Nokia's Ozo professional VR camera recently landed in Europe, and the state-of-the-art technology comes with a spicy price tag.
The company does not limit itself to creating hardware: Nokia says that it dabbles in post-production partnerships meant to enable end-to-end solutions that would provide traction for VR experiences.
The VR professional camera packs a tantalizing set of features, such as 360-degree VR audio, wireless operation and real-time VR preview. To make it the perfect tool for live transmission of entertainment events with premium quality, the Ozo sports live video broadcasting capability.
"Ozo enables the creation of immersive virtual reality experiences that actually move us emotionally, and move us to act," says Nokia Technologies President Ramzi Haidamus.
Thanks to its revolutionary 360-degree approach, the Ozo makes us part of the lives of people we never met and thus enlarges "the circle of empathy." Haidamus affirms that a technology that touches human emotions in such a deep way is a sure way to progress.
Via Deluxe, content captured with Ozo VR can be enriched through post-production services such as color, stitching and editorial. Nokia saved no effort in making sure that the post-processing phase gets the tools that it needs. For example, one such tool is NUKE, which the company says will get support for Ozo content as soon as possible. Insiders from the professional broadcast community are especially excited to see the premium device in action.
Should you be curious of the specs found on the sci-fi-looking camera, you can also read our earlier coverage.
The camera gets its complex imagery through eight synchronized 2K x 2K sensors that give it full spherical video coverage of 360 x 180 degrees. Eight microphones accompany the smooth-lined VR camera. The way in which they are positioned enables the Ozo to record the "sound sphere" of its environment.
Each lens sports an f/2.4 relative aperture, enabling it to capture footage in low lighting conditions, and the angle of view scores at 195-degrees per lens. The standard frame for video is 30 frames per second.
The camera starts with a default sensitivity of ISO 400. The dynamic range of the audio recording is of 60 dB, with 10 stops. Each of the modular storage cards for the Ozo can host 45 minutes of video. The consistent modules holster 500 GB each. There is little risk of overheating, as the device works on a passive fanless cooling system.
The almost-spherical device draws power from a rechargeable lithium ion battery. A milled aluminum finishing encloses the inner workings of the camera, which weighs only 9.3 pounds, battery included. This means that the Ozo can easily be attached to a high-tier drone for spectacular aerial footage. Without counting the mounting arm, Ozo's general dimensions show 10.4 x 6.7 x 6.3 inches.
Nokia seems to have evolved in the last years. The development of Ozo shows that the company is taking bold steps from being the top global mobile device manufacturer to being a pioneer in professional virtual reality products and services.
Oh, and before we forget, here's the important bit: Nokia sells the Ozo VR professional camera for "only" €55,000 ($60,000).
