360 Video

360 video is a format that provides spherical or immersive 360 experiences. The videos are shot using a 360 camera (either a professional or consumer model). It is relatively easy to compile and view in a mobile VR headset such as the Oculus Go. The experience provides you with 3 degrees of freedom (or 3DOF), which tracks the position of your head. This is different from high-end VR headsets with 6 degrees of freedom (6DOF) which track the full movement of your body. It provides a partially immersive experience that can still be powerful, especially for news and documentary projects.

360 video requires an omnidirectional camera which can be a consumer version such as the Ricoh Theta, the Insta360 One X, or a professional model such as Google’s Jump camera. The most recent consumer 360 video cameras will automatically stitch the seams, not as well as using post-production software, but serviceable.

Some of the “classic” early immersive experiences of the modern VR revolution were done in 360 videos, including Clouds Over Sidra and The New York Times, The Displaced. The format remains the easiest access point for organizations, retailers, students, and faculty, along with the public to begin creating immersive experiences.