Comparing Spatial Video and Immersive Video on Apple Vision Pro

After spending a week shooting and watching video on the Apple Vision Pro, we wanted to share our experiences and tips for shooting spatial video. This video clarifies the differences between Spatial Video and Immersive Video as well as predictions for future video production opportunities for VR and Apple Vision.
00:00 - Intro
00:29 - Defining the two formats
00:42 - Spatial Video
05:00 - Immersive Video

[@sfkeepay]

Wow, I really have to disagree with your assessment of spatial video. I can’t argue for the narrow field of view or the odd choice to blur the borders of spatial videos. But after using the AVP to capture two brief spatial videos of living subjects and viewing them with the AVP, I was blown away by the “almost there” realism I was seeing. The first video of me reaching out to pet our dog was jaw dropping. The second of me discussing the headset with my mother-in-law was so realistic it had me, for the briefest of moments, oddly displaced in time. I’ve been using VR for years so this isn’t mere newbie dazzle headed for rapid disenchantment. And though I concede your command of the technology and level of sophistication is self-evidently greater than my own, I am more than happy with this first-gen experience, to put it mildly. I suppose where we choose to focus, literally and metaphorically, also plays a large role in the delta of our reactions as well, but I maintain my enthusiasm. Disagreement aside, this essay of yours represents very solid, informed and worthwhile content, easily earning my subscription. Excellent work, and I’m looking forward to more.

[@SpatialInsights]

This is why it's great to have somebody like you comment. I've heard of other people having a great experience like you. It's good to share our experiences and compare notes. I'm starting to look into possible reasons why it works so well for some people and is not impressive for others. I hope I can find some answers and make a video on that in the future.

[@sfkeepay]

@@SpatialInsights , I confess it hadn’t even occurred to me that there may well be one or more relatively obscure, underlying causes for the difference in how folks see that content. So, instead of, or in addition to, a persons’ previous experiences - and current standards and expectations - perhaps something in how our physiology interacts with the technology? Boy, wouldn’t that be fascinating? Thanks for taking the time to reply!

[@Instant_Nerf]

@@sfkeepayI believe it’s because some of us love sci-fi… Star Trek.. this device is bringing us closer to the holodeck. My opinion. Some don’t care about tech… and how it works .. they just want it to work. And for the end goal the AVP is not there yet. But we see the future with this device .. getting even closer .. it’s in our grasp.

[@sfkeepay]

@@Instant_Nerf , Another idea that I didn’t think of…and you’re right that it brings a holodeck that much closer. I’m starting to wonder, though, if a holodeck is really where we’re heading. It seems to me more likely that we’ll manipulate our senses rather than mastering electromagnetic fields to create solid objects. I don’t think this is a good thing…it seems probable to reduce or altogether eliminate our connection to the real world, including, maybe, our own physicality. An implanted synaptic transceiver will provide an entire reality, divorced of maybe all struggle, striving, hardship, or genuine accomplishment. A holodeck is a much more balanced and grounded approach; I just doubt we’ll have the patience to wait.

[@bobbyDig]

I've been shooting VR 360 and 180 for years. My KZbin channel is filled with them. When I saw a Spatial video, it was a game changer for me. My content comes alive not just get bigger. The winner for me moving forward is Spatial Video. It gives me the realism that I wanted in my work.

[@SpatialInsights]

It's interesting to see how different people react differently do it. I have to wonder how resolution, framerate, and window size effect our opinions.

[@bobbyDig]

@@SpatialInsights I am happy with the resolution, frame rate, and window size. Not an issue. Also, I know it is going to get better in time.

[@user-hg3iv5hy3s]

THANK you for this review. The best detail I’ve seen here so far.

[@SpatialInsights]

Thanks!

[@KevinPrimus]

This was great. Just subscribed. Looking forward to future videos from your channel!

[@SpatialInsights]

Thanks. We definitely have some ideas for more content on the way.

[@Zaburi]

Great info! Thank you! I have been trying to find a way to watch my VR footage and you helped me. Best wishes.

[@SpatialInsights]

Thanks

[@BigStereoVR]

You can shoot immersive 180 video, with a pair of gopros. NLE programs with ai models have excellent upscaling and HDR conversion these days.

[@therestorationshop]

I see the "windowed" spatial videos as being previews and once you're sure you have the right one you go into full immersion. I agree with you that the Immersive Videos are incredible. Really good stuff.

[@SpatialInsights]

Not bad. But, with more time, I've found that widescreen spatial videos shot on the iPhone look pretty bad in that immersive mode. But square spatial videos shot on the Apple Vision itself actually do look pretty good in the immersive mode. We have more info in another video - "3D Spatial Video - Easy Tips for Apple Vision Content Creation"

[@hasanaydn1116]

Great explanatory video. I don't understand why not more people are interested in this aspect of Apple vision pro, instead they talk about openin safari, browsing web. Things you can already do pretty well with other devices, without weight on your head. To me, the most intriguing aspect of a VR headset is fully immersive, 360 videos, preferebly 3D. I look forward to first ever 360 degree, 3D Hollywood movie, that I will live through for 2+ hours.

[@SpatialInsights]

Using VR or immersive video to share experiences is really what I'm most excited about, too.

[@BPMa14n]

Good explanation personally I heard of spatial video so I grabbed my quest 2 in the native KZbin app and found some great spatial videos people uploaded with their iPhone as well as some immersive 180 vr videos from professionals very hd and amazing. This is good for the industry and hope to see some cool content in this channel to watch in vr

[@SpatialInsights]

I look forward to when we can share and view VR content on KZbin for the Apple Vision like you can for Quest. We have ideas for actual VR content we want to produce.

[@emirgulerhan]

such a good video

[@SpatialInsights]

Thanks!

[@theden0minat0r]

I was delighted to find your video. You did a fantastic job! I appreciate your efforts to create content in this area. I share your frustration with the lack of consumer options for high-quality VR180 and 360 video. The current 4K and 5.7K cameras are not enough for content creation. They are close to being immersive, but the resolution is too low to produce clear and sharp videos. Everything looks blurry and faded at those resolutions. I have been longing for a native 8K VR180 consumer video camera for years. I think 8K will finally deliver the immersive video quality that online viewers expect. I heard that Canon is developing a camera that might suit this need. There is also an interesting project by a KZbinr named Shawn Ide Studios, who has built a 3D printed camera rig with two Go Pro Hero 10 Black cameras mounted vertically with max lenses and media mods. It seems to work very well, but I don't know what software he uses to stitch the two 4K videos together. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5WwdJiZrr-Kp6M kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHOTm4tvZpd_nNk All the best!!

[@SpatialInsights]

Thanks for the links. I'm very interested in checking that out. I'm anxious to have a camera that is affordable and works out of the box. I plan / hope to test some options and share what I find back here. I'm not 100% certain, but I think that a high framerate (60fps+) may be just as important, if not more important than resolution. That's not a firm conclusion, but I want to look into it. I do think the next year in this space will be exciting.

[@danieljackson6787]

Check out Mistika Boutique for VR180 (and other VR formats) for post production.

[@MarlonBos]

Thanks for the insight on IV! I've created this subreddit to find out everything about IV that's available, especially trying to decipher the workflow, camera system used, and post-production, etc. r/AppleImmersiveVideo

[@steveallen8987]

Vuze xr 3d seems good

[@bujin5455]

If you go with the Canon solution, make sure you get the R5C, and not the R5, or R6, etc. The 5RC supports 8K60, which is what Apple shot in, without time limits, and it will not overheat.

[@SpatialInsights]

Thanks for the advice. For me, or anybody else who may be thinking about that solution, this is important information.

[@HolzmannMedia]

I have the Canon R5C with Dual Fisheye Lens. 8k Resolution is not what I am expected. Your viewing frame in the center of VR180 will be less than 1080p. That looks ok in a Meta Quest headset, but I assumed that it will not in the AVP. I am from Europe. Actually no access to an AVP.

[@HolzmannMedia]

@@bujin5455 - 8k is not per eye. With the Canon solution you got two circles for both eyes in your 8k frame (8192x4230). You have to stich each of these circles to a 4096x4096 frame.

[@HolzmannMedia]

@@bujin5455 - in the center of each 4096x4096 frame per eye is the viewport of your headset.

[@bujin5455]

@@HolzmannMedia 1080p at what size and what distance? This is all about pixels per degree (PPD). The 8k is being spread over 180 degrees, so that gives you a PPD of 43, the AVP's PPD is about 34, so 8K is definitely more good enough. Though 4k would not be sharp enough to provide full quality, as it would only have a PPD of 21.

[@mr152]

Thanks for all the great info. Also, another video player I prefer for spatial video and VR180 video in my Quest 3 is 4XVR.

[@pumpuppthevolume]

they don't fill your fov with the video because the hardware used to film it is not good enough for that ...res would look even worse

[@alphaupside4411]

Nick, is there any change to get in touch with you personally?

[@JavierYunes]

I've been recording VR180 with a insta360 evo since 2019. I think the spatial video looks amazing and pops out of the screen when filmed correctly. I disagree with your perception of them. Maybe because I'm watching then on a quest with a bigger window. The field of view of a spatial video shot with an iPhone compared to VR180 is crap though. Watching VR180 on KZbin is not great. The compression is very visible. But it's easy to access.

[@SpatialInsights]

Yeah, I'm really hearing more and more that some people are very impressed with spatial video and some are not. It's great to hear different perspectives.

[@JavierYunes]

@@SpatialInsights can you do a comparison between watching a spatial video on the quest and the AVP? Is there any difference? If you take a step back on the quest while watching the video, you get a better 3D effect but a smaller screen size.

[@0LoneTech]

A downside to the Insta360 Evo is that it doesn't record continuously. Every once in a while, it takes a break while switching output files, about 8 seconds long. If that was documented it wouldn't be so bad, but Insta left it as a trap for their customers, and then have the gall to tell us it's a feature after they've chopped holes in our recordings. They're not going to fix it, and it's left me with the feeling I should expect random breakage from any product of theirs.

[@JavierYunes]

@@0LoneTech I've never noticed the 8 seconds. I've recorded long files without hiccups. I do think the company sucks for their lack of support to their products and the awful apps.

[@bobcubsfan]

I don't like the square format for videos

[@SpatialInsights]

With some more time, I've found that the square format spatial videos do look pretty good in the Immersive viewing mode. It might be worth trying. We have more information in another video "3D Spatial Video - Easy Tips for Apple Vision Content Creation".

[@immerpsive]

Hello, I am creating VR180 Video with 2 Gopro12 (8K 30/60fps) Total budget under 1000 USD ;)

[@SpatialInsights]

That's interesting. I'll look into that. I'd really like an out-of-the-box solution. But, it could be fun to set something like that up.

[@0LoneTech]

If I understood correctly, the Hero 12 has wireless timecode sync, which can assist somewhat. I don't know if it manages continuous sync like a genlock though.

[@Bil30321]

How does this video look in Apple Vision Pro immersive?: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/naiXcqiKZ7V3aZY. It cost nothing to make, using Blender 4.0 and free SketchFab animation.

[@Instant_Nerf]

Why not VR 360?.. low quality?

[@SpatialInsights]

I'm not a fan of 360 for a few reasons. First - it's much harder to shoot. Either the videographer is in the shot, or they have to start the recording and walk away. Also, in filmmaking for storytelling, there should be an area of focus. In 360, you could have a story being told to the north, while the viewer is looking to the south. But, 180 feels like you're looking in one direction with an incredibly immersive field of view. Having said that, apps that support 360 playback usually support 180 as well. If you prefer 360, many of the same production techniques should apply.

[@pumpuppthevolume]

look up Hugh Hou

[@SpatialInsights]

For sure. He's fantastic!

[@bobcubsfan]

The blurred view is really terrible.

[@sharonb.9128]

Are you associated with any product or company in direct competition to Apple? I believe you must mention any sponsors or affiliations in your video. You seem to have an agenda here.

[@MiggerPlease]

He's on the payroll obviously

[@j.a.1873]

There’s no need to be associated with Apple’s competitors to speak facts. I love Apple but unfortunately the AVP has a long road ahead. It’s limited, expensive and heavy. He’s just sharing real facts and hopefully Apple improves the product in the future. The Spatial Videos are not even 4K unless you record them with third party apps

[@sharonb.9128]

@@j.a.1873 this AVP was intended to be the beginning of the process, not the end. Apple did not stumble into this like some want to believe. It’s not heavy relative to many other headsets. Even if it was, it’s not a fatal flaw and a different band will quickly remedy the problem. This device has a limited supply. It comes with a high price tag to control demand. Companies do this all the time with limited, cutting edge technology. Apple released it mainly so enterprise and developers can begin designing their spatial computing business models. And it’s happening.