Troubled action camera maker GoPro, Inc. has decided it wants a serious slice of the virtual reality (VR) market and has announced that it will unveil new VR cameras and a VR sharing site this week.

The main offering is a new VR camera array by the name of the Omni that provides a synchronized six-camera spherical array to produce high-resolution images in conjunction with stitching software to create immersive content.

According to specs from the company, the proprietary hardware at the center of Omni enables pixel-level synchronization between six HERO4 Black cameras with the six cameras acting as one.

While offering a standard 4K picture, be it times six, an “over capture” feature is able to deliver an 8K shot and extract a high definition deliverable.

In conjunction with the camera comes the new GoPro VR website, that enables users of the Omni to edit the video and then publish it for other people to view.

GoPro VR is described as a platform to view and share immersive content that allows users to experience the immersive world of 360-degree video by transforming a users’ screen into a virtual portal.

There’s more

If a 6 camera array doesn’t cut it for your virtual reality content creation requirements, GoPro is also launching the Odyssey, with back 16 HERO4 black cameras into a fully synchronized serious VR creation package.

The capture device is said to be optimized for Google’s cloud-based Jump Assembler, which automatically stitches the camera content into “unrivaled panoramic stereoscopic 8K30 video that can be viewed via YouTube.”

How much for these marvels of 21st-century technology?

That’s the catch however with the Omni being made available for $4,999 with the Odyssey available by Limited Access Program to select brands, agencies and industry professionals for a whopping $15,000.

Buyers of the Omni do receive a lot of kit for their money however with the package including a GoPro Omni Sync Rig, a Kolor Software license for editing, six GoPro HERO4 Black cameras and batteries, a smart remote, six Mini USB cables and 32GB microSD cards and card readers, and an “ultra-compact, rugged shipping case.”

If in the unlikely event you already own six GoPro HERO4 Black cameras the rest of the pack is available for a more affordable $1,499.

Pre-orders of the Omni start Monday with demonstrations and an official unveiling to take place at the NAB show in Las Vegas the same day.

Image credit: GoPro.