Apple Reveals 8K 3D Camera Alongside 'Submerged' Short Film for Vision Pro
Apple just released “Submerged”, the first scripted short film shot entirely to be viewed with the Vision Pro. With the film, they released behind-the-scenes footage about the process that reveals the long-rumoured Apple 8K 3D camera which was used to shoot the production. For a long time, there has been speculation that Apple would focus on creating immersive video content for its Vision Pro headset to boost adoption, and their first efforts are now coming to fruition.
Submerged – first scripted film shot in “Apple Immersive Video”
“Submerged” is the name of a newly released 16-minute short film that is exclusively produced for the Apple Vision Pro. Apple calls the technology “Apple Immersive Video” and they used a camera, which surfaced in a patent application uncovered by Y.M.Cinema. “Submerged” was directed by Edward Berger (Oscar winner for All Quiet on the Western Front for Best International Film), and shot by his long-time collaborator James Friend ASC BSC, who also won the Best Cinematography Oscar for the same movie. While the short film can only be viewed using a Vision Pro, they released an insightful behind-the-scenes video which uncovers much of the practical process behind shooting a film in that format.
Apple 8K 3D camera – what we know and what we don’t know
While no technical details have been officially released about the Apple 8K 3D camera, a few key facts are known: the camera has two fixed focal length lenses, delivering 8K resolution per lens, to match the high-resolution OLED screens inside the Vision Pro. The field-of-view of the lenses is approximately 180 degrees to mimic human vision, including peripheral vision, allowing slight head movement.
The complications of shooting 180 degree 3D video for VR headsets
Shooting 180-degree video presents challenges, especially for VR headsets, as the cameras don’t capture a full 360-degree view. This is likely handled by keeping the center of action in front of the viewer, with less critical visual elements on the sides, so that viewers can turn their heads slightly without losing immersion. Apple may blur areas beyond the 180-degree field to avoid visual cutoff.
Not your average cinema camera
The Apple 8K 3D camera differs from standard cinema cameras as it is designed to mimic human vision, which means typical cinematic techniques like shallow depth-of-field are avoided. Deep focus is essential, meaning that everything in the frame needs to be sharp. The camera’s sensor size is speculated to be either Super 35 or Micro Four Thirds to balance light sensitivity and noise reduction.
Shooting for Vision Pro: a challenge for lighting, art departments, and extras scripting
Creating immersive content for the Vision Pro headset presents unique challenges. The need for deep focus and high resolution means that the art department must build highly realistic sets, often using real metal, significantly increasing production costs. Lighting also cannot be hidden, so all light sources must be integrated into the set as practical lights. Even extras require more detailed scripting since viewers could potentially focus on them.
Apple 8K 3D camera likely never for sale, Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive as alternative
It seems unlikely that Apple will release its 8K 3D camera for sale, as it is not intended as a mass consumer product. For now, it is expected to be used only in Apple-commissioned productions. To encourage more content creation for the Vision Pro, Apple promoted the upcoming Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive camera as an alternative during the WWDC 2024 keynote. No pricing or availability has been announced for that camera yet.
Budget alternative Apple Immersive production: PDMOVIE 3D Air Smart Mini
For those seeking a lower-budget alternative for 3D production, the PDMOVIE 3D Air Smart Mini was introduced at IBC 2024 and even won CineD’s Best-of-Show Award for innovation. While not as advanced as Apple’s proprietary technology, it offers a more affordable entry point into 3D immersive content creation.