Kodak Pixpro SP360 4K
An affordable VR action cam
£749 FROM Kodak, kodakpixpro.com features 2880x2880-pixel video at 30fps, 12.4MP sensor, 235° lens, splashproof case, Wi-Fi, remote control Don a VR headset and you’ll feel like you’re actually there… at least, that’s the idea
The advent of virtual reality (VR) has begun to shake up the action cam scene. Some cams do VR with one lens, which limits you to a 360-by-240-degree view, so detail behind the lens is lost. In the case of Kodak’s new Pixpro SP360 4K, two cameras are bolted together, their lenses pointing away from each other to capture detail all around. Naturally, this sort of imagery is perfectly suited to VR – don a headset and you’ll feel like you’re actually there, experiencing the action first-hand. Or, at least, that’s the idea.
The SP360 4K tries to address the failings of its predecessor, the SP360, which lacked 4K. First, there’s a big resolution boost. Second, it adds full 360-degree spherical immersion. So, does it work, and can it persuade you to part with your regular action cam?
You can buy a single pack, but the dual pack has the advantage of a wrist-mounted remote control option. Mounting accessories are limited to a suction mount and an extending selfie stick. £750 is a huge amount, but other options can cost more – GoPro’s Omni costs an eye-watering £4,199; it delivers triple the resolution, but it does virtually the same thing, so the SP360 4K is great value for money.
Kodak’s camera won’t win hearts and minds with its design. It has a simple set of controls on one side, an LCD on the other, and provides access to its ports and memory card slot beneath a plastic tab. The case is splashproof, but more extreme tasks will require an underwater case. Its build quality feels pretty solid, though in practice we found the buttons to be a little flimsy at times, particularly the record button, which would occasionally get stuck in the housing.
The screen is tiny too, which makes reading on the fly a little tricky. Thankfully, the menu is easy to use: one button controls the capture type (video or photo), and another changes settings. A Wi-Fi button is also present.
The interface’s party piece is the remote control, which you can mount on your wrist or on the selfie stick. This gives you quick access to the major controls. We love that the camera goes into auto-standby when you tap the record button, and wakes again with another tap; it saves battery power, though that’s still eaten up a little too fast.
Pairing the two cameras takes longer, but isn’t onerous, and it’s essential when syncing dual-camera movies so you can stitch them together later on.
So-so software
That brings us to the software, which simply isn’t that good. On a Mac there are two apps: one for editing videos and one for stitching them together. They lack polish, and neither is very easy to use. The camera’s iOS app does much the same thing, but is a bit more refined and a mite more intuitive. You can connect to it using Wi-Fi, which makes for easy settings adjustment, as well as playback and setting up your shots before you start filming.
As for the results, we had mixed feelings. You get a brilliant new perspective for action movies, but the quality doesn’t rival the static image you get from a regular 4K action cam. The slow motion offering disappoints too, and stitching is a little hit and miss.
If you want top-notch image quality, get a GoPro. But if you want to bring your videos to life and dip your toes into VR, this is a great and (relatively) inexpensive option.