Samsung's Gear 360 camera is the next step in virtual reality

Samsung has announced a new camera which will shoot in every direction - making it perfect for VR.

The Gear 360 contains two 15MP fisheye lenses, which can capture 3840x1920 360 degree videos or 30 megapixel (7776x3888) still images. If you don't want the whole 360-degree images, you can use only one camera and capture 180 degrees instead. It can also shoot timelapse or looping video.

Gear 360

The image processor is DRIMe5s - and Samsung says the new device features Bright Lens F2.0 technology, which will enhance low-light images.

Taking on GoPro

Samsung is clearly gunning for GoPro - as the Gear 360 is IP53 certified, meaning it is water and dust resistant, and the company says that it is compatible with a number of common stands and mounts.

Images and videos are stored on MicroSD, and there's Wi-Fi, bluetooth and NFC built in, which should make transferring shots easy. It will also support uploads to Google's Street View platform.

The camera is a savvy move, as it helps build a product ecosystem which should ultimately mean that there is more to look at on a Gear VR headset.

The company has yet to name a price or official release date, but we can expect it to arrive in Q2 this year.