Samsung gear 360 panoramic camera. Looks in all directions at once. Easy editing and uploading of content

What I liked

It is possible to remove "Insert SIM card" - joystick up key in the right top corner- press the center key of the joystick and turn the settings

What I liked

Hello. A very big request to those who bought it, please write back. After the smartphone I decided to return to the push-button one. Now I'm temporarily using Nokia 301.... it's very slow. According to some reports, the processor is about 140 (hertz). The Simbian 40 operating system is sufficient for a phone; Internet access as a modem is also normal. I'm wondering how much better (or worse) is switching between SIM cards, synchronization with a computer to access the Internet, slowness (it seems to cost 360 hertz). I really understand that hertz is not the most important thing. Because I had a SoniErikson, which probably has a minimal chip, but it did not slow down when calling any of the phone functions (except for photos or videos on the memory card, with a large number). Thanks in advance for your feedback.

What I didn't like

Low screen resolution, no flashlight, no separate button to lock the keypad.

What I liked

Very high-quality assembly, no lifts or squeaks, pleasant-to-touch buttons, aluminum front panel, clear menu (similar to Android OS), good audibility compared to Nokia 215 which sounds like a barrel 6-8 days battery life at average load.

What I didn't like

1) Insanely expensive for a regular push-button dialer. The price is comparable to a touchscreen smartphone.
2) Be careful! The phone was created for Ukraine, in other countries the warranty does not apply, any problem will be repaired at your own expense. It’s good that at least Russian is on the menu.
3) The ringtone speaker is very loud, which is good, but too squeaky, like in the cheapest ones Chinese fakes. The problem is solved more difficult choice suitable mp3, all standard pee-pee-pee immediately into the trash.
4) Lack of a flashlight.
5) Lack of 3G, the Internet is very slow, the problem is solved by Opera Mini.

What I liked

1) Among modern push-button dialers is one of best option. Created for a large category of people who find sensors not very convenient. 2) Maximum comfortable keyboard with well separated buttons. 3) Excellent 1000 MAh battery. 4) Very high quality assembly, no backlash or squeaks. 5) Appearance- perfectly beautiful. Metal body. Back cover made of scratch-resistant plastic with a genuine leather pattern. 6) You can set up multiple desktops, just like in Android. For convenience, the location of all icons changes. In the settings you can remove the message “insert a second SIM card”. And much more. The convenience of the menu is close to perfection. 7) Speaker 4 plus, which is much better than any budget push-button Samsung and Nokia, in which the sound is like from a barrel.

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Samsung Gear 360 (2017) is the second generation of a camera designed for shooting 360-degree photos and videos. From this Samsung of the Year begins to use a nomenclature with a constant name, where only the year of manufacture changes. For example, this year's A-series smartphones are called Galaxy A 2017. This practice was usually used by Apple, whose most tablet or laptop models are simply called iPad or MacBook. On the one hand, this creates a certain confusion for buyers (mainly when buying or selling used equipment), on the other hand, it also has an advantage: the buyer in the store clearly understands that they will sell him an understandable device latest generation. Camera Gear 360 this year (its nomenclature name SM-R210) has become noticeably smaller - the size of the sphere, inside of which there are two fish-eye lenses with a coverage angle of 180 degrees, has been halved. It can work in conjunction with a smartphone (the list is quite limited; it is known for certain that the camera can work with iPhone 6s, 7 and SE, as well as Samsung smartphones Galaxy series S6, S7, S8 and A7/A5 2017) and autonomously.

Cell phones inhaled new life in technology virtual reality thanks to the emergence large quantity accessories that allow you to turn it into a virtual reality helmet regular smartphone. The emergence of cameras capable of taking spherical photography with a 360-degree view has become another logical link in the same chain. Today, such cameras are still exotic, having moved in just a couple of years from the category of news about global technological achievements to the category of goods that, although not sold in any store, are available for purchase (especially if you know about their existence). Prices, as for any technological innovation, are still at a level accessible only to enthusiasts and technology pioneers, but this level has dropped noticeably in just a year. So, if the first version of the Samsung Gear 360 spherical camera cost 10,000 hryvnia (today you can buy it for 8,000), then the second version starts with a price tag of 7,200, which is one and a half times less. At this rate, in a couple of years, the price will become two times lower, and if the “new Chinese” get involved in the issue (in fact, they are already getting involved), then even lower.

What is this?

Samsung Gear 360 (2017) is the second generation of a camera designed for shooting 360-degree photos and videos. Starting this year, Samsung begins to use a nomenclature with a constant name, where only the year of manufacture changes. For example, this year's A-series smartphones are called Galaxy A 2017. This practice was usually used by Apple, whose most tablet or laptop models are simply called iPad or MacBook. On the one hand, this creates a certain confusion for buyers (mainly when buying or selling used equipment), on the other hand, it also has an advantage: the buyer in the store clearly understands that he will be sold an understandable device of the latest generation. This year's Gear 360 camera (its nomenclature name SM-R210) has become noticeably smaller - the size of the sphere, inside of which there are two fish-eye lenses with a coverage angle of 180 degrees, has been halved. It is capable of working both in conjunction with a smartphone (the list is quite limited; it is known for certain that the camera can work with the iPhone 6s, 7 and SE, as well as Samsung smartphones of the Galaxy S6, S7, S8 and A7/A5 series of 2017), and independently .

What is in the box?

Included Samsung supplies 2017 Gear 360 includes USB-C cable, a carrying pouch (given the two huge lenses, it will obviously come in handy) and useful accessory in the form of a rubber ring that allows you to install the camera vertically on a not very flat surface, for example, in grass or on the ground. The ring is attached to the camera with a cord, the second part of which allows you to wear the Gear 360 on your wrist.

This is what the camera looks like in the stowed position inside the pouch. If the puffs are tightened completely, the camera can be worn on the wrist directly in the pouch.

On a flat surface the camera can stand on its own, but I always placed it on a ring (it takes some effort to get the ring to fit tightly around the camera handle).

The Gear 360 does not have its own memory, it uses standard memory microSD card up to 256 gigabytes (not included). Under the slot for the card tray there is a connector charging cable - USB-C standard this year it also appears in accessories.

There is a tripod socket at the bottom of the camera. The inside is metal, which is good.

In principle, you can shoot by holding the handle (the first version of the Gear 360 last year had a screw-on plastic tripod handle), but I used the handle of a Zoom voice recorder for shooting.

How to control Gear 360

To control the camera without a smartphone, a rather confusing scheme of three buttons, four LEDs and a monochrome display on the front panel is used. If your smartphone allows you to install the proprietary Gear 360 application, then there is no point in studying it - everything can be done from it. Otherwise, you will have to sweat and swear, although, probably, it is quite possible to get used to such controls. Menu key activates the menu (it is also used for pairing via Bluetooth). Back button duplicates the function of turning the camera on/off. To select a menu item, press the record key above the display. Clicking on Menu scrolls through the menu items in a circle, clicking on Back returns you to the previous menu section. Two LEDs at the top indicate which cameras are in currently active (you can shoot both at once or one of your choice).

The camera has two microphones (a small dot is visible in the picture, the second one is located on the opposite part of the sphere) and a speaker for playing video sound (a larger hole).

In operating mode, the display shows the shooting mode, battery charge level and the number of available shots based on free space on the memory card. As you navigate through the menu, two lines of text are displayed. But, I repeat, when connecting Gear 360 via the app, there is no need for this scenario.

When working through the application, you can configure everything easily, and most importantly, quickly and clearly. Down to geotags, wind noise reduction (that's what the second microphone is for), ISO selection, video broadcasting on Facebook and/or YouTube, photo and video resolution (video up to 4K is supported, which its predecessor could not do). In the settings, you can select camera operating modes and even such a thing as tilt correction (you don’t have to hold the 360-degree camera level at all - it still films everything).

The Gear 360 has five shooting modes. Let me just say that I took photos exclusively in the “Landscape HDR” mode, if only because there was always not enough light in the room, and in the evening it was also not enough. Although on a sunny day it is quite possible to shoot in normal mode"Photo". Interval shooting would be well suited for filming sunsets and sunrises, and cyclical video recording would be appreciated by fans of extreme sports who practice video shooting.

In what format are pictures and videos stored?

All pictures are stored in JPG format, video - in MP4. But without conversion there is no point in watching them. Good news: You can convert photos directly to Gear app 360. This is what the pictures look like before and after processing. It becomes a little more clear, but it’s still uncomfortable. And sharing such pictures with friends makes little sense at all. What to do? There are different options.

Without a person in the frame, of course, the picture looks more interesting. It’s good when you can move 30 meters away or hide behind a tree/fence/corner of a building and activate the camera remotely via Wi-Fi.

In the application itself, galleries of captured images look approximately the same. But they are already transferred to the phone after conversion, and on the memory card installed in the Gear 360 the pictures are stored raw. The file names are stored as 360_00хх.jpg on the device and SAM_100_00хх.jpg on the phone after conversion.

How to view 360-degree photos

The captured images can be viewed on a smartphone using several visualization options. Of course, everything can be scaled by moving/spreading your fingers on the screen. In this case, for example, in the “double view” option, when one image is scaled, the second one changes in the same way. In practice the most convenient option visualization - “stretched view”, we know it from YouTube and Facebook. If you unlock the “On the Move” button at the bottom left of the screen, you can rotate the image not with your fingers, but by turning the smartphone screen.

The “Circular View” visualization option allows you to do things like this - this is a 2768x1444 pixel image where the photographer becomes the center of a small “planet”. You can choose a better angle and angle of objects and save them in the Gear 360 folder with other photos. I haven’t looked for separate editors for processing “raw” images (I suspect that they already exist or will appear in the near future), but for now I’ll have to make do with processing in the Gear 360 application. By the way, they say that there are no tools at all for editing 360-degree video .

How to watch 360-degree video

360-degree video support is already available on Facebook and YouTube. On YouTube, the process looks like this: you can rotate the image with your mouse (or your finger if you are watching the video on a smartphone or tablet). On Facebook, the process looks about the same, but there the service compresses the video, while YouTube allows you to store it in its entirety.

Okay, but how do you show 360-degree photos to friends on the Internet?

Just a year or two ago this would have been a problem, but today it is possible to show such pictures not only on Facebook, which automatically recognizes such photos and turns them into 360-degree (not even always 360-degree, if taken with a phone) panoramas. For an epic piece on the Galaxy S8's camera capabilities, I found a service called kuula.co, which allows you to store and insert code into HTML pages to view such images. Follow the link if you want to see more pictures with context. There are even more pictures on my page in the kuula service. To expand the panorama to full screen, click on the rectangle in the upper right corner of the frame.

When shooting indoors, of course, there is not enough light, the HDR mode, in which the camera takes about a dozen pictures, does not help: graininess and blurriness appear, although it is quite possible to understand what is in the pictures. Now this is roughly reminiscent of the camera capabilities of flagship phones 3-4 years ago. Or camera capabilities modern phones priced at 200-300 dollars. I would like to believe that in 2-3 years the situation with the quality of 360-degree images will improve - there is clearly still room for improvement. Surely, everything could be done today, but then the price of the Gear 360 would be 2 times higher, which is wrong.

Note to the hostess: the kuula service can create a preview in the form of a circular frame, but the same “stretched” view will be available for viewing.

In February on MWC exhibition 2016 Samsung introduced a new product for itself - a camera capable of taking photos and videos with a 360-degree view. The new product is called Gear 360, and it should become good addition to virtual glasses reality gear VR Let's see how well the Gear 360 does its job.

Contents of delivery

Samsung Gear 360 comes in a tube-shaped box with a transparent top.

Inside is the camera itself, a compact tripod, a hand strap, a case, a battery and a USB cable.

Unfortunately, there is no microSD card included, and there is no built-in memory in the camera.

Design and Construction

The Samsung Gear 360 camera is made in the shape of a ball, which is attached to a small included tripod, allowing you to place the device on a flat surface.

Luckily, it uses a standard 1/4-inch (6.35 millimeter) threaded connection, making the Gear 360 compatible with most tripods.

Given the unusual shape, White color body and two convex lenses, the Gear 360 looks futuristic.

In addition to two camera modules, on the body of the device you can also find a 0.5-inch (72x32 pixels) PMOLED display, a shutter button, two control keys, as well as a compartment covered with a plug in which the card slot is located microSD memory and battery.

The Gear 360 dimensions are 66.7 x 56.3 x 60.1 mm and weighs 152 grams. The camera body is protected from splashes and dust according to the IP53 standard; unfortunately, the device cannot be immersed in water.

Connection and setup

To work with Samsung Gear 360, you can use a smartphone; the camera connects to it via Bluetooth 4.1 and Wi-Fi Direct, this requires the Gear 360 app.

At the same time, the device itself is completely autonomous; you can change settings, switch between shooting modes, and take photos and videos without a smartphone. However, in this case, in 360-degree shots it will not be possible to avoid getting your hands in the frame.

At the same time, using the program, you can watch in real time what the camera is filming, the only exception is time-lapse videos, in which the preview does not work.

Settings in the Gear 360 app allow you to change the resolution of photos and videos, control ISO sensitivity, enable auto angle correction and wind noise reduction.

The Samsung Gear 360 app will only be available for now. flagship smartphones Samsung: S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+, Note 6, and Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. In addition, the Gear360 ActionDirector utility will be available for Windows computers, which will allow you to process photos and videos.

Shooting capabilities and quality

Samsung Gear 360 can record video in HDR at resolutions from 1920x960 to 3840x1920 pixels, while the resolution of 2560x1280 supports 60 frames per second.

In total, the camera supports three shooting modes: 360-degree view, time-lapse and looping.

Both cameras on the Gear 360 are 15-megapixel with an f/2.0 aperture and fisheye lenses, each capturing 180 degrees of image. Both cameras or one of them can be used to take photos.

Video in 4K:

Video 2.5K:

Time lapse video:

Examples of shots taken with two cameras:

Single camera shot:

Despite a high resolution 7200x3600 pixel shots (together the cameras take 25.9-megapixel photos), as well as 4K video recording, the sensor size does not allow the Gear 360 to provide high detail. This is especially noticeable in virtual reality glasses; although the picture provides immersion, it does not look as clear as we would like.

However, Gear 360 is still one of the simplest and quick ways take your own photos and videos with a 360-degree view.

Autonomy

The built-in battery in the Samsung Gear 360 has a capacity of 1350 mAh, which will be enough for about 50 minutes of video recording in 4K resolution.

The camera is charged via the microUSB connector.

Site evaluation

Pros: interesting design, small size and weight, standard mount, shooting photos and videos with a 360-degree view, autonomy

Minuses: photo and video quality could be higher, no memory card included, only works with Samsung smartphones

Conclusion: Samsung Gear 360 is a compact camera that is capable of taking pictures and recording videos in 360 degrees. It is relatively small in size and weight, yet easy to operate. But the quality of photos and videos created by Gear 360 is at an average level; unfortunately, the camera cannot provide a sufficient level of detail, which is important for virtual reality. However, Gear 360 is still one of the simplest and available tools to create photos and videos with a 360 degree view. Therefore, if you have already acquired a new Samsung smartphone and Gear VR virtual reality glasses, and want to be able to create your own content for them, be sure to take a closer look at the Gear 360

Specifications

The desire to get ahead of your competitors Samsung cannot be taken away from what has reappeared in the modern camera Samsung Gear 360. Also, there is an acute shortage of content in the virtual reality market; there are very few devices that provide the opportunity to shoot in in this capacity. The Gear 360 allows you to meet demand and further promote the idea of ​​3D reality. In addition to a virtual reality helmet excellent assistant will become a camera for panoramic video.

Many people are thinking about purchasing a device, but there are doubts, because today only the first steps are being taken in this direction. It is obvious that the future lies in 3D reality, and joining the business at the very beginning is much easier. Moreover, not only the amateur segment plays a role, but also a commercial purchase, recording a wedding or some important events with a panoramic camera will appeal to many clients. The 2017 Gear 360 is an update to the previous year's version, and the changes are truly significant.

Specifications

The Samsung Gear 360 2017 camera has been redesigned and image quality has been improved, mainly in the technical segment:

• Camera: 2x8.4 MP, CMOS sensor, f/2.2 aperture;
• Photo resolution: 15 MP – 5472×2736;
• Video resolution: 4096×2048 with fps 24;
• Sound: built-in 2 microphones;
• Over-the-air connections: Wi-Fi11 a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 4.1;
• Cable connection: USB 1;
• Protection: IP53, protects against moisture and dust;
• Resolution: JPG, MP4;
• Memory expansion: microSD with memory card support up to 256 GB;
• Battery: built-in 1169 mAh;
• Dimensions: 46.3×100.6×45.1 mm;
• Weight: 130 g.

Equipment

The Samsung Gear 360 camera has nothing unusual in its configuration. The kit includes a cable for charging and connecting to a PC. USB Type-C. Also included is a nice pouch made of soft material that is used to carry the camera. Additionally, an unusual wrist strap is supplied, on which a ring hangs at the end, perfect for mounting the camera on different kinds surfaces.

Gear 360 Camera - Exterior

The design of the device has changed a lot compared to the earlier model. previous version It was similar in shape and size to a baseball. Today the camera has an unusual shape, something resembling a periscope with two sides. The material is plastic, it feels very high quality. The color is mostly white, but has gray accents.

The design emphasizes the main purpose of the camera - recording video in 360-degree format. On top there is a small spherical object, on two sides of which there are wide-angle cameras with gray plastic inserts around the perimeter.

The shape of the camera is symmetrical, but this does not mean that the sides are equal. The developers themselves determined that the front side is the part where the front display for transmitting information and the button for starting video recording are located. WITH reverse side the logo is located. At the top there are several more buttons to turn it on and go to the menu.

On the left side there is a connector for charging and other connections via USB 3.1. Also inserted here microSD card. On the bottom side there are threaded fasteners; if desired, a tripod or monopod can be connected. There is a belt clip on the base.

System

Samsung 360 camera does not require additional installation software to work with her. Some functionality is available thanks to a small, installed display. To carry out the manipulations, you need to start the device, then click on “Menu” to select the desired mode, now all that remains is to turn on the recording by pressing the corresponding button on the front. Taking a photograph is like releasing the shutter, recording a video is standard view. One thing is that with this use, the camera will not be able to give it its all, and setting up the recording can fray your nerves, because you cannot see what exactly is being recorded.

Much The best decision is to use application of the same name. It is supported by the majority Samsung devices series S, Note, and A. The program is also supported by the owners of more or less modern Apple devices – iPhone 6S – 7 Plus, as well as SE. Quick setup is ensured thanks to external adjustment from the smartphone.

The camera can operate in a dual-band connection, so Bluetooth is used to receive instructions, and Wi-Fi Direct is used to transmit images. The control application is very simple and intuitive, here are the main points:

A total of 5 shooting modes are available: time-lapse, photo/video shooting, HDR and loop recording. You can also enable shooting only with the front or rear camera.

How did the camera perform in practice?

The main characteristics of each camera is the recording quality. So, the color rendition of the device is very good, and the image detail is definitely of a new generation; the smallest details are visible in the photo.

The photos come out good, but due to the large light capture in the center of the lens, some darkening occurs at the edges. The stitching of the image is practically invisible, the most noticeable being the lower part.

Exists interesting feature"Landscape HDR", which allows you to take pictures on the camera with various settings, and then the material is applied in layers. The effect is quite interesting, but the image looks somewhat unnatural. HDR will look best when using a tripod.

The videos are truly impressive, the quality is high, the picture is realistic and even somewhat more saturated. There is one problem here - there are difficulties in sharing such records, although this will soon cease to be a problem.

You can achieve maximum quality if you use a tripod and monopod. When held in your hand, it is extremely difficult to avoid unwanted elements, such as a smeared finger, getting into the frame. At the same time, gluing when using accessories is performed at a higher quality.

Adaptation occurs quickly; when the brightness level changes, the camera settings change almost immediately. There are also some drawbacks; some light elements may be illuminated in the dark.

Samsung Gear 360 is absolutely perfect new step in the development of panoramic photography technology. You can feel the future now. In the future, thanks to updates, the camera will be further improved.

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