GoPro Fusion

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GoPro Fusion
GoPro Fusion.jpg
Basic Info
Type Camera
Subtype 360-degree Camera
Creator GoPro
Release Date November 2017
Price $699.99
Website https://shop.gopro.com/cameras/fusion/CHDHZ-101.html
Requires GoPro Quick App, Fusion Studio Software for PC and Mac
System
Storage
Display
Resolution 5.2K Resolution at 30fps
Image
Optics
Tracking
Audio
Camera 2 Cameras, 180 degrees each
Connectivity
Device


In April this year, GoPro announced its plan to release the GoPro Fusion 360-degree Camera by the end of 2017. What the 360-degree media capture camera will offer in terms of features and functionality is not fully known yet. But, the sneak peek has revealed certain important information about the next big thing in virtual reality.

Design

Individuals familiar with Hero5 Camera will easily recognize that the GoPro Fusion is slightly bigger and squarer in shape. The exact dimension of the finished product is not known, but experts feel the new camera would be roughly around 8cm tall and wide. If anything, Fusion will be smaller than GoPro Omni 360 Camera.

Similar to Hero5, Fusion has adopted the two-tone gray finish. Furthermore, the new camera also has a soft rubber texture and the grip pattern around the edges is also similar to the Hero5 camera. The close similarities between the two cameras suggest that like Hero5, the GoPro Fusion is also waterproof.

The 360-degree media capture is made possible by two 180-degree cameras, one in the front and the other on the back of the device. The cameras are housed in slightly protruding concave glasses. One press of the button, on the front of the camera, is all it takes to trigger the image capture or video record function. The front side is also home to a monochrome LCD screen.

On the right side of the camera, at the top-end, features the Mode / Highlight button. Interestingly, there are three microphone holes/ports at the top of the camera. It’s believed that these microphone ports are placed to provide directional audio for spherical videos. The GoPro Fusion 360-degree Camera can be mounted on most GoPro accessories, except the Drone or Karma Grip.

Features

Camera

GoPro has revealed precious little about the hardware specifications of the new 360-degree camera. What it revealed is that the two cameras can jointly capture media in 5.2k resolution at 30fps (frames per second). To know more about the hardware specifications, we have to wait for GoPro’s next update.

Waterproofing

The similarities that Fusion has with Hero5 makes many believe that the new 360-degree camera is waterproof. Is it at the same level as the Hero5 camera? Tech enthusiasts are confident that it is.

OverCapture

From what’s known about GoPro Fusion so far, OverCapture seems to be the most interesting feature of the new camera. The camera dishes out 360-degree recorded media, which on an ordinary phone looks unimpressive.

The OverCapture feature makes the camera versatile. It allows the user to edit the captured media and separate parts of it to view it as flat 1080p (Full HD) video clips. What this effectively means is that GoPro Fusion can serve both as an ordinary camera capable of producing flat media and 360-degree capture device that can produce spherical and immersive videos that can be enjoyed on a VR headset.

OverCapture allows users to shoot first and think later. The camera captures more than what’s needed, all at once. After the video is captured, the user can select the transitions, angles, zooming, panning, etc.

Other Features

GoPro is holding the full list of features close to its heart. But, people who are familiar with the company and its cameras suspect that the Fusion will have voice control functionality, GPS, Wi-Fi, and all other features that cameras of this nature should have.

GoPro Quik App

A late entrant into the VR market, GoPro hopes to make up for the lost time by introducing a versatile camera supported by a powerful editing app.

People who have tried the beta version of the powerful GoPro editing app Quik are quite impressed with its performance. Editing and sharing of videos, both flat and spherical, on social media have never been so easy. Users need not worry about transferring the recorded content to their smartphones. They can focus on going about their usual business and never let any interesting experience unrecorded. The app will continuously sync the captured content with the smartphone. The only issue the users have to keep in mind is the amount of juice/power the advanced feature will consume. GoPro is planning to release the updated version of Quik by the end of summer.

GoPro Quik offers a number of preset options to choose from. It can even sync the tunes of music to the recorded image or video. Some social media channels place restrictions on the length of the video clips that can be displayed. To reduce the post-capture editing time, the GoPro Quik app gives the users the freedom to choose/set the duration of the video to make the process of uploading to social media easy and quick.

Release Date

To improve and fine tune user experience and prepare unique and inspiring content for both ordinary and virtual reality experiences GoPro is inviting content creators, agencies, and brands to apply for the pilot program for the new Fusion 360-degree Camera. The company is also planning a limited commercial release by the end of this year.

References

1. https://www.stuff.tv/gopro/fusion/review

2. https://gopro.com/news/fusion-pilot-program

3. http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/141320-gopro-fusion-features-release-date-and-everything-else-we-know-so-far

4. http://www.techradar.com/news/gopro-fusion