360 video and 3D video can both exist independently, but when combined they offer a very exciting opportunity. 360 video is basically a video that you can view in all directions: left, right, up and down, with seamless stitching so you feel like you are in the heart of the action. Both Google (with Youtube) and Facebook have adopted 360 video and provide delivery through their sites. Video needs to be captured using either multiple cameras filming from a central rig, whose footage is then stitched together, or with a dedicated 360 camera that uses multiple lenses in one device. Prices range from the hundreds of pounds to the hundreds of thousands of pounds depending on the quality you want to capture. It is possible to view 360 degree videos on your mobile phone, enabling you to move your phone around the scene as you watch it.
With the addition of 3D to 360 video though you can enter a whole new dimension, literally. When added to a Virtual Reality environment, the addition of 3D to the video can greatly enhance the realism of the immersion, since you are able to move your head (and body) around and see the parallax effect of the video in 3D. It comes at a cost with 3D 360 cameras coming at a premium, with many affordable devices still in prototype or development stages.
