Click here to watch on YouTube.

It seems, for at least the time being, that technology can move forward by taking a step back.  Who knew that something like this was possible?  Well, it’s not that crazy of an idea, just an alteration of a basic principle.  By now everyone has been introduced to 360 VR videos and entertainment, but Google is looking to cut that in half by launching a 180-degree video format called VR180.  Technology has always moved faster than the artists using the devices needed, but the gap with 360-degree video is much shorter.  Google is working with companies like Yi, Lenovo, and LG to produce these cameras, some of which have already created 360-degree cameras of their own.  The idea is similar to VR360, but by cutting the view this allows filmmakers and crew to avoid having to hide in their shots to move ahead with production.  Perhaps this innovation might allow creators of 360-degree video the ability to produce similar looking material, but without the hassles of that type of productions.  By taking this step back, this might open up different ideas for technological advances with VR-type entertainment.

As the name suggests, VR180 videos don’t stretch all the way around a viewer in VR. They’re supposed to be immersive if you’re facing forward, but you can’t turn and glance behind you. Outside VR, they’ll appear as traditional flat videos, but you can watch them in 3D virtual reality through the YouTube app with a Google Cardboard, Daydream, or PlayStation VR headset.Creators can shoot the videos using any camera with a VR180 certification. Google’s Daydream team is working with the three companies above, and the first of their VR180 products are supposed to launch this winter, at roughly the same price as a point-and-shoot camera.

So far, the only image we’ve seen is the one above, a line drawing of Lenovo’s design. It appears to have two wide-angle lenses that can shoot stereoscopic video, and it’s a far cry from the expensive alien orbs that we often see in VR film shoots.

Moving toward 180-degree instead of full 360-degree video has a few big advantages. It doesn’t need the same time-consuming (and often expensive) stitching as videos made with, say, Google’s 360-degree Jump system. You can put a person behind the camera without them appearing in the shot — in full 360-degree videos, filmmakers often literally hide behind objects during a scene. And it could push down file sizes, so viewers are less likely to get annoying buffering gaps while they’re streaming…[continue reading]

Yi was once considered little more than a GoPro knockoff. The 4K+ shows it is anything but, not only matching GoPro’s flagship Hero5 Black model, but even surpassing it in a few areas. Its affordability, comparative to GoPro’s offerings, is its biggest appeal, with a street price of $340. But its impressive image quality and features make it even more enticing for action-seeking adrenaline junkies.

Is there a better alternative?

For the price range, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more capable action cam. The Yi 4K+ offers impressive specs and superb image quality on par with GoPro’s more expensive Hero 5 Black.

It’s not waterproof out of the box, and lacks the impressive lineup of accompanying smartphone apps GoPro has, but it’s a capable little camera that beats out the GoPro both in framerate and price.

How long will it last?

Considering it’s an action cam, it’s safe to say you’re more likely to kill this camera during an adrenaline-fueled adventure than to discard it due to the lack of imaging capabilities or failure from old age.

Its 4K resolution at 60 frames per second puts it a step ahead of GoPro’s current offerings. Even a few generations down the road, the 4K+ should hold up well in terms of resolution and speed, especially if Yi continuously updates its firmware and accompanying apps, which it has a solid record of doing.

Should you buy it?

The 4K+ gives the GoPro Hero 5 Black a run for its money, both literally and figuratively. If you don’t mind the lack of GoPro branding and want to save a few bucks in the process, you should absolutely go with the Yi 4K+ action cam.

Click here to read the full article on DigitalTrend

To be a successful videographer or filmmaker in the digital age, you have to stay at the forefront of new technologies and industry trends. One topic that has exploded across digital and social media in the past few years is the auspicious rise of 360-video.

According to recent research, demand for 360 videos and photos on Facebook is at an all-time high — and growing exponentially. From the real estate industry to nature documentaries to your cousin showing off his current vacation spot, 360 video is becoming more popular.

In this video by DSLRguide, YouTuber Simon Cade breaks down his ten tips on how to shoot 360 video for today’s formats (you can watch the video in 360 here). While Cade focuses on the GoPro Omni in this video, the advice works for the majority of 360 cameras, in that it focuses on how to get the most out of your investment by understanding the medium.

The Uni360 is built to last with its solid aluminum core and support arms is proud to say its the  world’s first universal HD 360 Video gear that now supports over 15 different HD action camera models that can produce HD 360 Video with resolutions as high as 12,000 by 6,000 pixels in some cases. 

Previously its patented predecessor the 360H6 only supported the GoPro Hero3 and Hero4 cameras. However the new patented Uni360 360 Plug-n-Play 360 video gear has risen to whole new levels of providing 360 video content producers more options into producing High Definition 360 video content.   With its new release it supports all versions of the GoPro Action camera models using its universal externalhousing connections.  The GoPro Hero Session, Hero2, Hero3, Hero4 and Hero5 cameras all have in common the bottom center mounts providing a secure and solid connection to the Uni360’s solid aluminum core and its support arms.  So it’s Good-bye 3D printed parts and hello to Pro-Consumer grade aluminum that is built to last and supports a whole array of action cameras

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In additional we are extremely excited to announce that the 360Rize Uni360 also supports the Yi Technology series of action cameras which are the new rivals to the GoPro action cameras. The Yi cameras utilize the new Ambarella Amba H2 SOC chip which is a significant upgrade from its successors A9SE used in the Yi 4K.  The new chip consumes less power with high quality results allowing producers to film longer without overheating with the ability to sync the cameras together.    Additional action cameras that the Uni360 supports is the Garmin VIRB , Veho  Muvi K-Series and dozens more that can use the universal bottom GoPro compatible type support. 

In all cases, the patented 360 Plug-n-Play 360 video solutions allow producers to take advantage of repurposing their cameras to film as they were intended, and then plug into the Uni360 housing and start filming 360 video content.  In this six camera array configuration to determine if the camera is compatible, it needs the bottom universal mount and the cameras need to be able to shoot in 4:3 aspect ratio modes either in 1440 or 960 mode