This captures two hemispherical images, which are then merged to produce the final 360-degree image. The sensors are ordinary ‘flat’ types, but the key is in the lenses, which are extreme fisheyes capable of capturing a 180-degree view, placed back to back. That’s essentially what 360-degree cameras do – place you in the centre of a sphere, and use extreme wide-angle lenses to capture everything around that point. When visualising how 360-degree images are captured, imagine someone photographing a sphere from the inside, making sure they get every contour of its inner surface. It’s expensive, but this is definitely an option worth considering. Its sensors are slightly larger than are usually found on cameras of this type, which improves dynamic range and arguably makes up for the fact that some other cameras edge it out in raw resolution terms.
It’s not as rough and ready as some other cameras on this list, without waterproofing or a protective shell, but it’s got a smooth design that’s comfortable to hold and intuitive to use. The Ricoh Theta Z1 produces impressively high-quality 360-degree video – as you’d hope at this price. It’s worth double-checking which one you’re getting before clicking the “Buy” button.
Since then, not much has changed, save for a slightly revamped version launched more recently, boasting 51GB of storage rather than the original’s rather limiting 19GB. The first Ricoh Theta Z1 was announced and released in 2019 – back when a 360-degree camera was still at least something of a novelty. Beautifully designed, and producing excellent footage to match, the Vuze XR is an excellent tool for 360-degree imaging though perhaps a little bulky and offbeat for mainstream users. The integrated hand grip makes it excellent for casual day-to-day usage – it’s not waterproof unless you add a separately sold case, so don’t go bringing it on kayaking trips and the like, as you would the GoPro Max. The XR also allows for in-camera image stitching as well as live broadcasting, further opening up your creative options, and the useful smartphone app also allows you to better monitor and control what you’re doing.
Insta camera 360 full#
With the press of a single button, you can switch between 360-degree (2D) and 180-degree (3D) modes, shooting half a sphere or a full sphere of VR footage as you please. Middling battery life -Simplistic mobile appĭesigned to make shooting 360-degree and 180-degree photos and videos into an easy and intuitive process, the Vuze XR is effectively two cameras for the price of one. The only reason we've put more recent 360 cameras above it in our list is that newer models offer better quality, versatility or waterproofing – but for casual 360 experimenters and travel videos, the One X remains superb. On release, the Insta360 ONE X felt like a massive step forward in simplicity, usability and quality for 360 cameras, and it still works brilliantly now. Even better, if you get the optional 'invisible' selfie stick, it's hidden in the recorded footage and it looks like you're a bystander in your videos and photos and not actually holding the camera at all.
Insta360 makes a great play about this camera's 6-axis gyro system and 'FlowState' stabilisation, and it's every bit as good as they say – we got the odd 'shimmer' during low-light shooting indoors, but in decent light it's as smooth as you like, and playback stays level however you angle the camera (just make sure you calibrate the gyros now and again). There is an Insta360 EVO which offers both 360 imaging and 3D but it's boxy and bulky, and we prefer the enduring appeal of of the Insta360 ONE X, thanks to its shirt-pocket design, excellent stabilization and an app that offers advanced video editing and subject tracking on your smartphone. To simplify things, we've put together an explainer: click to jump straight to our section on how 360 imaging works if you need a crash course.īut which 360 camera to choose? From household names like GoPro to more specialist manufacturers like Insta360, the market is full of stiff competition – which for us translates to a lot of great cameras to choose from! The GoPro Max is probably the best 360 degree camera you can buy right now, and is currently our #1 pick, but many others are more affordable to those working on a budget. If you're completely new to 360-degree imaging, it can be a little confusing sussing out how this mode of imaging works.
This provides a tremendous amount of shooting flexibility, which can be really handy if you don't know exactly where the action will happen. This isn't the only use for 360 camera, as many will also allow you to edit the content post-capture and pick which part of the scene you want to convert to a more traditionally "flat" image or video.