At the current Photography and Video Show, Canon introduced/teased a new compact 8K 3D VR camera. Note that this is a concept camera, but it indicates Canon’s pathway regarding VR imagery.
Photography & Video Show
The Photography & Video Show 2024 is an event that highlights photography, film, and content creation. As stated by the organizers: “To take the next step on your creative journey, whether you’re an absolute photography beginner or a fully-fledged professional creator. The show is back at The NEC, Birmingham in March 2024, offering the perfect day out for anyone passionate about image creation”. Show’s exhibitors will demo their latest kit, showcasing cutting-edge product ranges, and advise on your next purchases, whatever your professional or hobby interest. Indeed, one of the most intriguing presentations, was the Canon’s booth, showcasing a very interesting compact VR 8K camera.
Canon 360/180 3D VR 8K Compact (concept) Camera
The camera was presented at the Canon booth dedicated to VR/3D capturing. This unreleased camera is in the ‘concept’ phase. However, a list of minimal specs was revealed. It appears that this 360/180 3D VR is capable of shooting 8K at 30 FPS, 4K at 120 FPS, and has live-streaming capabilities. Moreover, the camera is designed to be a compact camera capable of shooting both 360/180 VR images and video. Canon’s goal is to build an 8K VR camera that is compact, lightweight, and easy to use.
Pivoting into the VR world
It will be interesting to explore if Canon is pivoting into a new land, which is the VR/3D imagery, instead of focusing on high-end cinema bodies. The Cinema EOS will probably face very tough competition from Nikon especially after the acquisition of RED Digital Cinema. Hence, emphasizing the R&D on VR/3D cameras is logical.
