GoPro’s new Omni camera starts shipping

Footage from the new GoPro Omni VR camera

GoPro started fulfilling pre-orders for its new Omni camera on Wednesday, and while new orders will have to wait a projected three weeks for the $4000 unit while it catches up with production, it has leavened the delay with a new video showing just what it’s capable of.

We wrote about the company’s new entry-level VR rig extensively when it was announced at NAB (see GoPro goes 360 with Omni rig) and it doesn’t look like much has changed on the spec sheet since. It’s still the same cube mounting six Hero Blacks boasting what is billed as pixel-level synchronisation, some interesting workflow adaptations for the VR space, and available for $4999/£4199 with the cameras, $1499/£1299 without.

That certainly makes it entry level considering the $15,000 pricetag of the company's 16-camera Odyssey rig (which still hasn’t gone on general sale, GoPro’s website stating  “Due to Odyssey’s limited production, the rig will be available exclusively to qualified applicants.”). There is definitely some jockeying for position going on here. While the Omni was used by France's ASO to capture some great shots from this year's Tour de France, Nokia’s even-higher-end-than-Odyssey Ozo has been the one seen out and about at most major sporting events this summer, and there must be at least some worry that the VR market is slipping away from the company despite its camera being nigh on synonymous with so much early work in the field.

Perhaps that is why it's set up a new Advanced Systems website, specifically designed for its professional customer base. Certainly the new promotional video below shows rather nicely the sort of footage that you can capture from the Omni too, so if the company’s cracked the workflow and made it as quick and easy as it claims, then an extra three week wait is nothing. And, let’s face it, getting any units out of the door when you initially said you would puts them ahead of the game in modern camera terms.