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Check Out GoPro's Omni VR Camera Rig

The spherical rig will boast half a dozen GoPro Hero4 Black cameras synchronized to act as one.

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

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GoPro last May said it was working on a spherical camera for virtual reality, and now we finally have a few details about the thing.

Dubbed the Omni, the spherical rig will boast half a dozen GoPro Hero4 Black cameras synchronized to act as one, letting you capture "high-resolution, stunning" 360-degree videos, GoPro said Thursday. "Proprietary hardware at the center of Omni enables pixel-level synchronization between all six Hero4 Blacks," the company added.

The Omni is also optimized to work with software from VR startup Kolor, which GoPro acquired last year. Kolor's software lets you combine multiple photos or videos to product panoramic or spherical content.

There's no word on pricing for the Omni, but each Hero4 Black goes for nearly $500, so we can't expect it will be cheap. It will, however, undoubtedly be less expensive than GoPro's 16-camera Odyssey rig, which will set you back a cool $15,000. Unveiled in September, the Odyssey includes a panoramic capture rig as well as 16 Hero4 Black cameras, microSD cards, and array bacpacs, along with all the cables you'll need and a pelican carrying case.

Meanwhile, GoPro isn't the only company working to simplify VR content creation. VideoStitch, a company that makes 360-degree VR video production software, on Wednesday unveiled a new all-in-one 4K camera "designed for high­-quality live streaming to online video platforms and VR headsets." Dubbed the Orah 4i, the camera isn't exactly cheap, even at its "special introductory price" of $1,795 (it will go up to $3,595 after April 30), but it promises to simplify the process of creating your own 360-degree streaming video.

Meanwhile, for a look at the type of content you'll be able to create with the Omni, check out the video below.

Artists Mike Pfau and David Teichner bring their masterpiece to life in 360°. Shot 100% on GoPro Omni. Learn more: http://g.gopro.com/6002BZ2C6

Posted by GoPro on Wednesday, February 3, 2016

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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