Photography News | Issue 37 | absolutephoto.com
20 Technique
Part 1: Kit andshooting
360º and VR photography is new. And it’s amazing. But for traditional photographers used to working within the confines of a rigid frame it can be a bit scary, too. Well don’t worry, PN is here to show why taking the leap is just as much fun as it is challenging, and once you rise to it, you’ll start seeing a whole new world of possibilities... Sphere amazement
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Photography is all about discovery; shooting new places, new subjects and in new ways; and it doesn’t come much newer than VR and 360º photography.What these cameras can do is truly amazing, but on first glance they can seemat odds with traditional photography. After all, one of the biggest parts of photography is precise framing and if you can see everything, where does that leave you? The answer is with a lot more possibilities, and the chance to view the world in a new way. When you think about it, many of us gravitate towards fisheye andwide-angle lenses anyway, so these cameras are really just the next step. Throw in innovative ways of viewing the views you create and your imagination will start to pop with the possibilities. simplest application; shooting stills. 360º cameraslikeKodak’sPixproSP3604K have incrediblywide lenses, so they’re capable of shooting astonishingly immersive images. The Pixpro’s 360º lens, for instance, creates a 235º fieldof view, and that’s way beyond the reach of even themost extreme fisheyeoptics you’ll find for DSLRs andCSCs. In stills mode you can shoot in either a traditional rectangular view, or a spherical one and you can set the resolution of either, up to eight megapixels. In software, you can Wider than wide Let’s start with the
then centre the wider composition on a particular subject or detail; you can think of it as a kind of Raw format for composition, allowing you to capture themoment, thenseekout thebest bits afterward from the ultra wide view, a bit like shooting and knowing you can adjust the exposure after the event. Just like a regular camera, you can also choose to shoot with different colour settings, and change the white-balance to suit the scene you’re in (though with such a wide view, it’s often advisable to stay in Auto mode). There’s also a burst mode, for recording action sequences. So far, so good, right? Virtual reality ThenextlevelofstillsisVR;essentially an interactive use of the still image you’ve shot. This adds an even more immersive feel than a regular wide- angle view, as the view of the picture canbecontrolledonacomputer screen by dragging with the mouse. These kinds of images can also be viewed usingVRheadset devices. To create the VR effect, a photo from the Pixpro or a similar system is taken, then exported through the camera’s processing software, usually to a platform like Facebook where the file is viewed in all its interactive glory. This means, so long as you pick the right mode, thanks again to the very wide lens of the Pixpro, youdon’t need to shoot VR to order; in fact, you can
take pictures and decide later whether you’ll use them in theVR format.
view. In the formeryoucanprocess the video into an exciting series of styles. There’s Pano, which gives a full 360º pano effect, Dome with an arching view, and Segment, which pushes the video into a ‘front and back’ view, so you can put the camera on your dashboard or handlebars and film yourself driving as well as the road ahead. There are timelapse and high- speed video modes so you can shoot slow-mo, or show the passage of time. Making a connection Most VR and action cams don’t have traditional screens, andof course,with such a broad field of view, you may well end up in the frame, particularly
if a camera like the Pixapro is pointed upwards and therefore taking in a 360º horizontal view. To address this you’vegot twooptions. Either embrace the action-cam look, and realise you’re part of the composition (especially when recording sports), or second, use a wireless connection and compose from a distance. On the Pixpro SP360 4K, it’s simple to connect to your smartphoneanduse that as the screen. What’s more you can change modes andtriggerthemovieorstillsfunctions from afar. With the huge field of view, this means you only need to be a few meters away to remain anonymous.
Immersive video It’s no surprise thatmost 360º andVR cameras are used for video; and even less of a surprise when you see what cameras like the Pixpro can create. Results are amazing, and the wide- angle view again puts the viewer right at the heart of the action. Like stills, video mode comes with all theusual stuff you’d findonaDSLR or CSC’s movie mode. You pick the resolution to record at, which could be Full HD, or 4K, and the format; on the Pixpro, this means either shooting in the spherical ‘Global’modeor the front
kodakpixpro.com/Europe
Step-by-step: Shooting with a VR camera
Hit the Record
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button, see that the time-code is running and you’re good to go. Now, with the camera mounted you can start the action with your exploits recorded in the Global view ready for editing.
1 Being small and light, you can place the Pixpro pretty much anywhere, and its accompanying accessory pack includes all you need.
Next you need to set the mode; here we went for the Global video
4 Import the file into the Pixpro’s free software and you can edit it down, control the look of the image, and output it as a VR file online.
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mode which gives a high-resolution 2880x2880 output.
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