5 Takeaways for VR Journalists at CES 2017
January 5–7, I attended CES — the annual consumer-focused technology trade show — as it celebrated its 50th anniversary in Las Vegas.
Having recently returned from a trip to Iraq shooting 360 VR videos (using a Ricoh Theta S and an Insta360 Nano), I wondered if CES 2017 would unveil VR journalism’s “next big thing,” or at least some improvements in camera portability and image quality.
Here I have to caveat that 1) my perspective is that of a bootstrapped journalist with a budget constraint, whose use of VR video cameras in war zones necessitates portability and ease of use, and 2) with 3,800 companies and a rich programming at this year’s CES, the three days I attended did not allow me to cover the full show.
Below are my five most interesting findings for VR journalists.
1. More VR adoption overall
“A lot more VR than last year,” I thought, walking the show floor on the first day. I also noticed that large exhibitors—car manufacturers, for example — had adopted VR as a marketing gimmick to entice you to their booths.
From a content producer perspective, new high-end VR video cameras and chips showcased impressive performance, especially in entertainment. Intel powered basketball live streams where you could choose and change your seat or join the players on the sideline. If you’re a basketball fan, this is certainly something you want to try.
Smaller newsrooms surely noted the lower cost of professional VR video cameras. I attended an Insta360 event where the Chinese company announced the Pro, its new $3,000 camera that will compete with the $45,000 Nokia OZO. The Pro shoots in 8K and will be available in April 2017.
These prices are probably still too high for most freelance VR journalists. Professional cameras can also be quite complex to operate and, more often than not, can’t comfortably fit in your bag or in your pocket. However, a lot is happening in the consumer intermediate-level 360 VR camera category. I went there next.
2. Plug and play cameras at a lower price point
At CES 2016 you would’ve been hard pressed to find a camera with a price/performance ratio for small budgets. One year on, how do the options stack up?
Much better.
Insta360, Giroptic, ThiEYE, ZMER One, Vuze, Kodak and Detu are all offering new cameras in the $200 to $800 range. These cameras are getting smaller and slicker, and those I tested do the stitching automatically. A few emphasize social sharing (Facebook, Twitter and YouTube) with minimal headaches.
The 360 VR camera as an accessory that can be attached to a phone (Insta360 Nano and Giroptic iO) was a technical novelty at CES 2017. I used the Nano in Iraq last month, and while it’s one step closer to a point-and-shoot, the camera records manually only and doesn’t have a standard tripod mount. That means hiding is difficult.
That constraint aside, the Nano’s functionality and image quality are very good. The camera worked seamlessly in the field and social sharing was smooth. Note that the Nano isn’t some prototype to be released later in 2017, like many of the other cameras I tested at CES. It currently sells for $199 on Amazon. I definitely look forward to trying the Insta360 Pro.
The cost of VR technology is decreasing, making what were professional-level cameras last year more affordable. Humaneyes boasts a 4K 3D 360 performance on its new $800 consumer camera, the Vuze, also unveiled at CES.
Though the performance of the Vuze left something to be desired, Korean startup TwoEyes Tech announced a comparable 4K 3D 360 camera for a fraction of the cost, albeit with less marketing whizbang. The TwoEyes VR has just launched on Kickstarter. The project page lists the Super Earlybird Pack at $199.
3. 360 VR livestreaming goes social
If, like me, you’re just becoming familiar with Facebook Live and Periscope, the recent addition of 360 livestreaming on both platforms might feel a tad overwhelming.
Manufacturers are now releasing cameras officially compatible with Periscope’s new 360 livestreaming (Insta360 Nano), while Facebook lists cameras it says are compatible with Live 360. Alessandro Sabatelli, director of AR and VR for Twitter, demoed 360 livestreaming with the Insta360 Nano.
It’s not clear if audiences will follow, however. A day after U.S. President Barack Obama’s farewell address in Chicago, the 360 live stream had only 107.6K views, compared to the 2D video’s 473.1K. Maybe scrolling your phone around a crowd of cheering fans is not what you want to do during a presidential speech.
4. Build your own VR solution
Perhaps my coolest moment at CES 2017 happened at Qualcomm’s booth. The company showcased a hybrid drone/VR experience around its powerful new chip.
Qualcomm 3D printed the drone featured in the picture above specifically for CES and used third-party camera lenses to complete it. The viewer could experience a 360 live stream directly from the headset. The Qualcomm engineer I spoke to said the company is looking to partner with camera maker Ricoh on producing these drones. As I viewed the homegrown invention, thinking of the possibilities such a creation could enable, I was transported to the early days of personal computing, when Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak paired a calculator with a TV screen. “What if,” I asked the Qualcomm engineer, “I want to make a similar drone?” Her answer was that the company might be able to send me the 3D print plans. This would likely be more than a weekend project.
Although drones with 360 VR cameras are already being manufactured, a cheap DIY solution is attractive to people with budget constraints and different cameras.
5. “The creative process does not need to wait”
One can expect a rapid growth of VR cameras and devices along with fast-paced performance improvement. The speed of change leaves us content producers in a constant state of FOMO.
As the technology progresses, videographers will ask: Why record content in 360 only, when you can add depth, as with the upcoming 3D 4K 360 VR cameras from Humaneyes and TwoEyes Tech? Last month in Iraq I was frustrated when I could not record sound in 360. I wished I had my hands on Kodak’s $499.99 Orbit360 with its stereo input jack for an external microphone.
But such quick developments and added features can also distract us from exploring the many other ways to render content and tell a story. “The creative process does not need to wait for the camera,” noted S. Jayaram, the co-founder of Voke, at a CES 2017 panel. VR journalists are creating an experience. That experience can integrate interactivity and data into 360 footage, for example.
What do you think? What is your experience with VR so far? What challenges are you facing? I look forward to your comments and ideas.
What do you want to see in my next column? Suggest + Follow to get notified when I’ll release a first cut of my 360 VR film from a Syrian refugee camp in Iraq for your review.
