The Samsung Gear 360 is a smart looking camera that takes fully immersive VR-compatible images
By David Ludlow
Samsung’s been a big supporter of VR, as its Gear VR headset was one of the first virtual reality devices available to the public. You need a recent Samsung Galaxy smartphone in order to use it, but the headset itself costs just £70, making it a neat little accessory for new Galaxy S7 owners.
Until now, though, Samsung hasn’t had a way of letting its VR users produce their own VR content very easily. This all changes with the launch of the Gear 360 VR camera, which lets you shoot full 360 degree video (horizontal and vertical for a full sphere) footage that you can view using a VR headset or as a moveable video in a supporting service, such as Facebook or YouTube.
Build quality
There’s no doubt in my mind as to which device is the better looking. While the Theta S and LG 360 Cam kind of look like remote controls, the spherical white Gear 360 looks a lot cooler and its shape suits its purpose well. It feels tough and well made, while the neat fold-out tripod means that you can easily hold it for hand-held shots, or place it in a central location for shooting more stable footage. The tripod unscrews to reveal a standard 1/4in screw, so you can use it with a tripod or monopod of your choice.
Read more at www.expertreviews.co.uk