How the Invisible selfie stick works (Gopro Max & Insta360)

Dan Sedran

17 Dec 202202:47

Summary

TLDRThis video explains how 360 cameras, like the GoPro Max and Insta360, make selfie sticks invisible in shots. It describes how the two 180-degree lenses on these cameras create a spherical field of view, with the space between them acting as a blind spot that hides the selfie stick. The video also highlights the role of AI and stitching in removing the stick, as well as potential issues like image distortion when the camera is too close. Tips are provided for achieving the best results when using 360 cameras for action shots.

Takeaways

📷 360 cameras, like GoPro Max and Insta360, have dual lenses that cover over 180 degrees, capturing footage in a spherical or bubble-like field of view.
🤔 The invisible selfie stick effect occurs when the stick is positioned within the camera's blind spot, between the two lenses, making it disappear from the shot.
✨ AI and stitching technology within the camera also help refine and perfect the invisible selfie stick effect.
📏 The thickness of the camera body creates a blind spot, and as long as the selfie stick is thinner than the body, it stays hidden from the footage.
🚫 Close proximity to the camera (within 12 inches or 30 centimeters) can cause stitching issues, leading to visible artifacts or distortion in the footage.
🤹 GoPro Max's lenses are slightly off-center, which may cause stitching imperfections when objects or the user are too close to the camera.
💡 For the best results in hiding the selfie stick, point the 360 camera straight, rather than towards yourself, unlike traditional action cameras.
🎥 Traditional action cameras, unlike 360 cameras, require the lens to be pointed directly at the subject, limiting their flexibility.
🔍 Close-range shots, especially with skydivers or helmet-mounted cameras, may exhibit visible stitching errors or wonky image alignment.
📝 The video encourages viewers to comment if the information was new to them, and asks them to subscribe for more similar content.

Q & A

How do 360 cameras create an invisible selfie stick effect?
-360 cameras have two lenses on opposite sides of the body with a field of view over 180 degrees, creating a spherical bubble of captured footage. The selfie stick is positioned in the blind spot between the lenses, where it falls within the camera body's thickness, making it invisible.
What is the role of AI and stitching in making the selfie stick disappear?
-AI and stitching within the camera play a significant role in how seamlessly the selfie stick is removed from the footage. They help in creating a natural-looking image without the stick.
What are some popular 360 camera brands mentioned in the script?
-The script mentions GoPro Max and Insta360 as popular brands that produce 360 cameras.
Why might the stitching not be perfect with certain 360 cameras?
-The stitching might not be perfect because the lenses of some 360 cameras, like the GoPro Max, are off-centered and do not align exactly, which can cause artifacting or misalignment within 12 inches (30 centimeters).
What happens if the camera is too close to the subject when filming with a 360 camera?
-If the camera is too close to the subject, the image can skew off, and the stitching may not align perfectly, resulting in a wonky appearance of hands or other close objects.
How should you position the camera to make the selfie stick invisible?
-To make the selfie stick invisible, you should position the camera straight with the stick, ensuring it falls within the blind spot between the lenses.
What is the difference between filming with a 360 camera and a normal action camera?
-With a normal action camera, you have to point the camera back towards yourself to film. With a 360 camera, you should run it straight with the stick for the best results in making the selfie stick invisible.
What kind of artifacts can be seen if the selfie stick is too close to the camera?
-If the selfie stick is too close to the camera, it can cause artifacting where the stitching does not line up perfectly, and the stick may appear distorted or misaligned.
How does the script suggest improving the visibility of the invisible selfie stick effect?
-The script suggests ensuring the selfie stick is thinner than the camera body's thickness and positioned correctly between the lenses to improve the visibility of the invisible effect.
What is the importance of the camera's field of view in the invisible selfie stick effect?
-The camera's field of view, which is over 180 degrees for each lens, is crucial as it creates the spherical bubble that allows for the reframing and eventual 'invisibility' of the selfie stick.
Why is it important to avoid getting too close to the camera when using a 360 camera?
-Getting too close to the camera can result in imperfect stitching and distortion of the image, which can detract from the desired invisible selfie stick effect.

Outlines

00:00

📷 How Do Invisible Selfie Sticks Work with 360 Cameras?

This paragraph introduces the concept of invisible selfie sticks and explains how 360 cameras can capture footage without showing the stick in the shot. It mentions popular 360 camera brands like GoPro Max and Insta360 and explains the technical workings. Each 360 camera uses two lenses with a field of view exceeding 180 degrees, creating a spherical image. As long as the selfie stick is thinner than the camera's body and falls within the camera's 'blind spot,' the stick becomes invisible in the final footage. Advanced AI and stitching within the camera help make this effect seamless.

🔧 How the Blind Spot and AI Make the Selfie Stick Invisible

This paragraph delves into the technical details of how the selfie stick remains invisible. It elaborates on the blind spot between the two lenses and how stitching algorithms ensure a smooth result. The GoPro Max is highlighted for its off-centered lenses, which can cause issues when the stick or the object being filmed is too close to the camera, resulting in imperfect stitching. Common problems include skewed images or artifacts when filming too close, especially for activities like skydiving.

👀 Best Practices for Filming with 360 Cameras

This paragraph covers filming tips to maximize the 'invisible stick' effect. It contrasts 360 cameras with traditional action cameras, which require pointing the lens directly at the subject. Instead, when using a 360 camera, the stick should be held straight, without pointing the lens directly at the subject, for the best results. This technique ensures that the selfie stick stays in the blind spot and disappears completely in the footage.

👍 Final Thoughts and Viewer Engagement

In the closing paragraph, the creator summarizes the tips and tricks discussed and invites viewers to leave comments about their experiences. The speaker encourages viewers to subscribe and engage if they enjoyed the content, emphasizing that the support helps the channel grow. The paragraph ends with a friendly goodbye and a promise to see viewers in the next video.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡360 Cameras

360 cameras are devices equipped with two lenses on opposite sides of the camera body, each capturing a field of view over 180 degrees. This setup allows the camera to capture a full 360-degree spherical view of the surroundings. In the video, the creator mentions brands like GoPro Max and Insta360, highlighting how these cameras are used to achieve the 'invisible selfie stick' effect by capturing everything around the user, thus eliminating blind spots.

💡Invisible Selfie Stick

The invisible selfie stick effect is a visual trick where the selfie stick used to hold the camera seems to disappear from the shot. This is made possible by the camera’s ability to stitch together footage from its two lenses in a way that eliminates the stick from the final output. The video explains that if the selfie stick is thinner than the distance between the two lenses and falls within the camera’s blind spot, it will not appear in the final video.

💡Blind Spot

The blind spot refers to the area between the two lenses of a 360 camera where the camera does not capture any footage. Because of this, anything positioned within this blind spot, such as a thin selfie stick, will not appear in the final stitched image. The video uses this concept to explain how the 'invisible selfie stick' effect is achieved.

💡Stitching

Stitching is the process by which footage from both lenses of a 360 camera is combined to form a seamless 360-degree image or video. The video discusses how AI and software algorithms within the camera play a crucial role in stitching, and that improper alignment or proximity of objects can cause visible 'artifacting' or imperfections in the final image.

💡Field of View

Field of view (FOV) refers to the extent of the observable world that can be seen at any given moment through a camera lens. In the context of 360 cameras, each lens has a field of view greater than 180 degrees, ensuring that the combined footage from both lenses covers the entire 360 degrees around the camera. The video mentions FOV to explain how the camera captures a spherical view, contributing to the invisible stick effect.

💡Reframing

Reframing involves adjusting the perspective of the footage after it has been captured to highlight different areas or angles within the 360-degree sphere. The video refers to reframing as a post-processing step that allows creators to choose the best angles or viewpoints, effectively turning 360 footage into conventional video formats without losing information.

💡Artifacting

Artifacting refers to visual distortions or imperfections that appear in a stitched image or video, often caused by improper alignment of footage from the two lenses. The video notes that artifacting can occur when the camera is too close to the subject, such as when skydivers use 360 cameras on their helmets, causing misalignment and visual errors in the final stitched image.

💡GoPro Max

The GoPro Max is a 360 camera model mentioned in the video as an example of a popular 360 camera brand. It is known for its dual-lens setup and advanced stitching capabilities. The video references the GoPro Max when discussing the challenges of achieving perfect stitching, particularly due to the camera's off-centered lenses.

💡Insta360

Insta360 is another brand of 360 cameras mentioned in the video, recognized for its innovative products and advanced features. The video highlights Insta360’s contribution to the market and how their cameras are used to achieve the invisible selfie stick effect. It also alludes to the brand's reputation for good product quality and image stitching performance.

💡Off-Centered Lenses

Off-centered lenses refer to the slight misalignment of the lenses in some 360 cameras, such as the GoPro Max. This design characteristic can lead to imperfect stitching, especially when the camera is too close to the subject. The video mentions off-centered lenses to explain why users might experience artifacting or skewed images in certain situations.

Highlights

Invisible selfie stick effect is possible with 360 cameras.

360 cameras have two lenses with a field of view over 180 degrees each.

The lenses create a spherical bubble for capture and filming.

Selfie stick is made invisible by falling within the camera body's blind spot.

AI and stitching technology play a significant role in achieving the invisible effect.

Cameras like GoPro Max and Insta360 are examples of those with this technology.

The thickness of the camera body is the blind spot where the selfie stick should be positioned.

Cameras with off-centered lenses may have stitching imperfections close to the camera.

Artifacting can occur within 12 inches or 30 centimeters of the camera.

Skydivers may experience image skew if the camera is too close to the helmet.

Holding the camera too close can result in wonky hands in the footage.

Action cameras require pointing back towards oneself, unlike 360 cameras.

For optimal invisible selfie stick effect, point the 360 camera straight with the stick.

The video explains how to make selfie sticks look invisible in 360 camera footage.

The video aims to educate viewers on the technology behind 360 cameras.

The video encourages viewers to subscribe for more informative content.