Canon shows off prototype 180° 3D/360° camera at Photo Next 2023

Japanese camera company Canon isn’t typically known for taking massive chances, so when it shows off a new 180°/360° camera at Japan’s Photo Next 2023 event, it’s worth paying attention to. It’s important to note that the company hasn’t said anything about a release at this point. We kinda wish they would, though.

But since, according to ProNews, the unit isn’t actually in a usable state, it’s not surprising that release info is lacking. The same goes for specification and other capability information, which are similarly unknown. But there are a few things we can tell just from the images of the device floating around.

Canon’s new device canon when?

The unnamed Canon camera is supposed to be capable of 360° video capture since it features camera sensors on both sides of its frame. We’ve seen many of these devices over the years and this effort looks a little like a GoPro with a little extra battery space clipped onto the bottom.

But it swings out so those dual sensors can capture 180° stereoscopic videos. Everyone from Meta to Apple (actually, it’s mostly just them, plus Sony) has eyes on the virtual reality landscape. Being able to easily capture content for these platforms would be a handy ability for a photographer to have.

Barring an official announcement from Canon, it’s best to assume that this 180° 3D/360° camera is still very much in the development phase. If you absolutely cannot wait to play with the format, then the Insta360 EVO offers the same apparent features. What the Japanese company’s version brings to the table isn’t known yet but we’re hoping it manages to knock something out of the park.