VR 3D Filming - Starter DIY setup

Thanks, just watching that already helped me out with using vrplayer.

So, does one REALLY need fisheye lens for recording 3D video for the Rift? Because this process doesn't say anything about it but most threads here do talk about using fisheye lenses

So, does one REALLY need fisheye lens for recording 3D video for the Rift?

The standard Gopro lens IS a fisheye lens. If you fitted it to a sensor larger than the Gopro sensor you would see the full circle image it can create. Its coverage on a larger sensor would be a full circle 170 degrees across. But on the smaller Gopro sensor with 4:3 formats it images approximately 110 by 80 degrees. Since the Oculus field of view is about 90 degrees horizontally it means you can only turn a little bit before you come to the end of the image. Which is why people generally use modified Gopros with shorter focal length fisheye lenses that show the whole 180 degree fisheye circle on the Gopro sensor -- which when processed into a perspective for the Oculus Rift (equirectangular most commonly) provides more look-around capability.

But doesn't the exaggerated fisheye distortion affect the natural look of 3D depth? Or is it something one must take care of in post-production? Thanks for the quick reply btw

I've watched designerd's videos and I was wondering if his set-up would be possible to combine with a stabilized set-up such as this one? http://i.imgur.com/H7TdF.jpg (It's a single GoPro with Glidegear SYL3000 Stabilizer and a Tascam DR-05 mounted on the stabilizer).

I was talking with a friend who works at GoPro and he said that if I'm doing 3D video for the Oculus I should try to reduce as much camera shake as possible. To be honest I hadn't even thought about using a stabilizer at first but I'm sure he's right, as I've experienced camera shake on my DK1 before and it's not pretty.

"juan.gz" wrote:
But doesn't the exaggerated fisheye distortion affect the natural look of 3D depth? Or is it something one must take care of in post-production? Thanks for the quick reply btw

the vr viewer software you are using (eg. VR Player) removes the "exaggerated" fisheye distortion and gives you an undistorted view -- but you must set the field of view of the input video into the player software so it knows how much to undistort it and what format you are using

I went ahead and bought a couple of GP4S, smoothed one of the cases as designerd's tutorial said and I'm having quite a hard time lining them up correctly. I think I'm just gonna create some sort of acrylic frame where I can hold both cams exactly right next to each other. I didn't have any money left for the fisheye lenses but hopefully I can still create some 3D footage while maintaining at least a tiny bit of "immersion" for looking around with the Oculus' HMD.