GoPro Fusion: 5.2K 30fps 360° Camera

GoPro has announced a new member joining its family of cameras called the Fusion. We got the first hint of this camera back in July of 2016 with this announcement (here).It’s said to come in a small package and be easy to use, allowing owners to create high-quality 360-degree videos without the need for massive end-user intimidating multi-camera setups, like the ones GoPro and others have been developing. GoPro said on its website that the Fusion will work with many of the company’s existing accessories. “Fusion is just that, the ability to capture every angle simultaneously…as though you had six GoPro cameras fused into one,” said GoPro founder and CEO, Nicholas Woodman. “Whether filming for VR or traditional fixed-perspective content, Fusion represents the state-of-the-art in versatile spherical capture.”

Jess Foley, GoPro Senior Product Manager of Spherical Solutions had this to say about the Fusion, "I am so proud to introduce Fusion, the new GoPro that packs a huge punch. Fusion is the ultimate capture device for fully immersive virtual reality content, non-VR video, and even photos. It captures stunning 5.2K30 video and breathtaking photos in full spherical—but that’s not all. Imagine never having to worry about framing your subject…ever. Yes, cameras do the heavy lifting already, but it still takes the eye to compose a shot, right? Well, thanks to Fusion, our users will be able to record their moments in all directions and then go back and choose the composition they want. This is referred to as OverCapture or reframing. It’s like having a camera team with you when you shoot capturing your primary and b-roll footage. From there, you have the flexibility in post-production to pick and share all sides of your story in conventional HD. As the Senior Product Manager for Fusion, I have been looking forward to this day for some time. We have a pilot program starting soon, and I cannot wait to see how innovative content creators will use Fusion to help them tell their stories. The goal of Fusion is to distill the best of GoPro—quality, mountability and durability—into a pocketable product that will wow our professional customers. True to its name, Fusion has been a multi-team effort, and it has been amazing to work alongside incredibly talented teams to dream up a product that we feel will both address pain points as well as unlock the creativity of GoPro’s vast network of professional content creators, partners and enthusiasts.Today, we officially let the cat out of the bag with a press release to the public. Have a read below. I hope you are as excited as I am about Fusion. It’s been a labor of love, and we hope you all have as much fun using it and experiencing its content as we did designing it."

GoPro will be working closely with a selection of pilot partners – including brands, agencies and content professionals – to further refine the user experience and produce inspiring content that demonstrates the creative potential of Fusion. GoPro hasn't shared any further specs or pricing information, stating only that the camera probably will be released in the last quarter of 2017.