Garmin has taken their GPS-enabled Virb action camera to the next level with full 360° video capture in the all-new Virb 360. The new spherical lens camera keeps a compact, durable & waterproof housing, now adding the ability to capture up to 5.7K hi-def video at 30fps. The easy-to-use Virb even gets four built-in microphones so you get audio quality to match the crisp immersive video. New Stabilization2 app-based software tech also ensures that the video you capture will be smooth and stable whether you are bombing down the trail on a mountain bike, of carving S-turns down the mountain on smooth tarmac. Ride through Bartlett Wash in Moab with the new Virb 360, plus get a closer look at the details after the break…
Don’t forget to click and pan around in that video to experience it from all directions.
The Virb 360 will automatically stitch your video into full immersive 360° video at up to 4K & 30fps, or you can bump it up even more with your own editing. Software on the device can upload the video immediately to share it or for further editing, and includes ride data overlays that Garmin has dubbed G-Metrix thanks to the on-board GPS-tracking and sensor connectivity.
Garmin also has a new free to download Virb app for both iOS & Android mobile devices and desktops to easily edit, stabilize, and overlay your data and then share out to friends & followers. Garmin thinks that this app connectivity offers a much easier to manage platform to really take advantage of the 360° video capture. Like the most recent Virb Ultra camera introduced last fall, the new Virb 360 also gets voice activation on top of its simple controls to make it easier to start & stop recording or to take snapshot photos. And if you need to get that video out there instantly, the Virb 360 also has livestream5 functionality to push your 360° video straight out to YouTube or Facebook Live when you pair it with a compatible mobile device (iOS only for now).
The cube-shaped Virb 360 (39 x 59.3 x 69.8mm) with a spherical lens on two sides gets a rechargeable battery that is said to have a one hour runtime while recording. It records onto removable microSD card media (supports up to 128GB cars), but does not include one.
Beyond video itself, the Virb 360 can create in-camera 360° sphero/panoramic 15 megapixel photos. The camera has an easy-to read, even in direct sunlight display that shows simple metrics of current function, battery life, storage capacity, connectivity & shooting mode. The Virb 360 connects with WiFi, Bluetooth, ANT+, and NFC.
The $800 Garmin Virb 360 comes with its own unique combination tripod/handgrip and will be available in June 2017. The camera claims a weight of 160g, and mounts with a proprietary slide-on cradle that connects to a standard tripod 1/4″ -20 threaded mount. Plus it also includes an ‘action cradle’ which should mount to the standard GoPro adapted screw mount for all other accessories.
