Just recently we reported about the 360fly, a little ball-shaped action cam that lets you record panoramic videos with a 360-degree angle-of-view (on the horizontal axis). Now comes another action cam that claims to offer the same feature, except this time there’s a familiar name attached: Kodak. Manufactured by JK Imaging (Kodak’s license partner for camera products, since Kodak itself no longer makes them), the Kodak PixPro SP360 (h/t dpreview) looks akin to a GoPro, consisting of the camera itself, a protective casing, as well as a mounting solution.
Just like the 360fly, the PixPro SP360 has an ultra-wide angle lens that faces upward, thereby yielding the 360-degree angle-of-view on the horizontal axis. On the vertical axis, the lens has a 214-degree view, which is a bit less than what the 360fly has to offer. Still, in photographic terms, the lens on the PixPro SP360 is able to look “behind itself,” which seems to be becoming a trend lately.
Depending on the kind of video you want to record, Kodak’s new panoramic camera offers a number of different viewing modes. Users can choose between recording a 360-degree panoramic view, an interactive 360-degree ring view, a split 180-degree front and rear views, a 214-degree dome view, as well as a 214-degree front view, which corresponds to the lens’ natural angle-of-view when pointed forward.
Related: Ricoh gets in forefront of 360-degree panorama trend with new Theta camera
The 16-megapixel MOS sensor records either Full HD 1080/30p or 720/60p HD video, with the option to crop out shorter perspectives and save it as a new video file. The camera can also capture high-resolution still images. The PixPro SP360 can be controlled remotely via an Android or iOS device using Wi-Fi (NFC pairing is available for devices that support it), and the video can be edited and viewed on a PC or Mac via software.
In addition to standard video recording, the PixPro SP360 also supports time-lapse video and comes with a motion-detection sensor that automatically triggers video recording. On top of all that, the device is splash proof, freezeproof (to 14 degrees Fahrenheit), shockproof from 6.6 feet, and dustproof, which makes it perfectly suited for all kinds of outdoor activities. With the difference of a 360-degree lens, it looks like Kodak is gunning after GoPro and similar action cameras.
Weighing only 3.6 oz, the PixPro SP360 will be available for $350; it will also come in various bundles that come with different accessories. More information is available on the Kodak PixPro website.
