Facebook and Red detail Manifold VR camera for six degrees of freedom storytelling.
A Facebook 360 and Red Digital Cinema collaboration that began in could 2017 has finally made fruit. The Manifold camera is pitched because the "first studio-ready camera system for immersive 6DoF storytelling." The globular device is packed with 8K cameras covering multiple angles, which means that wearers of compatible VR headsets just like the receptor Quest are able to not solely go searching a scene, however additionally move around at intervals it.
"Picture standing within a Hollywood blockbuster rather than merely observation," aforementioned the collaboration in a very handout. "It's a standard state of affairs in phantasy – and permanently reason – it sounds fantastical. Manifold can create this surreal thought a real reality, each for content creators and for his or her audiences. It took years of prototyping and tight collaboration, however results to date} point to a revolutionary camera designed for one purpose: to deliver next-generation stories."
The Manifold camera options sixteen of Red's atomic number 2 eightK image sensors screw-topped by 180° Schneider 8 mm/F4.0 lenses, which permit the device to record well-rounded video covering multiple camera angles, whereas additionally capturing depth info. All of the cameras will grab 8K footage at sixty frames per second at the same time.
"Manifold captures multiple camera angles at the same time from at intervals a given volume, sanctionative infinite views to be generated from any direction at intervals a field of read," the handout explained. Post process comes courtesy of tools from partners Adobe, mill and OTOY, although associate degree SDK is additionally on the market to change third party support.
The device's management unit are often up to a hundred meters (330 ft) far from the Manifold head, connected by one power, management and information cable. The camera array are often controlled via an internet browser interface running on a user's device of selection. 5 SDI outputs cater for footage observance, or external sew process, and therefore the unit is compatible with third party storage devices.
Pricing and handiness square measure nevertheless to be declared, although with all that spectacular hardware, it is a pretty safe bet that the Manifold are a awfully overpriced piece of kit so.
