The Insta360 Air camera, which attaches to an Android smartphone via a microUSB or USB Type-C port, turns your phone into a 360-degree VR camera. It’s now available in the US and Europe. The Insta 360 Air uses, via a dedicated app, the smartphone display as a viewfinder and captures 360-degree stills and videos with its dual fisheye lenses.
The camera offers real-time image stitching and comes with integrated live-streaming to YouTube and other platforms. Content can be shared directly from the app to Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and other social media platforms. The app allows for viewing content on-screen or through a VR headset.
The Insta360 Air can also be used as a 360-degree webcam on Skype and other video-chat applications after connecting to a PC’s USB 2.0 or 3.0 port. 360-degree webcam support for Mac should be provided soon via a software update. The Insta360 Air weighs only 26.5 grams and can capture 3K photos (3008 x 1504 pixels) and 2.5 K video (2560 x 1289 pixels) at 30 frames per second. The company also says real-time image stabilization will be introduced via a firmware update ‘in the coming weeks.’
The Insta360 Air is now available for $ 129 at retailers in the US. The device can also be purchased in the UK, Canada, Spain, Germany, Italy, France and Japan through Amazon. We are currently working on a review of the device, so watch this space.
Press Release:
Insta360 Air Arrives in US and Europe, Turns Android Phones into 360° VR Cameras
Real-Time Image Stabilization on the Way
SHENZHEN, Mar. 7, 2017 – The Insta360 Air, a smartphone add-on that instantly turns Android phones into 360-degree cameras, is now on sale across the United States and Europe.
“The Air is what we’re all about — cutting-edge technology that empowers people to capture and share experiences just the way they live them,” said J.K. Liu, CEO and co-founder of Insta360. “We can’t wait to see what the world’s Android users create.”
Android and iOS account for more than 90 percent of the world’s smartphone users, and the release of the Air means all of them can now enjoy seamless 360-degree photography and live-streaming. The Insta360 Nano, launched last year, offers a plug-and-play 360 experience to iPhone users.
The Insta360 Air’s simple, intuitive design makes capturing and sharing 360-degree content easier than ever. After connecting via USB Type-C or Micro-USB port, the Air uses a smartphone’s display as its viewfinder, allowing users to capture 360-degree stills and videos with the Air’s dual fisheye lenses and camera-interface app.
With real-time image stitching and integrated live-streaming support for YouTube and other platforms, users can broadcast immersive experiences to the world or share 360-degree content to friends on a host of popular social media — including Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and Messenger — directly from the app interface. Users can explore content on a screen or through a VR headset for an even more immersive experience.
The Insta360 Air experience isn’t limited to mobile. The Air also serves as a 360-degree webcam on Skype and other video-chat applications after connecting to a PC’s USB 2.0 or 3.0 port. 360-degree webcam support for Macs will also be introduced in a future update.
The Insta360 Air captures 3K photos (3008 X 1504 pixels) and 2.5 K video (2560 X 1289 pixels) at 30 frames per second. Weighing only 26.5 grams and with a diameter smaller than a ping-pong ball, the Air is also the most portable consumer 360-degree camera on the market.
Real-time image stabilization coming soon
Insta360 is committed to providing ongoing support to both devices and users well after purchase. Air users can expect regular updates to the Insta360 Air app and camera firmware. Among the most-exciting updates on the horizon for the Air is the planned addition of an all-new feature, real-time image stabilization.
The advanced image-stabilization technology corrects unwanted vibrations and sudden directional changes as they happen, letting users capture smooth and steady live streams and video.
The technology will mean a vastly improved experience for viewers using an immersive VR headset. And by reducing the variation between adjacent frames of a live-stream or video, it also offers big bandwidth savings. Real-time image stabilization is set to be released via app update in the coming weeks, and Insta360 Nano users can expect the feature as well.
Priced at $ 129 USD, the Insta360 Air is now available via Amazon in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Spain, Germany, Italy, France and Japan. U.S. consumers can buy the Insta360 Air offline at B&H and Fry’s Electronics, with other regions also offering offline sales at select retailers.
Watch the Insta360 Blog for more updates.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
