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Jamie Carter

The Kandao QooCam 8K pocket-sized 360 camera about more than its groundbreaking resolution.
Sure, the 7,680 x 3,840 pixels it records are handy, not least because the panoramic video it takes can be scaled-down to regular widescreen and still look sharp.
However, it also has 10-bit video capture, slow motion, a big OLED touch screen and a host of easy editing options.
Can the QooCam 8K live up to its billing as a one-of-a-kind camera?


Design and hardware
The QooCam 8K carries the phrase “pocket camera” on its packaging, but it’s going to fill most pockets. Measuring 144mm x 56mm x 23mm, it weighs 228g. Compared to 4K-ready 360-degree cameras like the GoPro Max and Insta360 One X and One R, it’s about three times the weight.
Curved at the top around its two fisheye lenses, the QooCam 8K sports a large 2.4-inch colour OLED touch screen underneath that gives instant real-time preview of photos and videos. That’s lacking on most 360-degree cameras, and it does make it easier to compose shots in-camera.
On the side there is a covered slot for a micro SD card, though it also has 64GB storage built in, something else most 360-degree shooters lack.
It also has a standard tripod thread on the bottom, which attaches to an “invisible” selfie stick for an additional US$35 that is automatically removed from footage. It’s an optional extra, but integral to creating great videos.

Resolution and features
The 8K images captured by the QooCam 8K’s 1/1.7-inch CMOS sensor through its dual f/2.0 aperture lenses translate to 29.4 megapixels. That’s a huge step up for the 360-degree format, which so far has been limited – at least in consumer-style cameras – to 4K resolution, which is a quarter of the resolution.
Remarkably, it can capture full resolution panoramic photos in 29.4 megapixels as 16-bit SuperHDR DNG raw images.


That could be reason enough to buy for some photographers. The QooCam 4K can capture video in 8K at 30 frames per second (fps), and rather usefully also in 4K at 120fps, which means high-resolution slow motion is possible. That’s yet another first for a 360-degree camera.
The QooCam 8K has five modes: 360-degree video, pano mode, super slow motion, live streaming (on Facebook and YouTube in 4K) and a sports mode.

Performance and battery life
The QooCam 8K is demanding on any phone’s processor, but cleverly it has a handy “4K ExpressEdit” mode that reduces the file size for editing on a phone. The app isn’t perfect, with various “SmartClip” templates not always working properly, and frequently causing the app to crash.
However, there can be no complaints about the quality of its 8K 60 fps 360-degree video. It’s super detailed, and the colour grading is top grade.


QooCam’s “SuperSteady” image stabilisation – powered by a built-in 6-axis gyro – also lives up to its name, helping create a glossy and easy to watch video that would otherwise make the watcher feel giddy. Super slow motion works well, as does a time-lapse mode. Qoocam 8K takes really good photos with lots of dynamic contrast and colour.
However, what it excels at is vlogging. You can hold the camera out using the selfie stick, which disappears from the finished footage. Combined with SuperSteady, the result is excellent, though occasionally you can see a join mark on the video where the stick was.
One drawback is its internal 3,000mAh battery, which gives about an hour of continuous use and cannot be swapped out for a fresh one. However, the QooCam 8K can be used while recharging via USB-C from a portable battery.

Conclusion
The arrival of 8K on an affordable 360-degree camera is genuinely exciting, and the images the QooCam 8K capture are highly impressive across the board.
The jump in resolution does come with a worry over battery life, though most 360-degree cameras tend to be used selectively rather than for hours on end.
The app provided with the QooCam 8K requires a little patience, but there’s no worry about the quality of the hardware. Used wisely, this camera is a joy and creative videographers looking for a step-up option will adore it.


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The first hi-res 360-degree camera, Kandao QooCam 8K, sets the bar for the future

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The Qoocam 8K has amazing resolution, in-camera editing, a large memory, selfie stick removal and image stabilising and much more
The only downsides are the short battery life and the weight of the camera



The QooCam doubles the resolution of other 360-degree cameras and offers in-camera editing, a large memory, selfie stick removal and image stabilising. A short battery life and its weight are the only negatives.


Technology

An assessment or critique of a service, product or creative endeavour.  Film reviews, restaurant reviews, reviews of art exhibitions. (Eg. Crazy Rich Asians: an important film, yes, but a good one?)


Review