Fun with the Kodak PIXPRO SP360 action video camera
The kind people at Kodak sent me a Kodak SP360 action camera to try and see what I could create with it. Essentially this is a compact 1080p HD video camera which you can attach to things to take wide-angle action video clips. Perfect if you want to take breath-taking videos while scuba diving or free-falling from planes or being involved in all kinds of daring action. It would also be perfect as a dash-cam if you want to capture the next time a meteor comes soaring through Earth’s atmosphere.
I don’t scuba dive. (I live in New Jersey anyway.) I am really not up to sky-diving. And I can’t drive around New York and New Jersey for the rest of my life, on the off-chance I’ll be there when a meteor spectacularly comes down.
Instead, I thought it might be a fun thing to attach this video camera to a trombone slider while someone is playing … and get some funky footage as the video-cam slides closer and further away. You may remember Jonathan Arons from the NYC headshots photo session and the photos of him performing in a night-club. Well, that’s him in the video.
Jonathan very kindly indulged me in this and we shot several sequences of him playing his trombone out on the streets of New York, with the Kodak SP360 clamped to the trombone slider.
There was no other rationale behind this video clip than having some goofy, surreal fun.
The video that you capture with the Kodak SP360, can be changed between several video modes, even after capture:
The Kodak SP360 has several video modes, including:
360 degree fish-eye view,
360 degree panoramic view,
2x 180 degree views simultaneously (front and back)
In the clip here, you can see me trying to duck out of sight on two occasions. Unsuccessfully. The 360 degree fish-eye view really is … very wide.
The SP360 can also be used to capture 10-megapixel stills at a frame-rate of 10 photos per second.
It also has a motion sensor built in, to stop & start as it is triggered by motion.
Ultimately, this little camera has applications as diverse as your imagination will allow.
More info about the Kodak SP360
- purchase the Kodak PIXPRO SP360 Action Camera – B&H
- purchase the Kodak PIXPRO SP360 with Extreme Pack – B&H / Amazon
- purchase the Kodak PIXPRO SP360 with Explorer Pack – B&H / Amazon
Specifications of the Kodak SP360
- 360° Viewing Range
- 16-Megapixel 1/2.33″ MOS Sensor
- supports 1080p30 and 720p60 Video
- capture 10MP Photos Up to 10 fps
- 6.5′ Shockproof / 14°F Freezeproof
- IP6X Dustproof / Splash Resistant
- microSD/SDHD Card Slot
- Micro HDMI Output
- Built-In Wi-Fi / NFC Connectivity
- Android and iOS Control App
Related articles
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- Jon Arons the musician as part of Tachyon
That was fun. How did you do the spinning effect?
I sent in the raw video footage to the Kodak PIXPRO people, and they edited it to this short clip. They added the rotation in the image to fit the sound. I assume this is easily done with the video image being circular.
Interesting little camera. Maybe you could use it to mix in a time-lapse with some of your events/shoots. Just an idea.
Aah, when I read your 1st paragraph I was really hoping to see you skydive with this strapped to you!
Can it capture 360deg stills in one hit? Easy way to make panoramas.