Canon Unveils Dual Fisheye Lens for Shooting VR Videos

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Virtual Reality is a computerized environment created by software or a camera to explore things as if you are watching them with your real eyes.

Today, Canon has amazed everyone by introducing its innovative dual fisheye lens. What’s unique about this lens is it lets you shoot VR videos. Yes, you can now shoot VR videos through Canon’s new RF 5.2mm lens.

What is Canon’s RF 5.2mm Lens all about?

Canon’s new RF 5.2mm lens is a dual fisheye lens that brings stereoscopic 3D virtual reality to life. This new dual-fisheye camera lens is compatible with Canon’s EOS VR system.

It will be used on Canon’s R5 Camera, which is the company’s first VR system camera. The Canon R5 camera will receive a firmware update. After upgrading the camera to its latest firmware, the new RF 5.2mm can be used on the camera.

What is Canon’s RF 5.2mm Lens all about

What is Canon’s RF 5.2mm Lens all about

Canon RF 5.2mm Compatibility:

As noted above, the new RF 5.2mm dual fisheye camera lens is designed for Canon’s EOS VR System. The system has only one camera i.e. the Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Camera. It means the new dual fisheye camera will be compatible with the Canon R5 camera only.

The Canon R5 is a powerful mirrorless camera that lets you shoot high-quality videos with up to 8k resolution. The camera features a 45-Megapixel sensor.

When you start shooting through Canon’s new RF 5.2mm lens, the lens will project two circular images to create a stunning Virtual Reality experience.

The lens can capture circular images at 190 degrees covering a wide range of the area. This compatibility allows the sensor to shoot full 180-degree 3D footage.

Moreover, the same lens can capture high-quality images with 8K resolution. The images and the footage shot by this lens can be used for both VR and AR applications.

What’s new?

Unlike other lenses that capture VR videos, the new RF 5.2mm lens has several unique functions. The lens features a ring that focuses on both lenses. Users can adjust the focus of the images by simply using the Allen Screw.

Besides this, the lens is fully water-resistant and comes with a coating. It is properly sealed to protect it from dust and dirt. The aperture range of this lens is quite good, F2.8 to F16.

The new dual fisheye lens carries a unique design. Still, the size of the lens is compact and handy.

Canon is planning to expand its VR system by introducing more such devices. By introducing the new VR lens, the company is improving the demand for its already existing R5 camera.

The new dual fisheye camera is just an announcement; the company is also preparing for the new firmware update for its R5 VR camera. The upgrade will make the new dual fisheye lens compatible with it.

What’s new in the R5’s Firmware Upgrade?

The obvious thing that the new firmware for Canon’s R5 camera will have is compatibility with Canon’s newly introduced RF 5.2mm lens.

Apart from this, the firmware will also include MF peaking and autofocus through manual mode using its Dual Pixel Autofocus system. The firmware will also upgrade the camera’s Magic Window UI with better compatibility and use.

What’s new in the R5’s Firmware Upgrade

What’s new in the R5’s Firmware Upgrade

Moreover, Canon has also introduced a couple of apps named EOS VR Utility and EOS VR Plugins.

These apps are made available to the public through subscriptions. Those who want to use the premium features and functions of these apps can subscribe to them for $5 per month.

The subscription period also includes a free trial period. If you don’t like the apps, you can unsubscribe whenever you need to before the trial period ends.

The VR Utility App:

The VR Utility App is a must-have app for all VR creators. The app automatically flips the stereo images from left to right. After flipping the images, the app converts circular images to equirectangular images.

The equirectangular images are designed to work well with VR headsets. The images can be viewed from third-party VR headsets.

Moreover, the app also includes basic editing tools for quickly editing images and clips.

You can change the images to their original quality by simply clicking on the given option. You can also make use of different types of presets available on the app.

The VR Plugin:

The VR Plugin is useful for converting images from circular to equirectangular. What’s unique about this app is you can use basic editing functions to cut, crop and color up the images as per your requirements.

The same app lets you export the images to your desired spec and quality.

Canon’s standard Canon Connect app is also compatible. You can use this app to export images and use its features and functions anytime you want.

You can read more about Canon’s new RF 5.2mm lens in the official press release.

Canon RF 5.2mm Pricing and Availability:

The Canon RF 5.2mm is not a cheaper lens. Canon aimed to cover up the business side, where professional creators can use this lens for shooting realistic VR videos. the RF 5.2mm f/2.8L Dual Fisheye lens will cost around $2,000.

The new RF 5.2 dual fisheye lens is expected to be available in late December 2021. The release date is not yet declared by the officials.

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