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360Helios Cinematic 360 Video Rigs Now Shipping

The wait is finally over. Our highly anticipated cinematic 360Helios 360 video rigs are now available to order. The 360Helios, a system designed to film spherical video with Blackmagic Design Micro Cinema Camera 2Ks and Blackmagic Design Micro Studio Camera 4Ks, is our new solution for professional quality spherical content.

360 Video with Blackmagic Design Cameras

Our team started from scratch and applied our patented 360 Plug-n-Play™ technology to approach the challenge of 360-degree capture with Blackmagic Design cameras. While utilizing Blackmagic Design cameras for 360 capture is nothing new, we identified the inherent issues of proper camera orientation, a custom micro 4/3 lens solution that offers optimum frame overlap, a shallow form factor, and developing a system for controlling multiple cameras in different orientations. The result is a  professional 360 capture ecosystem like no other.

Patented 360 Plug-n-Play™ 360 Video Rig Form Factor

800x455-BM567-productsThe 360Helios system is designed to have the smallest possible form factor for positioning Blackmagic Design cameras for spherical capture. Our 360Helios holders position our custom lenses as close to the nodal center of the rig as physically possible. Due to the 360Helios rig’s design and the shallow form factor of the lenses themselves, each camera’s lens is closer to those directly adjacent to it in the configuration.

360Helios 3 – Our smallest form factor rig. The 360Helios 3 Mounts three cameras for the most affordable, minimal configuration to film 360 x 180 degree 360 video with Blackmagic Design cameras.

360Helios 6 – The 360Helios 6 can be configured to mount 6, 5 or  4 cameras in a spherical orientation for capturing full 360 x 180 degree 360 video content. Offers additional frame overlap for more control during the stitching process and higher quality footage in comparison to a 3-camera configuration.

360Helios 7 – The 360Helios 7 can be configured to mount 7, 6 or 5 cameras in a spherical orientation for capturing full 360 x 180 degree 360 video content. Offers additional frame overlap for more control during the stitching process and higher quality footage in comparison to a 5 or 6-camera configuration.

360Helios 8 – The 360Helios 8 rig holds the highest number of Blackmagic Design cameras in the 360Helios line. The 360Helios 8 offers the highest degree of frame overlap and highest resolution in the system lineup.

Variable Camera Orientation (Patent Pending) for all 360Helios Models

360Helios BM456 Orientation Camera Control
360Helios rigs feature variable camera orientation.

Each 360Helios rig allows users to change whether each camera is positioned in a landscape or portrait orientation in the configuration:

  • Allows easy access to all camera ports
  • Ability to prioritize where the frame overlap exists in the configuration. Increase frame overlap along the horizon, overlap on the top and bottom or both directions of the 360-degree sphere by switching between landscape and portrait orientations for each camera
    • Cameras in landscape orientation = better for shoots where key subjects will be closer to the rig’s horizon
    • Cameras in portrait orientation = better for shoots where key subjects will be closer to the top of the rig or where the tripod/ mounting solution has a wide base and needs to be removed from the shot during the stitching process
  • Ability to use different micro 4/3 lenses

Blackmagic Design Micro Cinema Cameras

cinecammichdmft-2tBlackmagic Design cameras capture richer color and dynamic range than most other solutions typically used for 360 video capture:

  • True digital film quality
  • Built-in RAW and ProRes recorder (30 FPS in RAW)
    • More finite control over the quality of your finished production
    • All of the RAW color data and information at your disposal
  • 13 stops of dynamic range
  • Adjustable shutter angle for dictating exposure
  • 2K and 4K

The 360Helios ecosystem features the following components

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Key features

  • Cinematic quality 360 video content
  • True genlock across all cameras
    • Synchronized start/ stop with the 360Helios Bullet control board (coming soon)
  • Custom wide angle lenses for optimum frame overlap and minimal distance between lenses
  • Constant 12v power to all cameras

Stitching + Post Production

The stitching software that many content creators already use, Kolor, VideoStitch and PtGui, can used in the 360Helios stitching and post-production process. CARA VR, a virtual reality plug-in toolset for Nuke, can be used for higher quality stitches and refined stitches for dealing with motion between cameras.  The results are amazing!

We are now accepting orders on shop.360Rize.com for custom lenses, Blackmagic Design cameras, and holders. Limited quantities are now available and orders will be fulfilled on a first come first serve basis. Be sure not to miss the opportunity to own the latest technology in cinematic virtual reality.

The Future of 360Helios

The 360Helios ecosystem is the beginning of a wide array of new developments for professional 360 video filmmakers from 360RIZE. This includes new lens solutions like our custom micro 4/3 lenses, the new 360Helios Bullet control board to interface and control 8 cameras at the same time via remote or wireless application (iPhone, Android, PC and MAC), and 360LiveCast, a new live 360 video streaming solution for Blackmagic Design and other camera systems.

Blackmagic web control with iPhone, Android, Mac and PC Interface.
Blackmagic web control with iPhone, Android, Mac and PC Interface.

Stay tuned for future updates on the 360Helios system and 360 video in general via our newsletter and feel free to contact us with any questions via [email protected].