360 Camera News and Info 3D Z Cam

Z Cam K1 Pro professional 6K 3D180 camera with Micro Four-Thirds Sony sensors; specifications and SAMPLE video (updated 12/12/17)

Z Cam K1 Pro 3D180 sample video
Z Cam K1 Pro 3D180 sample video

Z Cam is launching a 3D180 camera, to be called K1 Pro.  It was originally announced in July 2017.  Contrary to what I expected, the Z Cam K1 Pro is a professional camera, not a consumer camera.  It will feature two four-thirds Sony sensors, and two f/2.8 fisheye lenses with adjustable aperture.  12/12/17 update: see below to a link to a sample video!

Here are the specifications:

Lensestwo premium 220º fisheye lenses
Aperture: f/2.8 to f/11
SensorDual 4/3" Sony image sensor
Video resolution: 2880 x 2880 per eye, 30fps, 6K Left Right format (post stitching)
SynchronizationBuilt in Z CAM Sync;
coordinated AE & AWB
ConnectivityBuilt in WiFi
GPSGPS (equipped with external antenna port)
Storage:two removable Micro SD cards, up to 128GB
Price: $2995
Release date: December 2017
Z Cam's 3D180 camera is certified for VR180
Z Cam’s 3D180 camera is certified for VR180

The Z Cam K1 Pro features live view and control via Z Cam Controller for PC, Mac, iPad or iPhone. It can live stream using Z Cam’s WonderLive software for PC (live streaming requires a GTX 1070). Stitching is via Z Cam’s Wonderstitch software (PC).


Z Cam K1 Pro sample video

12/12/17 update — here is a link to the new sample video.  Thank you very much to tech vlogger and camera accessory inventor Danydanfree for sharing the sample!  Here is a framegrab from the sample (is that Maxim Drygin?):

Z Cam K1 Pro 3D180 camera sample video framegrab
Z Cam K1 Pro 3D180 camera sample video framegrab

The video shows very good levels of detail and dynamic range, thanks to its large Micro Four Thirds sensors.

Incidentally, Z Cam is one of the manufacturers to support Google’s new VR180 standard but this particular sample is a conventional 3D video in side by side format.  I hope that in the future, the videos from the K1 can be viewed with VR view (i.e., where rotating the head will also rotate the view), not just a side-by-side 3D video.

Meanwhile, here is a previous sample shot showing its low light capability:

Sample from 3D180, the Z Cam VR180 camera
Sample from 3D180, the Z Cam VR180 camera

The MSRP of Z CAM K1 Pro is $2,995, with shipment to begin in December 2017.  To pre-order, please contact Z Cam’s CEO Kinson Loo at kinson@z-cam.com.

About the author

Mic Ty

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  • I think $3000 is too much for this camera. You can purchase 2 Lumix GX85 with 6.5mm lenses and shoot with same quality for the half of the price. On top of that you get 2 separate cameras that you can use for day to day work.

    • It’s true that one can shoot 3D 180 using two separate camera bodies mounted bottom to bottom. However, an integrated camera offers a few perks: First, a more compact body and secondly, built-in video sync. That last one is most important but is not a given with an integrated camera. For example, even though most of the 3D cameras and camcorders manufactured a few years ago did have good video sync, recent 3D cameras such as the UCVR, the SVPro and the LucidCam have poor video sync. Hopefully, at three thousand bucks, the K1 has perfect video sync as well as still sync. But unfortunately, I won’t find out because – like Akmal and Mic – I think the price is way too high…

  • I’ve just watched Zcam’s 5.7K footage on GearVR video look really sharp it’s better than my rig – pair of Canon 5D Mark 4 with Samyang 8mm lens – I believe it’s because my lenses are not sharp enough. But 3D effect is so minimal because lens placement matches human’s IPD. Mostly it’s a good thing you get accurate picture with nausea proof experience. But when you have 2 separate camera bodies you can easily expand their distance so you can get more 3D effect on outdoor\landscape shots. So Zcam looks good and it’s really easy to use but in some cases when you shoot landscapes it’s limiting

    • Thanks Akmal! For me, the Z Cam’s 3D180 camera is just way outside my budget. In Google’s announcement for VR180, they said it would cost like a point-and-shoot camera. ” They will be as easy to use as point-and-shoot cameras, for around the same price.” So that’s what I’m expecting.

      Best regards,
      Mic

    • Akmal wrote: “But 3D effect is so minimal because lens placement matches human’s IPD. Mostly it’s a good thing you get accurate picture with nausea proof experience.”

      Even though I am a fan of wide base stereo, I also know the mathematics of it and I am sure you know that when shooting hyperstereo, you have to limit your foreground distance. Problem is that when you are using lenses with a 180 degrees FOV, you will inevitably record foreground content and, in those instances, using a larger stereo base can induce eyestrain. But the truth is that most people who want 3D versions of 180 and 360 cameras are looking to maintain natural scale at close range. It is mostly at close distances that 180 and 360 2D cameras fail because the lack of disparity between left and right images makes close range subject matter look gigantic and flat.

      Akmal wrote: “But when you have 2 separate camera bodies you can easily expand their distance so you can get more 3D effect on outdoor\landscape shots. So Zcam looks good and it’s really easy to use but in some cases when you shoot landscapes it’s limiting.”

      I agree so long as there is no close range subject matter. For example if cameras are mounted on a drone, then lens separation can be increased substantially.

      • Francois thank you for comments! Yeah shooting with 2 separate cameras have a lot of troubles. I’ve made couple of shots with Canon 5D Mark IV + Rokinon 8mm. Lens are not that sharp as ZCam and I could’nt make good vertical mount for DLSR so I was matching IPD in After Effects to somewhate minimize hyperstereo effect 🙂 But man… 3K is too much for couple of M4\3 cameras with fisheye lens. I’m looking towards ZCam e1 mini it has such a small body so no need to build a vertical rig for it I can easily put cameras in dual flash mount.

  • Very disappointed at the price point. A more consumer friendly higher resolution camera is needed as 4K images viewed using a HMD don’t cut it in a world where we are surrounded by HD imagery on TV and computers all day.

    • According to Google, several other manufacturers are set to introduce new (probably more affordable) 3D 180 cameras such as Yi, LG and Lenovo.

      Back in June, it was implied that cameras from these manufacturers would show up by the end of this year. However I have heard nothing from any of those companies besides what was announced back in June. I joined all their mailing lists and haven’t received a single update from any of them.

      As for getting higher than 4K in the lower priced cameras, I doubt this will happen.

  • Hello everyone. Thanks Mic Ty for this fantastic blog. The truth is that it is a bit expensive. But it seems a very powerful device. Would it be possible to make 360 ​​6K 3D video by rotating the camera in 2 or 3 positions and then stich in Mistika? Z Cam S1 Pro has the same optics configuration although in different arrangement and allows with 4 optics to realize 3d. What do you think?.

      • Thank you for answering so quickly. I intend to make 360º 3D with a single camera with fisheye, Sony a6300 + Sigma 8mm. Or with displacing the gopro Fusion.
        Regards

        • Hi Ruben. Wow making a 3d 360 photo with one DSLR seems very very challenging. I think you might be interested in the kandao obsidian Go, which can shoot 3d 360 photos in 8K resolution, and it costs around $2500 (stitching software is included, with depth map capability).
          Best regards,
          Mic

        • I like this idea! You plan to shoot 4-12 photos from one point than move camera 62 mm from first point and repeate shooting?

          • Yes Akmal. These is one way. There are other technique where you emulate Insta 360 Pro trick. Take 12 photos with an 40 mm offset, 1,3,5,7,9,11 for left eye and 2,4,6,8,10,12 for right eye. Stich each eye and then compose in Photoshop in top/bottom mode. It isn’t easy but is cheap…

            If you have a 3D 180 VR rig theres is another way from izugar to compose 360 3D:

  • “I hope that in the future, the videos from the K1 can be viewed with VR view (i.e., where rotating the head will also rotate the view), not just a side-by-side 3D video.”

    The sample video you linked to is actually a 3D 180 degree VR video, I tried it in a VR headset with head tracking and it works great across the 180 degrees field of view.

    • I agree in theory with your statement. Clips of this nature do play as full VR 3D 180 on my headset when “3D 180” is enabled. And I only say “in theory” because sadly, my headset won’t play anything higher than 4K resolution !

      Mic: any chance of a 4K version of this clip ?

  • I bought this camera and I live in United States. I cannot download Wonder, stitch, software on any of my computers due to viruses. This is a software made in China and you cannot download it in the USA. Period. Is this the only software you can use? Help My camera is useless without the only software that I can’t download