GoPro's Fusion spherical camera is six GoPros in one
The company is planning a limited commercial release in late 2017.
GoPro has taken the wraps off a spherical camera called Fusion hot on the heels of Facebook's 360-degree camera launch. Unlike the brand's other action cams, Fusion is a spherical device that can capture 5.2K resolution VR and non-VR videos and photos. If you want to take a non-VR pic, you can use its OverCapture feature that punches out the composition you want from a spherical image. GoPro founder CEO Nicholas Woodman describes the device as "six GoPro cameras fused into one" and says it "represents the state-of-the-art in versatile spherical capture."
The company first hinted that it's working on a consumer-level 360-degree camera in a promo video showing its partnership with MotoGP. It featured a device with back-to-back lenses attached to the back of a motorbike. Woodman also told Engadget at CES earlier this year that he envisions a future where you can "record your activities with one multi-lensed GoPro" and create a matching 2D video for sharing with a phone app. It's unclear if the Fusion can do that, since GoPro isn't quite ready to release it yet and has revealed but a few details about the device. We don't even know if it'll look like what's in the image above, though you can see samples of what it can do in the video below.
The company's pilot partners will be some of the first people to see Fusion in person when the program begins this summer. In fact, GoPro is now accepting applications from professional content creators, brands and agencies who want to test it out. It's also planning a limited commercial release for the end of 2017 -- unfortunately, we can't say how much you'll have to set aside, because the company hasn't revealed its pricing (and exact availability) yet.
Since the device will likely cost more than the Hero models, it won't be able to replace them right away. An all-seeing camera that allows you to choose the shots you want sounds like the perfect action cam, though. You can go as fast as possible without having to worry about framing shots or getting the most interesting things you see on cam.
