Canon is making a new lens to capture spatial video for Apple’s Vision Pro
It’s made for the R7 camera.
Alongside announcing its next-generation OS for Vision Pro, Apple wants to improve the content you can capture and share on the headset. It's getting help with that from camera mainstay Canon, which is working on a new dedicated spatial lens for its R7 camera.
While details are light for now, the new lens, shown briefly during WWDC’s big presentation, is a lot more subtle than previous stereo lenses. It’s a 7.8mm f/4 lens with STM (stepping motor technology) that keeps focus quiet and smooth.
In the past, Canon has dabbled with lenses aimed at VR and spatial content. Its last spatial lens was $2,000, so this probably is outside the remit of most of us. (That said, if you bought the Vision Pro, you might have that in change.)
Intriguingly, Canon previously said that none of its current cameras are fast enough to offer video that matches the Vision Pro. We’re waiting to hear exactly what kind of video (and at what refresh rates and resolution) this lens-and-camera combo can capture.
Apple also followed up with updates to its 180-degree 3D 8K video format, partnering with Blackmagic to create a new workflow to make Immersive Videos easier to capture and work with.
Catch up here for all the news out of Apple's WWDC 2024.