’t cater to that level of a requirement. But what I presume what companies who will be providing images for the Vision Pro will be required to have 100-megapixels with 60 frames per second,” Shiomi explains. “So we haven’t been able to do that to be commercially viable yet. But if you don’t mind, please look forward to whether we can do that or not,” Tokura adds. “But technically, theoretically, we can do that. However, the problem is whether we can come up with the products that can be commercially viable and a price can be affordable enough for the customers to be able to buy them”. Click here for the full interview. Anyway, previously we’ve reported on an Apple patent application that indicates a new video camera designed for spatial 3D imagery (check the video below that summarises the article):
Big Sky Camera is the sole candidate
As for now, the only camera that is capable of delivering these requirements (defined by Canon), is the Big Sky. Big Sky’s 316-megapixel sensor is almost seven times larger and 40 times higher resolution than the full-frame sensors found in high-end commercial cameras. It’s capable of 18K resolution, at 120FPS. We call it “IMAX on steroids”. It’s armed with a huge sensor of 76mmX76mm. Thus, it can produce a true spatial high-def video which can be more than enough for the AVP. In fact, it would be an overkill. However, it demands a specialized crew to operate it as it has a massive data rate, which requires vast power consumption. The Big Sky was designed for the Las Vegas Sphere. However, it can be utilized to fulfill the new demand for high-def spatial video.
For those who are not familiar with this beast, here are a few articles we wrote about it:
- Meet ‘Big Sky’ Cinema Camera: 316MP 3” x 3” Sensor, and 18K Resolution at 120FPS.
- ALEXA 65 and Big Sky Cinema Camera to Shoot First Film to the Giant MSG Sphere.
- Shooting a Movie on a Data Rate of 32 Gigabits Per Second.
- This Is The Sensor of the ‘Big-Sky’ Camera.
- Utilizing Super Large Sensors for Science.
Other alternatives
Besides Big Sky (and of course Apple’s camera patent), there are other options as well. For instance, the Blackmagic URSA 12K would be able to capture high-resolution videos for AVP. Additionally, there’s the option of an array of 8K cameras (like the RED Monstros attached), and there’s the ACHTEL 9X7 that can replace this kind of array. However, according to Canon you will need much more than that, so the only appropriate fit is Big Sky. So, would you like seeing Postcard from Earth on the AVP?
