Vuze+

Highlights

• Stereoscopic 360 = true 3D VR

• Livestream 4K 3D

• 4 microphone spacial audio

• Durable - water/dust/dirt resistants)

Overview

The Vuze+ is the only product on this list that is truly a prosumer device.  A true professional camera will probably cost around $3,500, and this device is a small fraction of that, but it is still much more expensive than any other camera we tested. 

What differentiates this camera is that it is the only device that captures 3D video.  It does this by utilizing two separate cameras on each face.  One camera captures the left eye perspective and the other captures the right eye.  This allows people to have a depth perspective, in addition to a 360 experience.  For the best 3D experience, the viewer should use a dedicated headset, such as an Oculus device, as opposed to a phone in a VR viewer.  Although smartphones have good resolution, each eye only sees half the screen which is then magnified greatly - resulting in a bit of pixelation.

One of the challenges with the Vuze+ is leveling the device.  I discovered very early on that without a tripod, the camera will likely have a distorted horizon line.  When it's not level, essentially one side is going to be pointing toward the ground while the opposite side is pointing skyward.  The viewer will see a wavy horizon line which will be confusing an unprofessional.  The app helps by showing a real-time camera leveler.  The app includes real-time previewing, which helps greatly to indicate if the footage is not level and what adjustments are needed.

The camera is incredibly sturdy and able to withstand dirt, dusty, and splashes.  For real submersion, Humaneyes released a waterproof case.  One word of advice I have is to wipe the lenses with a dust-free microfiber cloth prior to shooting.  With eight different cameras, it is easy to overlook a smudge, and though the case does a good job of protecting the device, it doesn't necessarily wipe down the lenses.

For such a hefty device with so many adjustments and settings, it is actually very simple to capture footage.  The app is very intuitive, but you can also capture right on the device as well.  I listed the manual adjustments available in the table below as both a pro and a con.  It can be overwhelming to someone new to 360 video (or photography in general), but also allows the operator to have a great amount of control in order to shoot the best footage possible.  It's a mixed bag.  The Humaneyes computer app for post-production can be overwhelming, but there are tutorials to help people familiarize themselves with the features.  The app helps you to refine stitching, color match, adjust levels and blending, and stabilize the footage.

Now each, camera shoots 4K video.  There are eight cameras, so if you do some quick math you will realize that that's a whole lot of K's.  It amounts to recording approximately 1GB per minute.  Fortunately we can buy 256GB MicroSD cards for fairly cheap these days.  I use 512GB just so that I don't have to worry, and I'm considering getting the new 1TB card.  This also means that I have to have a lot of storage on my computer and cloud spaces.  Rule of thumb, you probably want to back up your valuable videos an multiple places.  

I big selling point for us also is that not only is the battery life the best of what we tested, but we can hook up the camera to an external power source while we're filming.  This will allow us to either swap out batteries or simply run on power while we're filming.  This could be beneficial if we are recording a very long session or many sessions in one day.  I can either plug the camera into an outlet, or dangle a portable USB power pack under the tripod.

My biggest woe for this product is the stitching.  Now, the challenge is that the camera is recording eight different cameras at the same time, and the post production needs to merge all of that footage into one spherical video.  The stitching between left and right lenses on the same side is essentially seamless, give then closest subject is about 1.6ft (50cm) away.  That's not hard to do.  However, the corners of the camera need to be at least 5ft (150cm) from the subject in order for stitching to be good.  I've found that this is a bare minimum and 10ft is much better.  If this camera is used indoors, especially in a classroom, it may be very challenging to find a 10ft radius (20ft diameter).  You will notice the complications in stitching on the Vuze+ Picture Examples page when people walk close to the camera.  Sometimes when you are shooting, there is motion that you can't control.  The other challenge is that the more distance an object is from the camera, the more the detail drops off.  It's a catch-22, which is a legitimate challenge.

Pros	Cons
True 3D VR	Stitching is very challenging
2 hour battery life with option to plug in to a power source	More complicated to operate than the other cameras reviewed
Renders in various dimensions aspect ratios, and custom resolutions	Very expensive
The Humaneyes app is very comprehensive	Can be difficult to get a good horizon line, even on a leveled tripod
Livestream (must be tethered to a computer)	Requires 1GB per minute
Supports bluetooth microphones	The overall quality is only standard
Tons of manual adjustment available, including ISO, shutter speed, etc., for each lens

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Video Examples

Magic Kingdom 2D

Magic Kingdom 3D [requires a 3D headset]

Bonus: Mine Train 3D [requires a 3D headset]

Grand Floridian

Photos