A 4K webcam for all your beyond-high-definition Google Hangouts

4K technology looks like it'll be the next benchmark for high-definition video after the current 1080p standard. While most of us probably won't ever touch one of those television industry grade 4K cameras, you could potentially own this "affordable" 4K webcam.

This is the Flea3 webcam by Point Grey is currently the smallest 4K camera in the world. The tiny camera might measure just over an inch at its thickest part, but it packs a super-powered sensor that can capture 4096-by-2160-pixel resolution footage at 21 frames per second.

The camera is equipped with an 8.8-megapixel Sony Exmor R sensor that can pipe video to any USB 3.0-equipped device in real time. Of course all this awesome comes at a price--US$945 (NZ$1,176) to be exact.

OK, 4K cameras are still very expensive right now, but if current trends follow the history of technology, we'll all own one in the next several years, only to lust after 8K stuff on the following day.

[Point Grey via Gizmodo and Peta Pixel]