Sony have just unveiled VENICE, their first full-frame digital motion picture camera system. The camera combines a newly developed 36x24mm full-frame sensor and compatibility with a wide range of lenses, including anamorphic, Super 35mm and full-frame PL mount for a greater range of expressive freedom with shallow depth of field. The lens mount can also be changed to handle E-mount lenses for shooting situations that require smaller, lighter, wider and more characteristic lenses. A new colour management system and wide colour gamut gives users more control and greater freedom to work with images during grading and post-production. VENICE also has more than 15 stops of latitude to handle challenging lighting situations. Additionally, it is the film industry's first camera with a built-in 8-stage glass ND filter system. The VENICE CineAlta digital motion picture camera system is scheduled to be available in February 2018.

Ricoh today launched the new Ricoh Theta V spherical camera, which supports features that include 360° 4K video capture, immersive spatial audio recording, and high-speed image transfer. Successor to the Theta S, the Ricoh Theta V uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and runs on an open-source Android operating system. The camera can shoot 4K 360° video smoothly at 30 frames per second at a resolution of 3840x1920 pixels, records high-quality sound compatible with 360° spatial audio, and offers both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity. Available from the end of September, the Ricoh Theta V carries a recommended retail price of £399.99.

JK Imaging, the worldwide licensee for Kodak Pixpro Digital Cameras and Devices, today announced the worldwide availability of its new VR camera, the 4KVR360, which is also known as the ORBIT360 in the US. The 4KVR360 adopts a minimalist approach to an all-in-one 360° VR camera, with two 4K fixed focus lenses housed on either side of the futuristic camera body. The lenses are designed to work in tandem, to capture full 360° 4K Video and easily upload 360° content to Facebook and YouTube via the camera’s Smart Device App. “The decision to continue expanding our award winning 360° VR camera line up with the new Kodak Pixpro 4KVR360 was a natural progression,” said Mariame Cisse, Marketing Director for JK Imaging Ltd., Europe. “We are committed to the interactive 360° video format and want to give yet another option to consumers when it comes to choosing a quality 360° VR camera based on their specific needs.” The 4KVR360 will feature a 20-megapixel CMOS sensor and use a Micro SD card (up to 128GB) to record 360° content. The 4KVR360 camera will incorporate Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth connectivity compatibility for Smart device APPs to control and view the camera remotely. Kodak Pixpro’s 4KVR360 camera is available now in the UK via Currys, priced at £419.99.

Sony today announced a new type of camera called the RX0. The ultra-compact, water-, crush- and shockproof Sony RX0 houses a 1"-type stacked 15.3-megapixel Exmore RS CMOS sensor and features a Zeiss Tessar T* 24mm (eq.) f/4 lens to deliver high-resolution raw and JPEG images and 4K videos. For still photography, you can use shutter speeds of up to 1/32,000th of a second and shoot at up to 16fps. For videographers who want to incorporate super slow-motion footage, the RX0 offers the opportunity to shoot at up to 1000 frames per second. For production flexibility, you can use 4K clean HDMI output to record uncompressed video to an external recorder. Sony’s wireless radio commander, the FA-WRC1M can be used to trigger up to fifteen RX0s. A wireless multi-camera shooting solution capable of connecting further RX0 units when an access point is used is currently being developed and will be released in January 2018 via a firmware update. To maximise the potential of RX0, a host of new accessories to support new ways of shooting have also been launched. These include the VCT-CGR1 Cage for increased system flexibility, the MPK-HSR1 Housing, enabling the RX0 to be taken down to depths of up to 100 metres underwater, the CPT-R1 Cable Protector, VF-SPR1 Spare Lens Protector, VFA-305R1 Filter Adapter Kit which includes a filter adapter, lens hood and MC protector,NP-BJ1 Rechargeable Battery Pack and ACC-TRDCJ Accessory Kit. The RX0 will start to ship in Europe in October 2017, priced at approximately €850.

Ricoh today announced the upcoming release of a limited-edition 360-degree camera  called the Ricoh Theta SC Type HATSUNE MIKU. Based on the Ricoh Theta SC, this limited-edition collaboration model features an official Hatsune Miku illustration specially drawn by the illustrator KEI on a turquoise body, the theme colour for Miku. The shutter sound has also been modified, to replicate that of a traditional camera. Images shot in 360° can also be imported into the dedicated image editing application “Ricoh Theta Type HATSUNE MIKU” so that Miku can be part of your shot. In addition, this product includes a “dog tag key holder” printed with a serial number (on the first 3,939 units) and an exclusive colour ABITAX case in a presentation box. The dog tag key holder and presentation box feature an illustration by fuzichoco, exclusive to this limited-edition package. Priced at  £269.99, the camera will be available from the end of September.

Sony has announced plans for its next-generation CineAlta digital motion picture camera system. This latest addition to the CineAlta family is being developed in close collaboration with creative professionals including Directors, Cinematographers and Digital Imaging Technicians. Key highlughts of the new product include a full-frame 36x24mm sensor exclusively designed for this Digital Motion Picture Camera, multiple aspect ratios, "exceptional" picture quality and compatibility with current and upcoming hardware accessories for CineAlta cameras (DVF-EL200 Full HD OLED Viewfinder, AXS-R7 recorder, AXS-CR1 and AR1 card reader, AXS and SxS memory cards). It will also maintain the workflow established with Sony’s 16bit RAW/X-OCN and XAVC.

QuikStories are a new feature in the GoPro app that pulls footage from your HERO5 and creates a polished video on your phone, automatically. Complete with music, effects and transitions, your QuikStory is ready to share immediately or can be customised with text and titles, speed effects and more. “QuikStories is our biggest leap forward since the invention of the GoPro itself,” says GoPro founder and CEO, Nicholas Woodman.  “QuikStories is the simple storytelling solution our customers have been dreaming about for years.  It’s an absolute game changer.” QuikStories is now available for HERO5 Black and HERO5 Session users. To get started, download the new GoPro app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Lucid VR today officially announced the availability of their easy-to-use, pocket-size 3D 180° VR camera, the LucidCam with a preview sale launch campaign starting June 26th. Exceeding the original specifications of the LucidCam crowdfunding campaign, the engineers at Lucid VR enhanced it and developed a robust 4K 3D 180° VR camera with on-the-go VR content processing of pictures and videos, plus livestreaming capabilities. With the addition of Lucid’s viewing clip or phone case, you can create and view your own 3D 180° VR anywhere with a click of a button. “It’s been an incredible journey to bring this product to life while the industry was chasing 360° VR. 180° VR is much more appealing for the masses, as its simplicity and user experience allows more users to easily capture VR content. With Google’s announcement one of the major players in VR is realizing the benefits of 180° VR video for consumers,” said Jin. “LucidCam creates images and videos which let you for the first time see the world through someone else’s eyes as if you were really there. I want everyone to have such incredible superpowers.” Lucid kicks off the one-month preview sale campaign starting Monday, June 26th, where the camera will be discounted 15 percent off the retail price and delivered August 9.

Yi Technology today announced the development of a new 3D stereoscopic camera. Technical details, pricing, exact availability dates, quantities and the product name remain undisclosed but the company says the new VR180 camera will be as easy to use and as compact as a conventional 2D model. Yi is working in close co-operation with Google Daydream to enable users to shoot their own VR180 videos and upload them directly to YouTube.

Insta360 has released all-new footage shot on the Insta360 Pro, its six-lens professional VR camera. One of the newly released videos, shot in 8K, showcases the Insta360 Pro’s low-light image quality while giving viewers an immersive look at Tokyo’s famous Kabukicho district. The other shows what the Insta360 Pro’s onboard image stabilisation technology can do with a Segway ride around a sunny park. The Insta360 Pro is available for $3,499 via Insta360’s online store.

The team at Benjamin Button have just launched the first smart wearable camera in the shape of a button created for kids. Parents simply clip Benjamin Button to their child's clothing and they will get authentic Full HD content from their child's perspective with up to three hours of recording time. Based on sound recognition, face recognition and action recognition, parents will automatically be given only the best parts of the day that have been captured with Benjamin. There's an option to manually choose the best moments. The button is large enough to eliminate any risk of choking, has advanced encryption privacy security, and is made of BPA-free plastic. The company is taking pre-orders for Benjamin Button exclusively through Kickstarter until 3rd July.

The Detu Twin dual-lens 360° camera, previewed at CES 2017, is now available to purchase. The slimline camera is ultra lightweight and allows you to upload 360° videos and photos straight to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Configured with dual back to back optical F2.0 fisheye lenses, the Detu Twin produces 360-degree, 30fps videos with a resolution of 3040x1520 pixels. The Detu 360 camera app, available for iOS or Android stitches all footage from each individual source, automatically and in real time. The Twin will also livestream to YouTube and Facebook. The camera is available for $228 on Amazon.

Canon U.S.A. has released two new “Canon See Impossible” videos. Available for viewing now on the Canon U.S.A. website, these two new movies – “See Beyond Darkness” and “See the Light” – showcase the capabilities of Canon imaging technology in extremely low-light conditions. In “See Beyond Darkness,” the impossible assignment for Director of Photography Andy Casagrande was to record images of a rare biofluorescent turtle found only in the remote, unspoiled reefs of the Solomon Islands. The low-light capabilities of Canon’s ME20F-SH Multipurpose Camera and EOS-1D X DSLR camera enabled researchers to capture vivid images without disturbing the natural environment. In “See the Light,” Canon’s technology captured the beauty of bioluminescent creatures under the sea, the grandeur of the extremely difficult-to-photograph Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights), and the wonder of the earth from far above it. The technology used by Canon to create these videos takes viewers to seemingly impossible dark places that were previously beyond what the human eye could see and technology could perceive.

Panasonic has previewed the AU-EVA1, a new 5.7K cinema camera, at Cine Gear Expo 2017. Positioned between the Panasonic Lumix GH5 4K mirrorless camera and the VariCam LT 4K cinema camera, the EVA1 contains a newly designed 5.7K Super 35mm-sized sensor for capturing true cinematic images. By starting at a higher native resolution, the 5.7K sensor yields a higher resolving image when downsampled to 4K, UHD, 2K, and even 720p. The increased colour information results in a finer, more accurate finished image. Additionally, like the VariCam lineup of cinema cameras, the EVA1 contains V-Log/V-Gamut capture to deliver high dynamic range and broad colours. V-Log has log curve characteristics that are somewhat reminiscent of negative film and V-Gamut delivers a colour space even larger than film. The EVA1 will also import the celebrated colourimetry of the VariCam line. Ideal for indie filmmakers, the EVA1 records to readily-available, lower-cost SD cards. The camera can record in several formats and compression rates, and offers up to 10-bit 422, even in 4K. As a professional video production tool, the EVA1 offers dual balanced XLR audio inputs and 4K-capable video outputs in both HDMI and SDI. In a future firmware upgrade, EVA1 will offer 5.7K raw output to 3rd party recorders. The EVA1 will ship this autumn for under €8,000 (body only).

Canon today announced the Canon EOS C200, the latest addition to their Cinema EOS range. As the first Cinema EOS camera to support the new raw recording format – Cinema RAW Light – the EOS C200 provides the same flexibility in colour grading as Cinema RAW in a smaller file size, enabling filmmakers to record internally to a CFast 2.0 memory card. Newly developed Canon Dual DIGIC DV6 processors provide the ability to record internally 4K UHD/50P MP4, 4K DCI RAW and continuous 120fps High Frame Rate in Full HD without crop. At the same time, advances in Dual Pixel CMOS Auto Focus technology and a new touch screen LCD monitor provide smooth AF operation and effective tracking. Supporting up to 15-stops of dynamic range with Cinema RAW Light and up to 13-stops of dynamic range in MP4 (Canon Log / Log 3), the camera is capable of capturing both highlight and shadow details. An ISO range of 100 to 102,400 guarantees excellent performance, even in difficult lighting conditions, such as when quickly switching between locations. The built-in optical ND filters of up to 10 stops provide further flexibility and convenience. Integrated Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity allows for browser remote control and the ability to transfer files via FTP. Available from August, the new EOS C200 will set you back $7,499 with an LM-V1 LCD Monitor, LA-V1 LCD Attachment, GR-V1 Camera Grip and HDU-2 Handle Unit; or $5,999 without these accessories.

Garmin have announced the VIRB 360, a compact, rugged and fully spherical 360-degree camera. The waterproof VIRB 360 is an easy-to-use device that captures high-quality video up to 5.7K/30fps with sound, courtesy of four built-in microphones, as well as 15-megapixel spherical stills. Taking advantage of its built-in GPS and numerous other sensors, the VIRB 360 provides owners with customizable G-Metrix data overlays in a captivating 360-degree augmented reality setting. “The VIRB 360 lets you relive personal experiences and share them with your friends – from a different point of view, every single time,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales. “VIRB 360 owners will no longer need to worry about trying to capture the perfect angle or setting up the perfect shot. The camera’s easy-to-use feature set will make even the most inexperienced users look like experts.” The Garmin VIRB 360 has a suggested retail price of $799.99 and is expected to be available in June.

YI Technology today announced the new YI 360 VR consumer-grade Live VR camera, which enables 360-degree 5.7K VR capture, 4K instant in-device stitching, and 2.5K live-streaming. “Virtual reality is exciting. It promises a whole new range of opportunities for creating and sharing truly immersive experiences,” said Sean Da, CEO of YI Technology. “But it can also be really intimidating. For VR to truly take off it has to be easy and fun. At YI Technology, we challenge ourselves to bring the most innovative technologies together in a way that is simple, enjoyable and useful for anyone, from kids to professionals. VR is no exception. Too many of today’s solutions are exciting in theory but really complicated in practice. That is why we worked so hard to perfect YI 360 VR. Using the best components, rigorous industrial design and many years of testing, we eliminated the cables, confusing interfaces and bulky components and added 5.7K fidelity, 4K in-device stitching and 2.5K live-streaming, all in a handy, affordable package so everyone can share exciting moments live, from any angle.” Scheduled to be released in June 2017, the YI 360 VR is available for early ordering now and will be on display at this week’s NAB 2017 show in Las Vegas.

YI Technology today unveiled YI HALO, a next-generation virtual-reality camera built with Google's Jump technology. "We announced Jump in 2015 to make high quality VR video easier to create; streamlining capture, post production, and playback processes," said Amit Singh, VP of Business for Google VR. "Since then, Jump has helped produce immersive, compelling work, and we're excited to see what's possible using YI's next-generation cameras." YI HALO consists of 17 camera units including the Jump platform’s only up-view camera unit, allowing users to experience a scene in every direction. Leveraging industrial design, electrical, firmware and optical engineering yielded a product that generates high quality 8K x 8K, 360º stereoscopic VR video at 30 frames per second, or 5.8K x 5.8K, 360º stereoscopic VR video at 60fps. The company also announced today the consumer-grade YI 360 VR camera, the only camera to offer 360-degree capture up to 5.7k and automatically video/picture stitching in the device. Both new products are on display at NAB 2017, Booth N1121VR.

GoPro today announced a pilot programme for GoPro Fusion, its 5.2K spherical camera. Billed as "the ultimate spherical capture solution for innovative, envelope-pushing content creators," GoPro Fusion enables a new OverCapture creative solution that gives users the flexibility to produce conventional non-VR video and photos in HD-quality "punched out" from the spherically captured angles. Starting today, professional content creators can apply to participate in the pilot programme, which is expected to roll out during the summer of 2017.

Insta360 kicked off preorders today for the Insta360 Pro, a six-lens camera capable of recording 8K VR experiences and broadcast to the world live in immersive 360°. It captures 60-megapixel 360° 3D stills and supports both HDR and raw image file formats to bring out levels of detail and low-light performance unprecedented in a 360-degree camera of this size. When recording 4K video, the camera supports up to 100fps. In addition, the VR time-lapse mode adds a new dimension to videos and the live preview function allows users to get the best angle before shooting. As a standalone camera, it can be used with both the dedicated Insta360 Pro iOS and Android apps and connects via WiFi, Ethernet or 4G, ready to livestream any event or share instantly on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. The camera is now available to pre-order for $3,499.