Right now there are several virtual reality cameras available in the market, but of course to develop high-quality virtual reality content, there will need to be more professional cameras made, which is kind of what Google and IMAX are doing according to a recent announcement made about their upcoming partnership.During Google I/O 2016, both companies announced that they would be partnering up and working to develop a cinema-grade VR camera. Given that IMAX is known for their huge and immersive screens and movie experiences, we guess a professional-grade camera is needed if they’re hoping to replicate that effect in VR.
According to Clay Bavor, VP, Virtual Reality at Google, “IMAX is known everywhere for their incredible immersive cinematography and sound, and we’re delighted to have them contribute their decades of experience in cameras and content to the Jump platform.” IMAX is also expected to provide Google with access to existing footage to convert and use with Google’s own VR tech.
IMAX CEO, Richard L. Gelfond adds, “Today’s partnership with Google takes us into the next frontier of immersive experiences – virtual reality – and we look forward to working with them to provide our filmmaker partners and other content creators with a level of VR capture quality not yet seen in this space.”
This won’t be the first professional VR camera, of course, as we have seen Nokia try their hand with the OZO. The OZO does not come cheap and we doubt that IMAX and Google’s efforts will be either, but then again chances are they won’t be aimed at consumers to begin with.
Filed in . Read more about Google, Google i/o 2016, Google Io, Imax and Virtual Reality (VR).