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These days, there’s a new 360/VR camera just about every quarter. Manufacturers are putting out new unibody cameras that are more convenient to use, higher resolution, and packed with lots of features. But at the rate the technology is moving, they’re often obsolete within the next six months. Despite all of the advancements and the new competitive market, I’m still left wanting. We’re missing a few key pieces to this puzzle, and with each new product announcement, it seems like these features are overlooked and ignored while 360 camera brands boast about pixel count, 6dof, or easy to use stitching software.

When Facebook bought Oculus in 2014, Virtual Reality instantly became a buzzword on just about everybody’s radar. Pretty much any industry you can think of has tried to incorporate VR experiences for marketing, from corporate training, to travel, to entertainment. Universities and colleges are challenged today with the need to drive more enrollment, to reach the tech savvy and connected Generation Z audience. The same old media used in the past won’t have a lasting impression on today’s potential new students. Virtual Reality can be used as a platform to engage and excite prospective recruits, drive enrollment and portray the university brand as cutting edge and state-of-the-art.

After our Grand Canyon VR documentary “as it is” was accepted into a film festival, we found out first hand just how difficult it is to manage multiple headsets for a crowd of viewers. We came out of this experience wishing more people had seen our film. These pain points inspired us to attempt our own showing right here in Portland, with the goal to get as many people as possible into “as it is” in a superior quality headset.

For the past three years we’ve been working on a VR documentary film about the Grand Canyon and the many ecological threats posed by commercial overdevelopment. After already taking two trips down the Colorado River by raft and one trip to Grand Canyon National Park to interview the superintendent, we still weren’t satisfied with the shots we got at the confluence where the Little Colorado River (or LCR) meets the Greater Colorado River. So we decided to take an 18 mile round trip trek through a treacherous desert canyon to one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Garmin has recently entered the 360 camera game with their own GPS enabled 5.7k camera with back to back lenses. As a waterproof full 360x180 camera in a very compact package, this intrigued us at 360 Labs. With GoPro Fusion taking a while to become a reality, we jumped at the chance to order the Garmin VIRB 360 and put it through the paces. We’re in dire need of a camera system that is ultra compact and durable to use in the elements.