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Google unveils point-and-shoot VR cameras from Lenovo and Yi
Last year at VidCon, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki revealed VR180, a video format that just shows you stuff in front of you, rather than behind you. When viewed in a VR headset, the videos are especially immersive -- think of it as a giant field of view that stretches wider and taller than your standard IMAX screen so much so you can actually feel like you're in the room. But in order to watch such VR content, one also needs to create it. So at CES 2018, Google is partnering with Lenovo and Yi Technology to announce two new VR180 cameras: the Lenovo Mirage Daydream and the Yi Horizon VR180.
Google's next-gen VR camera was designed for seamless video
Two years ago, Google introduced Jump, a VR platform that uses cloud-based software and smart stitching algorithms to make 360-video creation easier than ever before. It also partnered with GoPro to make the Odyssey, a 16-camera rig that was the first-ever camera to have the Jump software built right in. Now, Google is ready for the next generation of Jump, and for that, it's partnered with a new company and made a brand new camera. The $16,999 device is called the Yi Halo, and Google is touting it as the "next generation Jump camera."
Yi's mirrorless camera offers Leica looks for $330
Yi Technology's fledgling camera strategy goes beyond action cams. It's introducing the M1, a Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera that promises solid performance (not to mention some familiar looks) for the money. This isn't the most advanced camera between its 20-megapixel sensor, a maximum ISO 25,600 sensitivity, and the absence of either a built-in flash or an electronic viewfinder. However, it also starts at the equivalent of $330/£253 bundled with a 12-40mm f/3.5-5.6 lens ($450/£345 with a 42.5mm f/1.8 lens), and bears more than a passing resemblance to modern Leica cameras -- it's a relatively accessible and stylish entryway into the world of interchangeable-lens photography.
