The stitch-free 360 camera is going live — on Monday, August 28, 360Fly announced the 4K Pro, an upgrade to the firm’s 4K that allows for expanded live-streaming options and even a dual camera set-up.
Unlike options from Samsung, Garmin and Nikon, 360Fly designs 360 cameras that only use one lens — which means there aren’t any funky stitch lines because there’s no stitching. The 360Fly 4K Pro expands on the earlier 4K version by adding live-streaming capabilities. USB and HDMI connectors allow the camera to stream live without any interruptions, while wireless live-streaming is available through equi-rectangular (or 360 by 180) format. The camera uses both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for controlling the settings through an iOS or Android app.
Because the 360Fly 4K Pro uses only one lens, the camera doesn’t quite record 360 degrees in every direction — the true field of view is 240 degrees, which means you can’t see one section that also includes what’s underneath the camera mount, but you can look forward, backward, around the sides and up.
The company’s new flagship camera is also unique because, using two of the cameras mounted together, users can capture 3D stereoscopic footage and true 360-degree perspectives using the coupling mount. The camera’s design has been adjusted to accommodate the new feature, switching from a sphere to a spherical top and a rounded bottom. The camera’s body is weather resistant and constructed from metal.
Like the earlier version, the name is a bit misleading — the 360Fly 4K Pro uses the pixels in both directions, instead of just along the width, to come up with that 4K. The footage actually measures at 2,880 x 2,880, recording in 30 fps at 50 Mbps. The single lens design, however, is simple to use and the camera includes a built-in accelerometer, ecompass, non-assisted GPS, and gyroscope.
The 360Fly website indicates that the company is also working on a camera that’s more helmet and dash-cam friendly. The360Fly 4K H has a flatter design for easier mounts, but also lists an increased 60 fps frame rate. The website doesn’t indicate when the H — or the dual camera 4K Pro rig — will be available.
The camera is expected to launch this fall, but pre-orders have already began. The 360Fly 4K Pro is expected to retail for $799.
