360 Cameras

"Gusev" wrote:
Great explanation! Thanks. Could you elaborate a bit more about the following sentences:

Depth can be imagined if the camera is moving or if the light changes.

Do you man AS IF the camera is moving or ONLY IF the camera is moving?

I mean there are other ways to see depth than having stereo images. Timelapse with the camera moving or dolly shots show depth better than a stationary camera.

One camera pointing straight up will allow to look all around and up but at some point below the horizon down will not be recorded.

Let's take an example. If I have the 360fly mounted on a helmet do you mean you can not see the lower part of my body, or do you mean you can not see the lower part of the end of let's say the room?

On the top of the helmet pointing up, it will see about 40° below the horizon, your body will not be in the shot.

Two of these cameras can be mounted side by side to record stereo.

Side-by-side as in both the camera lenses pointing upwards, right?

Side by side pointing forward. When shooting stereo you want the cameras to resemble eyes.

The blind spot would be behind you. The amount of stereo diminishes to the left and right edges as the cameras would appear one behind the other from those placed instead of beside each other.

This is the part I still don't completely understand :) .

Imagine a pair of salt and pepper shakers sitting side by side. In front of the pair you can see both, and they can see you. move to the side and you can only see one. One is being obscured by the other. So only one can see you.
The distance they appear apart diminishes as you move to the side.

If they were two spherical cameras that could see all around by the time you got to the back the left and right eye would be reversed.

Watching an interactive video in a HMD needs to have the movements of the camera anticipated by the viewer.

Again, let's take an example. If I have the 360fly mounted on a helmet and I walk down a stairs, what exactly should the viewer be anticipated for?

If they are looking at your feet or there is some audio conversation going on, then no problem.
But if the camera is on someones head and they start dancing without any warning and bounce around, expect problems.

I made a list of 360 video cameras (2d and 3d) for a Reddit post:

here are some actually for sale -- and some announced -- some Kickstarter etc

Ricoh Theta http://theta360.com/en/
Kodak SP360 http://kodakpixpro.com/Europe/cameras/activeCam/sp360.php
Geonaute http://www.geonaute.com
Bublcam http://www.bublcam.com
360Fly http://www.360fly.com
360Cam http://www.360.tv
Ladybug http://www.ptgrey.com/360-degree-spherical-camera-systems Ladybug (low frame rates but no rolling shutter)
Izugar http://www.izugar.com/
Iximage http://www.iximage.com/
Entapano http://www.entapano.com/jp/c02/index.html
Blocks 3d https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2024055635/blocks-camera-the-most-powerful-multi-functional-c
Project Beyond http://thinktankteam.info/beyond/ ... Samsung

and there are various custom rigs eg. Next VR http://www.roadtovr.com/nextvr-stereoscopic-360-degree-vr-cam-uses-180000-worth-of-red-6k-cameras/
Condition One: http://www.roadtovr.com/condition-one-zero-point-pre-order-virtual-reality-cinematography-gdc-2014/
Panocam3d http://www.panocam3d.com/camera.html
JauntVR's latest rig: http://www.roadtovr.com/previously-unseen-jaunt-vr-camera-prototype-appears-unexpectedly/

there are a bunch of mirror camera accessories for 360 2D capture -- usually with less than 90 degrees vertical FOV --- this one claims "up to 115 degrees" https://www.0-360.com/

there are Gopro mount kits for 2d and 3d 360 capture eg. from
http://shop.360heros.com/
and mounts for Elmo QBIC action cameras http://freedom360.us/elmo/

and lots of research cameras eg.
The Page of Omnidirectional Imaging http://www.cis.upenn.edu/~kostas/omni.html
Panoptic3d http://lsm.epfl.ch/page-52820-en.html
Micoy http://lisacast.com/2009/02/26/micoy-furthers-3d/ http://www.trentgrover.com/images/tech/big/Micoy/MicoyComp.pdf
Sensei 3d http://news.uic.edu/evl-camera-to-capture-sphere-surrounding-environment
Microsoft's omnipolar mirror design https://www.google.com/patents/US8548269?dq=microsoft+360+panorama&hl=en&sa=X&ei=H3KDVMK8CcGzmwWB54KoDg&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAA
Eyesis http://www3.elphel.com/eyesis-4pi

360 video cameras are discussed on the 360 video Professionals Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/360.video.professionals/
... there is a Japanese Facebook 360 video group too which is pretty active: http://www.facebook.com/groups/1512574208962985/

prototype cameras: eg. Jim Watters http://photocreations.ca/3D/3D-camera-setup-7pairslayout.jpg
specialist 360 video cameras for cars eg. Fujitsu http://youspin.co/blog/fujitsus-new-360-degree-wrap-around-video-to-help-increase-drivers-visibility-and-awareness/

Omnivis: annual forum/workshop for omnidirectional imaging and non-classical cameras https://fling.seas.upenn.edu/~luispuig/wiki/OMNIVIS/..
research papers - http://robots.unizar.es/data/documentos/calibration.pdf calibrating 360 camera systems
wide angle light fields http://www.amitkagrawal.com/sig10Asia/axialcone.html

Nice! But maybe it's an idea to add some headings to your post :) . Right now, it's one big chunk of text :mrgreen:

If I have time I will categorize the various camera's and links. I was thinking at:

1 - 2D
1.1 - Commercial
1.1.1 - For Sale
1.1.2 - Not (yet) for sale
1.2 - Non-commercial (scientific)

2 - 3D
2.1 - Commercial
2.1.1 - For Sale
2.1.2 - Not (yet) for sale
2.2 - Non-commercial (scientific)

See below

So much information in this thread! Thanks to all who are contributing! :)

I sorted my list out a bit and added some more:

Ricoh Theta http://theta360.com/en/ (2D)
Kodak SP360 http://kodakpixpro.com/Europe/cameras/activeCam/sp360.php (2D)
Geonaute http://www.geonaute.com (2D)
Bublcam http://www.bublcam.com (2D)
Centr http://www.centrcam.com/ (2D)
Hex: http://immersivemedia.com/?page_id=89 (2D)
360Fly http://www.360fly.com (2D)
360Cam (aka Girocam) http://www.360.tv (2D)
Lucidcam http://www.lucidcam.com/ (3D)
Sphericam https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1996234044/sphericam-the-easy-360o-video-camera (2D)
Ladybug http://www.ptgrey.com/360-degree-spherical-camera-systems (low frame rates but no rolling shutter) (2D)
Izugar http://www.izugar.com/ (2D and 3D)
Joey 360 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dot/joey-360-4k-seamless-video-capture-broadcast-confe see: http://paulbourke.net/dome/LucyCamera/ (2D)
Entapano http://www.entapano.com/jp/c02/index.html (2D)
Blocks 3d https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2024055635/blocks-camera-the-most-powerful-multi-functional-c (2D and 3D))
Videopanoramas http://www.videopanoramas.com/ by the creator of DevalVR (2D)
V.360 http://store.vsnmobil.com/products/v360 (2D)

and there are various custom 3d rigs eg.
Project Beyond http://thinktankteam.info/beyond/ ... Samsung
Iximage http://www.iximage.com/
Next VR http://www.roadtovr.com/nextvr-stereoscopic-360-degree-vr-cam-uses-180000-worth-of-red-6k-cameras/
Condition One: http://www.roadtovr.com/condition-one-zero-point-pre-order-virtual-reality-cinematography-gdc-2014/
Panocam3d http://www.panocam3d.com/camera.html
JauntVR's latest rig: http://www.roadtovr.com/previously-unseen-jaunt-vr-camera-prototype-appears-unexpectedly/

there are a bunch of mirror camera accessories for 360 2D capture -- usually with less than 90 degrees vertical FOV --- this one claims "up to 115 degrees" https://www.0-360.com/

there are Gopro mount kits for 2d and 3d 360 capture eg. from http://shop.360heros.com/
and mounts for Elmo QBIC action cameras http://freedom360.us/elmo/

and lots of research 3d cameras eg.
Panoptic3d http://lsm.epfl.ch/page-52820-en.html
Micoy http://lisacast.com/2009/02/26/micoy-furthers-3d/ http://www.trentgrover.com/images/tech/big/Micoy/MicoyComp.pdf
Sensei 3d http://news.uic.edu/evl-camera-to-capture-sphere-surrounding-environment
Microsoft's three mirror design https://www.google.com/patents/US8548269?dq=microsoft+360+panorama&hl=en&sa=X&ei=H3KDVMK8CcGzmwWB54KoDg&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAA
Eyesis http://www3.elphel.com/eyesis-4pi

360 video cameras are discussed on the 360 video Professionals Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/360.video.professionals/
... there is a Japanese Facebook 360 video group too which is pretty active: http://www.facebook.com/groups/1512574208962985/

prototype cameras: eg. Jim Watters http://photocreations.ca/3D/3D-camera-setup-7pairslayout.jpg (3D)
zeebartkerin http://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comments/2oi3q1/3d_printed_360_3d_camera/

specialist 360 video cameras for cars eg. Fujitsu http://youspin.co/blog/fujitsus-new-360-degree-wrap-around-video-to-help-increase-drivers-visibility-and-awareness/
Aer-o-scope omnidirectional colonoscope - nsfl - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-_U8KtwUIE#t=68
The Page of Omnidirectional Imaging http://www.cis.upenn.edu/~kostas/omni.html
Omnivis: annual forum/workshop for omnidirectional imaging and non-classical cameras
https://fling.seas.upenn.edu/~luispuig/wiki/OMNIVIS/..
research papers - http://robots.unizar.es/data/documentos/calibration.pdf calibrating 360 camera systems
wide angle light fields http://www.amitkagrawal.com/sig10Asia/axialcone.html

Thanks for the updated list, but still no accessible S3D 360 camera solution.

Is there some kind of custom setup mentioned in the Japanse facebook group? I dont have Facebook so can't check it out for myself :)

Stereo 3d 360 degree video stitched from multiple cameras from my experience is difficult to achieve perfection. My findings are showing me that the stitching process needs to evolve a lot before stitch seams become unnoticeable in s3d.

In every video i've shot and every demo from others like JuantVR that use a camera array there is a noticeable seam. The issue steams from that when you stitch together the left eye and then the right eye, the seam blending for both eyes isn't perfectly matching for each eye. When you view s3d 360 one 1 eye independently you may not notice a seam, but when you view the stereo pair you do see a seam, from my findings this is a result of the blending engine and parallax from the cams. This seam appears as banding along the seam location.

I've also noticed that the 3d effect shooting with these very wide angle lenses is to me not very noticeable. As a result I've shifted my focus from stereo 3d 360 video to simply 360 video no 3d because of these issues. Any visual artifacting breaks the illusion and thus reduces immersion.

Maybe you can post some example videos you shot, so the experts here can indicate if your stitching can be improved.

Anyone can check out our youtube channel to see some of the 360 videos we've shot. Our videos are tests right now. I work professionally in the game industry and we are investigating new interactive story telling techniques with this new technology. This technology is so new and under developed that even the "experts" are not experts in this field.

Our test videos are not focused on creating perfectly smooth blended videos however we are achieving a high quality blend, currently we are focusing on what shots work and dont work, what makes you sick, what is boring and what is exciting, how do we move the camera, how do we hide the production team, what cuts work and dont work ect, and most importantly what experiences yield to be the most immersive.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnSwnBLsMS0CebOIwhs-ASw/videos

http://www.imreallife.com

-Lee Bledsoe
Immersion:RealLife

wow :shock: been busy the last few weeks , great to see this topic going strong.

thanks for mega list mediavr, lots of stuff to check there



@dbledsoe your test footage is very good, can i ask what type of set up your using and how your experience has been setting up shots?