On Tuesday, January 9, GoPro officially released OverCapture for the GoPro Fusion 360 camera, albeit just for iOS at this time. The feature, which was previously teased during the Fusion’s early access rollout, allows users to “direct” the camera after the shot via the GoPro app, outputting flattened fixed-frame video that plays like a normal video with smooth pans and zooms that look like they were done with professional video gear.
One of the great things about 360-degree video is that you don’t have to worry about where the camera is pointing, as it records an entire sphere around it. This is perfect for action sports and adventure videos, where you can’t stop to frame your shot. But not everyone wants to consume video in 360 degrees. This is where OverCapture comes in, allowing you to reframe 360-degree content as standard fixed-perspective videos that are easily shareable and digestible on social media.
OverCapture isn’t the first such feature to grace a 360 cam. Garmin’s HyperFrame director, released last year for the VIRB 360, accomplishes a similar function but requires the VIRB Edit desktop software. The more consumer-friendly Rylo, one of our favorite 360 cameras to date, was built from the ground up for this type of shooting and editing, and incorporates simple phone-based controls.
OverCapture offers more control than Rylo without the complexity of desktop editing software. While playing back a video, you move your phone in space to change the angle, and all of your “camera moves” will be recorded in real time. You can redo a shot as many times as you need to. The time shift feature lets you freeze the action and pan and zoom into a single moment, a bit like bullet time, and you can even zoom all the way out into a “little planet” perspective.
This has not been the easiest week for GoPro after the company announced it was pulling out of the drone business and cutting hundreds of jobs, all while rumors loomed large that it was looking for a buyer. The Fusion, however, was reported to be exceeding sales expectations for the company, and we expect GoPro will pour even more effort into it in 2018.
OverCapture is available now for the iOS version of the GoPro App. Fusion support recently came to Android, and GoPro has also put together a list of compatible Android devices, but OverCapture support will be coming at a later date. The Fusion costs $699 and is currently only available from GoPro direct. It should begin rolling out to retailers in North America in February.
Updated to correct information on Android compatibility.
