Samsung and Matthews partnered to create a new weather resistant skirt and hard case designed to house the 360Round and VRig in one protective shipping enclosure filmmakers can take anywhere.

Introduced in 2016, the VRig from Matthews Studio Equipment was presented as the industry’s first professional level camera support system for Virtual Reality (VR) production. Capturing 360 spherical images requires a whole new aesthetic, one which the supports used for normal cameras, whether for stills or video, did not meet. MSE decided to develop something specific, a support that could be easily painted out in post, yet stable enough to be left alone in a variety of situations. That’s how the VRig was born.

The Matthews VRig is a robust VR support system with flexible mounting options, low center of gravity and small footprint to minimize nadir hole obstruction while maintaining rock-solid stability. Now Matthews Studio Equipment announces the system “meets” the Samsung 360 Round camera, creating a new solution that further extends the range of filming environments for Samsung’s camera, offering even more protection from the elements for creators.

“Samsung approached MSE last year as they began the initial field testing of their new virtual reality camera with IP65 certification,” explains Tyler Phillips, Vice President, Matthews Studio Equipment. “They needed a support system that provided flexible mounting options and could withstand the rigors of extended outdoor shooting in extreme environments.”

The MSE VRig is the solution. When paired with Samsung’s 360 Round, which captures true 4Kx4K 360 degree footage, users can record, edit and livestream complete VR video and audio, anywhere. 360 Round features a unibody chassis and compact design and is IP65 dust and water resistant.

“Samsung 360 Round is built for creators who need a highly portable, high quality professional VR camera that they can take into a variety of environments,” said Josh Dixon, Emerging Products Lead, B2B Mobile, Samsung Electronics America. “As we researched the marketplace for the ideal partner to build out a rig, time and time again, Matthews Studio Equipment was the name that came up with other vendors and our customers. They are hands down the leader in the industry for their rugged rigging solutions.”

https://youtu.be/BeH9Wg2XK68

To truly maximize the value of the products together, Samsung and Matthews began collaborating on a refined packaged system with a new weather resistant skirt and hard case designed to house the 360 Round and VRig in one protective shipping enclosure.

“The goal was to offer the virtual reality production market a complete system that answers many of the questions common with producers joining in this rapidly expanding industry,” explains Phillips. “The 360Round and VRig complement each other in their ability to set up quickly and perform consistently at a level that professional cinematographers have grown to expect.”

“Samsung has emerged as the leader in virtual reality with industry leading technology from the camera to the head mounted display and Matthews is proud to be included in their ecosystem,” says Phillips.