Canon has been looking into the future and sees that VR has a part to play in its portfolio. The company already has the RF 5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye lens as part of its full-frame lineup. In fact, some new VR lenses were on display while in development concept guise, for APS-C based cameras and a standalone device for capturing VR while working in run-and-gun mode.
All of these were interesting devices; some might have competition in our guide to the best 360 cameras, but clearly Canon are preparing for a new wave of content creation for devices like the Apple Vision Pro, Meta, and Sony goggles.
As an integral component of the EOS VR System, the RF 5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye lens is designed to be paired seamlessly with the EOS R5 C, EOS R5 (firmware 1.5.0+), or EOS R6 Mark II (firmware 1.2.0), in conjunction with one of Canon's VR software solutions. Together, they enable the creation of immersive 3D content that can be enjoyed on compatible head-mounted displays, such as the Oculus Quest 2 and others.
I tried the content created from the lens / platform as I visited the Canon stand today at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, and wore a VR headset while watching a band play. The experience was fully immersive and enjoyable. While not in full 360, the same video is displayed when looking behind you.
Nice to see a camera company start experimenting with new ideas and content creation methods. I hope to try and see if I can get some content from my next trips to Alaska captured in VR. We shall see!
Kandao's pre-show spoiler seen in the flesh
On the subject of 360, Kandao had already given us forewarning of the new Qoocam 3 Ultra 360 8K dual-sensor camera for CES this year and think it could be a bit of a hit. The company also makes some great 360 hardware for conferencing as well as “action” cam style 360 cameras and this one is the newest of the range and out later this year. We now know that pricing will be less than $1000 when it arrives in the US this year.
