3D 360 degree cameras go head to head: Vuze XR vs QooCam
- The Vuze XR comes out ahead of the QooCam in resolution, build, stability and ease of use
- The QooCam allows users to refocus 3D images after shooting and has better imaging options
Is 3D back – again? Given that three-dimensional TVs quietly disappeared a few years ago after a brief comeback, the return of 3D as a new trend in the world of videography might seem puzzling.
The last few months have seen the debut of a couple of new 360 degree cameras that add on a 3D mode known as “VR180” – the Vuze XR (US$439) and QooCam (US$399) – but are they just novelties?
Both the Vuze XR (from Israel-based HumanEyes) and QooCam (from Kandao in Shenzhen, China) are “standard” 360 degree cameras of the kind that have struggled to go mainstream in the past few years. The ability to film everything (and crop later … or not) initially seems irresistible.
After all, being able to capture what a place is actually like – instead of having to decide what to point a camera at – is a chance to capture raw atmosphere. It definitely is that, but with endless creativity options come a few issues.
Design
Although both of these 360 degree cameras have a similar ethos and are designed to be hand held, they are surprisingly different in design terms.
Weighing 212g (7.5oz), the 152mm (6.1in) tall Vuze XR has two f/2.4 fisheye lenses, one on each side, that together create 360 degree video and 18-megapixel photos. However, when you push a button, those two lenses pop out to face the same way, giving a stereoscopic image for 3D photos and video.
The QooCam, which weighs 180g (6.3 oz), is shaped like a baton and is 200mm (7.9in) tall. It has a single f/2.2 fisheye lens on one side, and two on the other, one is an “extra” lens for creating 3D. Rather oddly, the baton has a hinge in the middle that bends through 45 degrees to create an L-shaped camera that is then ready to create in 3D.
While both are interesting designs, the Vuze XR is more solidly built and stands firm unaided. The QooCam is slightly unstable when in 3D mode (it ships with a selfie stick and a spider tripod, but they don’t add stability).
Both models have standard ¼-inch tripod threads so can be used with any camera accessories.
Resolution and features
A major issue with 360 degree cameras is the lack of resolution. Filming everything in sight using one camera sensor means the pixels are shared around through 180 degrees.
The QooCam maxes out at 4K, while the Vuze XR hits 5.7K. That’s crucial to the results, though the QooCam does have an interesting feature that the Vuze XR lacks; post shooting refocus of 3D photos. As it captures a still image using its two fisheye lenses, it creates a depth map, and the QooCam app allows you to choose a new point of focus and create a blurred background for a classic bokeh effect.
Performance
The Vuze XR wins hands-down. It’s easier to see which mode the camera is in, and much harder to accidentally press the wrong button while operating it. It’s simple to shoot some 360 degree video, put it in 3D mode, take a few photos, and check out the results later.
On the QooCam, it’s not easy to see what it’s doing, the buttons are more sensitive yet they’re slow to initiate/stop recording, and to get anything done it’s necessary to link it up to a smartphone and watch a live feed through the free QooCam app. That’s a pain and quickly runs down a phone’s battery.
Conclusion
Though both 360 degree cameras produce nicely stabilised footage, the better designed, slightly more refined and higher resolution Vuze XR produces superior video and stills, though the QooCam’s photo imaging options (which also include the option to shoot in raw) are more impressive.
However, since Facebook already has a 3D photo mode that requires a dual-lens smartphone camera, and with VR headsets for watching 360 degree video certainly not mainstream yet, I’m left wondering who the target market is for either of these 3D cameras.
