Mantis Sub, a leading innovator in underwater VR solutions, is proud to announce the launch of the 250m-rated Mantis RS360, an affordable and compact new underwater VR camera housing specifically designed for the groundbreaking Insta360 ONE RS 1-Inch 360 Edition.
Recording rich experiences and deep habitats for tourism and science
360 cameras have the unique ability to quickly capture the full 360-degree surroundings in a single panorama photo or video. This makes them the perfect tool to record the overall experience and atmosphere as a memory, and to document an environment for later study. They also aid the discovery of new things and surprising details, such as secondary events that happen in parallel with the main event elsewhere.
Videographers and scientists are now increasingly interested in depths between 30m and 150m, which have so far remained largely unexplored. The human impact on these environments is not limited to climate change and plastic pollution, but also includes everyday activities like fishing, trawling, dredging, drilling and increased sedimentation from rivers.
New compact housing aids new research of human impact at greater depths
Previously, videographers and scientists had to choose between small consumer-grade poly-carbonate housings and large machined professional-grade equipment. Plastic consumer housings are inexpensive and simple to use, but are often limited to 30m depth and suffer from overheating. Machined professional equipment can dive deeper and record longer, but often costs tens of thousands of US dollars and is more complex to operate. For many projects neither option is a workable solution.
The Mantis RS360 housing for the Insta360 ONE RS 1-Inch 360 Edition now closes this gap with a durable, reliable housing rated to 250m (820 feet) for a capable but equally affordable 360 camera. The combination now allows scientists and videographers to capture stunning 6K 360-degree underwater videos and 21MP photos with outstanding dynamic range at great depths thanks to the large dual 1-inch sensors of the camera.
Most affordable 360-degree camera housing with a durable aluminum body
Each Mantis RS360 housing is machined from an aluminum block and hard anodized for optimal strength and corrosion protection, making it a durable and long-lasting solution for underwater videography that has been tested to 300m (984 feet). The housing is engineered to optimally dissipate the heat generated by the camera into the surrounding water, allowing the camera to operate continuously without heat exhaustion – a common problem with consumer housings made from polycarbonate plastic. At the same time, it is a fraction of the price of other aluminum-body 360 degree camera housings.
User-friendly and extensible
Leveraging the camera’s quick capture mode, the Mantis RS360 housing provides a single button to turn the camera on/off and start/stop a recording at the same time. This saves precious battery life and makes it the perfect companion for underwater 360 photographers and videographers of all skill levels.
An integrated bulkhead port allows the user to power and control the camera externally, for example with a separate battery pack or from an underwater drone (ROV).
“We are excited to introduce the Mantis RS360, a top-of-the-line underwater VR camera housing that offers unparalleled durability and performance in its class,” said Axel Busch, Chief Engineer of Mantis Sub. “With 6K video and 21MP photo capabilities, ease of use and extreme depth rating, this housing opens up new possibilities for underwater videographers, scientists and deep sea explorers looking to capture stunning, highresolution images and videos of the ocean’s beauty and marine life.”
“The RS360 is as small and as easy to operate as a consumer housing, while still offering the quality, durability and versatility of a professional tool,” said Andrew Simpson, Head of Sales of Mantis Sub. “Our larger housing for the Insta360 Pro 2 is extremely popular with Universities, Institutes and Production Houses around the world. With the RS360 housing we can now put a highly capable and versatile 360-degree camera system into the hands of enthusiasts and into places and at depths where the larger system can’t go.”