NAB 2017: Panasonic 360-Degree Live Camera With Uncompressed 4K Output

Panasonic’s NAB 2017 press conference just finished and one of the many new products that caught my eye was a new 360 degree live camera they are working on. Panasonic just announced the development of the 360-degree Live Camera System AW-360C10 and AW-360B10 (Camera Head / Base Unit), capable of producing 360-degree video in uncompressed 4K/30p.

This system generates industry-standard 2:1 equirectangular format 360-degree video by stitching the output of four cameras, giving the viewer the sense of immersion in a variety of scenes, such as live broadcasts of sports, concerts and other stadium events.

The 4K (3840×1920) high image quality provides the immersive experience, as if you were there. There is also a high level of operability, with natural images matched to the environment being generated by automatically controlling the exposure and white balance of the output of four cameras without a PC.

In addition, seamless video can be generated because the high-precision “Real-time active stitching function” continuously changes the stitching position by automatically detecting a subject at the seam.

With conventional 360-degree cameras, images at the seams tend to be distorted when stitched as-is, but the AW-360 solves this problem with its high-precision real-time active stitching.

Real-time video transmission is possible because 4K/30p high-resolution video is generated with low latency. Easy installation/uninstallation at a shooting site makes operation even more flexible. Not only is this system capable of monitoring and changing configuration remotely via a network with a PC or tablet such as an iPad, but it also allows for control from iPad in a Wi-Fi environment.

Furthermore, the 360-degree Live Camera is designed for professional use, offering high reliability with the features that address operators’ most specific needs, such as prevention of unexpected cable removal.

The AW-360C10 Live Camera Head and AW-360B10 Live Camera Base Unit will be available in August 2017, with pricing to be announced.

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