Marine Imaging Technologies has
announced a new camera system that’s capable of capturing incredible 360-degree
video at underwater depths with almost no light. Dubbed Hydrus VR, it’s not
meant for underwater photography hobbyists, but instead for professional VR
experiences and documentary filmmakers. The Hydrus VR is a 10-camera array that
captures 360-degree video in 8K, 4K, or stereoscopic 4K, at depths up to 300
meters (984 feet), with light as minimal as 0.004 lux. Eight of the cameras are
arranged horizontally in a circle, with the remaining two capturing vertical.
Each of the cameras are Sony’s new UMC-S3CA with ultra-sensitive sensors and
custom SLR Magic E-Mount lenses, allowing video to be recorded at up to ISO
409,600.
It’s expected that the Hydrus VR
will be used to capture rare sightings of fish and explore remote caves, so it
features enough battery life and storage capacity for up to two hours of
continuous recording. This can be expanded to eight hours with a subsea control
module, however. With a weight of 75 pounds in salt water, the array can also
be attached to mechanical arms or underwater robotic vehicles, making it easy
for humans to keep their distance when needed. The system creates its videos by
stitching together the output from each of the cameras, overlapping 60% of the
images so that seams are invisible to the eye. Check out the panoramic demo
video recorded in the Cayman Islands to get an idea of the Hydrus VR’s
performance.
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