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Under the aegis of JK Imaging, Kodak has made a spectacular comeback in less than two years from what everyone thought looked like the end of a legendary brand. It owes this success to a bottom-up approach that focused on entry-level cameras ranging from compacts and big-zoom bridges to Micro 4/3 hybrids. The firm could very well have left matters there, but has instead decided to demonstrate its ability to innovate, all while taking on a market heavily dominated by the mighty GoPro.
Kodak already had an effective—though fairly classic—action cam in the form of the SP-1, but now the firm with the yellow packaging has unleashed its secret weapon, one that will help it succeed where even the likes of Sony and JVC have failed. This weapon is the Pixpro SP360, the world's first action cam capable of filming in 360 degrees. It may have a couple minor shortcomings (it's only the first model), but we fell under its charm with battery like canon BP-809 battery, canon BP-819 battery, canon BP-827 battery, canon HG21 battery, canon LP-E4 battery, canon LP-E4N battery, canon EOS 1D Mark IV battery, canon LP-E10 battery, canon EOS 1100D battery, canon BP-E818 battery, canon BP-726 battery, canon BP-729 battery.
The Kodak Pixpro SP360 is just smaller (50 x 43 x 56 mm) than a box of negative film, but it's also 20 mm thicker than the GoPro Hero4. Its size and colour should entertain users who are nostalgic for the analogue days, but, more importantly, it means the SP360 can slip easily into any rucksack, sports bag, backpack or purse. It comes with a large see-through protective housing that measures roughly 24 x 16 x 16 cm. As with the Pixpro SP-1, Kodak gave the SP360 a profusion of accessories so you can attach it to just about anything.
It's a nice little smirk to all those rival action cams out there that, for the same price, generally come with few-to-no accessories, forcing you to pay top dollar for even the smallest screw, turning the purchase of an action cam into a rich man's sport—literally.
Inside the Kodak-yellow packaging you will find the following sturdy, well-designed accessories: one standard protective housing (GoPro's equivalent costs an extra £40), one waterproof housing (£46 from GoPro), two see-through lens covers (£16 a pop from GoPro), two lens caps (£16 a piece from GoPro), one suction cup mount (£30 from GoPro), one bar mount (£16 from GoPro), some adhesive mounts, one wrist harness, one quick clip and a few screws and extensions (just in case). Not to mention a power adapter, a USB charger, a carrying case, a few cables and a microfiber cleaning cloth to wipe the smudge-sensitive lens with.
Now, we usually try to avoid talking about price as much as possible (we prefer to judge a device based on its inherent merit irrespective of how much it costs), but we have to admit, Kodak has raised the bar pretty high in terms of bang for your buck. It's almost like you're buying a box of accessories and it's the camera that's free.
The SP360 doesn't have an optional rear display, but that doesn't really matter: you can just use your smartphone or tablet (iOS/Android) to view the real-time image and control the SP360 remotely. All you need is a Wi-Fi or NFC connection and the Pixpro SP360 app. More on that in a bit.
What with only three buttons on the body, the SP360 couldn't be easier to use. The menus are succinct and intuitively arranged. It works with or without the app, so every time you turn the camera on it prompts you to activate the Wi-Fi. To start recording, you just press the big red button or use the app on your phone.
There are only two things to decide before you film. One: do you want a snap shot or a video? Two: which Unfold mode do you want? One of the big advantages with the SP360 is that, because it films in 360° (or 273° for the equivalent of an 8mm fisheye), you can choose between several different Unfold modes, which give you different "slices" of the 360° image, for varying effects. There's the classic 16:9 fisheye, for which the lens has to be pointed forwards; there's 4:3 fisheye; there's the spherical mode; there's a spitscreen mode that shows you what's happening in front and behind you; there's a four-screen splitscreen mode; there's the 360° panorama mode; there's some other mode we couldn't figure out; and there are the gimmicky "ring" and "dome" modes.
Each of these modes can be activated either on the SP360 itself or on your phone, and you can even add them after-the-fact on your PC or Mac using the dedicated software. What's even cooler is that you can change the effect while you edit. For example, if you originally shot your video in splitscreen but would rather it be in 360° panorama, you can change it with a single click. At that point, all you have to do is export the file in MP4.