Check out the latest price for the Kandao QooCam QC2020
8 K video in a 360 camera for the consumer? It might sound like a glimpse of the future, but Hong Kong-based Kandao QooCam 8 K is here to change what you know about 360 cameras. Can Virtual Reality (VR)-grade video be created? Yeah, but it’s a significant benefit over its competitors – GoPro Max and Insta360 One X. There are downsides to this added strength – including the size of the Qoocam 8 K, price and lack of native waterproofing – but if you’re willing to compromise on those features, it’s more than giving the GoPro Max a run for its money.
Specs:
Stitching Resolution: 4K
Video Format: 3840 x 1920 at 30
Still Image Resolution: 4320 x 2160
Number of Lenses: 3
Benefits:
- The QooCam 8 K does a lot of things that the other 360 cameras don’t do. The first is obvious; it records 8 K video at 30fps and takes images – in JPEG and Raw DNG formats – at 29.4MP thanks to its two 1/1.7-inch CMOS sensors.
- This is 7680×3840 pixels, but note that the extra resolution, though impressive, is spread over a 360-degree sphere. Its goal is to increase the resolution of 360 images, of course, but in practice, it enables filmmakers to video anything and re-frames it in widescreen later without losing sharpness. Just as important, its large sensors mean more light and more dynamic range.
- It can also be shot in 4K/120 fps mode, which creates super-slo-mo images. You can capture all videos in 8-bit MP4 (H.264) and 10-bit ProRes formats.
- Another advantage over the other 360 cameras is its 2.4-inch colour OLED touchscreen, which offers real-time previews of images and videos (though this can also be achieved through the QooCam app). It also has 64 GB of built-in storage in addition to a microSD card slot (up to 256 GB).
- Resolutions are limited to two choices: 8 K at 30fps and 4 K at 120fps for slo-mo. The results are both sharp and full of vivid contrast and colour.
Downsides:
- Pricey
- Lacks waterproofing
- The relatively large size and weight
- Basic app
- Clunk desktop apps.
Verdict:
8 K is here, and it’s going to be hard to settle for less of a 360 camera once you’ve seen what the 8 K Qoocam can do. The first consumer 360 shooter where large-screen videos maintain enough resolution to look beautiful, the QooCam 8 K is massive. It may not be ideal, but peerless video quality means that GoPro Max and Insta360 One X have been used for pure picture quality.
Check out the latest price for the Kandao QooCam QC2020