Best 360° cameras 2021:
Why You Can Trust Pocket Plushies
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(Pocket-plush) - With
virtual reality headsets
becoming increasingly popular and with platforms like Facebook and YouTube supporting 360 degree photos and videos, it's no surprise to see more 360 degree cameras hitting the market.
There is now a range of capable cameras available with totally different budgets. Each has its own appeal, so the choice really comes down to budget and camera lens. Something small that you can put in your pocket and take it for a ride or an action camera that can survive being dropped, crushed and used underwater?
Take a look at our list of the best VR and 360 cameras available to buy, whatever your budget.
Best 360 Camera for Video Capture
GoPro
GoPro Max
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6K spherical video capture capability
Voice control and live streaming
User-friendly OverCapture video editing system
1600mAh battery
Super smooth video stabilization
When it comes to video, especially action camera footage, GoPro has always managed to produce incredible results. The GoPro Max is another GoPro camera that is making waves.
Video capture capabilities
This device probably offers the best 360 video capture capabilities of any device we've seen. Probably because it's capable of capturing 6K video at 30 fps. Where GoPro Max really shines is in usability.
GoPro OverCapture Video Editing System
allows users to easily create brilliant images from their recordings.
This OverCapture technology even offers the ability to flatten 360 videos to make them viewable on any device, including TVs, and create a "little planet" type view or make sharp transitions at certain points. .
The results are very special and make this 360 camera stand out from the crowd.
Durability and flexibility
Like the other cameras in the GoPro line, the GoPro Max is a flexible and durable camera. This device is waterproof up to 5 meters and can be used underwater and with some abuse, making it suitable for use in water sports.
A removable 1600mAh battery and USB-C port supporting fast charging also make it very flexible. A touchscreen lets you see what you're capturing and amplifies its appeal.
360 video makes a lot of sense in extreme sports areas and with the kind of footage GoPro fans will capture, so it's easy to see why GoPro created Max (itself a soft reset of the old camera Fusion) and where it fits in that market. As such, it is worth considering.
GoPro Max delivers some of the best results we've seen in terms of capture quality. It's also easy to use with the OverCapture feature on a smartphone. It has a long list of features and impressive specs, but it comes at a hefty price tag. .
Conclusion
GoPro's action camera expertise works wonders on the Max - it's great for filming all the activity you want, and it's adaptable too. When you need 360o footage, it delivers the product. , but it can also shoot all kinds of quality videos.
Advantages:
User-friendly video editing system
Tripod mount as standard
Waterproof and durable construction
Excellent shooting results
Touchscreen to see what you're capturing
The inconvenients:
One of the more expensive 360 camera options
360 camera with more features
pocket plush
Insta360 One R
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5.7K 360 or 4K wide-angle capture
H.265 encoding with "advanced image processing"
FlowState Stabilization" - provides "gimal-like" stabilization
The Insta360 One R is one of those devices that tries to offer the world on a stick. It is a complete camera that comes in multiple editions with packages that include different lenses or accessories and extras. There is even an aerial edition that will fit some Mavic drones.
It comes with an "invisible" selfie stick and a plethora of capture options that keep things interesting. Everything from night photo capabilities to HDR, bullet time, starlapse, timelapse and more. compact that can be waterproofed with the accompanying box.
capture quality
360 degree field of view
Up to 5760 x 2880 at 30 FPS
HDR and standard video modes, time lapse, time shift, timestamp and more
100 Mbps video throughput
The Insta360 One R delivers impressive capture quality. Considering all the recording options you have, it seems like it does a lot and does it well.
It also has interchangeable lenses and different mounting options, which means you can use it to capture all types of footage, anything you plan to shoot. Whether it's action shots with a helmet holder or relaxing walks in the countryside with a selfie stick.
We like interesting modes like "bullet time", where you rotate the camera around your head like you're wielding a mace, capturing a surrounding view of yourself and the surroundings. Other capture options include everything, from HDR footage to time lapse.
Sharing videos and images
You can edit everything in the app or in the
Urges 360 Studio
and here
a step-by-step guide that explains how
do that. From there, you can easily share it on your favorite social media platform without much hassle.
In the free video editor, you can add keyframes and switch between views including small planet, fisheye, standard view, etc. The software is not as powerful as something like DaVinci Resolve, but it's good enough to let you edit, speed up, modify, and even cut out background noise from your audio.
Conclusion
The Insta360 One R manages to be a jack-of-all-trades without too many compromises. A brilliant little camera with a lot to offer and plenty of highlights too.
Advantages:
A multitude of capture modes and shooting options
Free and easy-to-use editing software
Interchangeable lenses and mounting options
The inconvenients:
Some software and user interface elements can be tricky
More affordable 360 camera
pocket plush
Samsung Gear 360 (2017)
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IP53 (dust and splash proof)
Multiple capture modes including video, photo, time-lapse, looping video and HDR landscape
1160mAh battery
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth v4.1, USB 2.0 (Type C)
The Samsung Gear 360 is part of the company's "Gear" line of smart products, designed to keep up with different
The main phones from Samsung
available.As such, this 360 camera works well with Samsung Gear VR (to view photos) and latest Samsung phones via
of the accompanying application
.
Despite that, the camera is quite capable, easy to use, and has a number of specs that make it worthwhile. It's also one of the most affordable 360 cameras available.
capture quality
360 degree field of vision
4K video capture (up to 4096 x 2048 at 24 FPS), 15 MP photos (5472 x 2736)
Micro SD card slot compatible up to 256 GB
The Samsung Gear 360 uses two 360-degree lenses to capture 4K video or 15MP stills through a variety of capture modes, including video, photo, time-lapse, looping video, and HDR landscape. The results are pretty good, especially for the price of this camera.
However, like many other 360 cameras, the fully stitched images are quite sharp in close-up, but distant objects are quite blurry. The stitching itself is well done and the split between the two images is often almost invisible .
This camera is associated with
a variety of Samsung phones
and also works with
Apple iPhone
, but unfortunately does not work with other Android devices. If you have a compatible smartphone, you can access a live view of the camera for capturing purposes, as well as a wide range of different settings and adjustments .
You don't need a phone to capture images or videos if you don't want to. A small monochrome screen on the device lets you easily turn on the camera and switch between capture modes basics as well as settings for taking pictures on the go.
We also like the addition of the tripod underneath, which lets you use the camera for more adventurous uses if you feel the need.
What Samsung Gear 360 has
IP53 rating
, making it dust and splash resistant, but not completely waterproof like the GoPro Max. However, it is compact and ergonomic, making it easy to carry. It's small enough to fit in your pocket and take it out when you need it.
Sharing videos and images
130 minute battery life when recording 2560 x 1280 at 30 fps
Sharing via connected Samsung phone
Samsung Gear 360 captures images and videos that can be shared through the app on your smartphone. It can also be viewed, processed, edited and shared on PC or Mac with the
Action Director software that
accompanies you.
Using a USB-C connection, it is not only easy to quickly charge this camera, but also to easily download captured images to the MicroSD card. The software can then be used to stitch the captured images into a photo or video 360° viewable and share them from there.
If you're using the smartphone app, you can share directly from there. You can also start a live stream via Facebook or YouTube, although the latter obviously requires transmitting data from the camera to the phone and then away, resulting in lower quality resolutions.
The Samsung Gear 360 is an easy-to-use camera. While the photo and video results aren't necessarily the best, the price of this device and the flexibility of its features and settings make it quite attractive.
Conclusion
Merging images and videos is also surprisingly impressive and a much faster process than the Acer Holo 360 - especially when using the Action Director software on the PC.
Advantages:
Fast image and video processing thanks to
Action Director software
USB Type-C interface/charging port
Excellent ergonomics and compact design
Includes tripod
The inconvenients:
Only compatible with Samsung phones and Apple iPhones
360 more premium cameras
pocket plush
Garmin VIRB 360
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Tripods and handles included
Four microphones for spatial audio recording
Single and dual lens capture
Multiple photo modes including single photo, burst, timelapse, 360 degree front and rear
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC connections
Water resistant to 10 meters
Built-in sensors for G-Metrix data overlays
The Garmin VIRB 360 is both one of the most expensive and interesting 360 cameras on our list.
This camera is an awesome box of tricks. Packed in a small, plump body is cutting-edge technology. This not only includes two 360-degree lenses capable of capturing 5.7K images and 15MP stills, but also a whole host of other technologies. There are GPS, GLONASS, barometer and accelerometer sensors designed to capture data while you record and four microphones for spatial audio recording.
This gives you the power to create some pretty impressive images using this camera, not only in terms of quality, but also in terms of the information you include. Videos look great with the speedometers and other overlays of G-Metrix data visible during playback. Especially if you plan to do something sporty with the camera.
The Garmin VIRB 360 is also designed to be rugged and robust. This 360 camera is waterproof up to 10 meters, although Garmin will not reveal what IP rating, if any, the body supports. Still, it shows that it is capable of recording in humid environments and will withstand some abuse.
In the box, Garmin has included two accessories that allow you to attach a tripod using the usual screw-on mount. support him.
This camera also includes another accessory that allows you to attach the camera to GoPro-style mounts, opening up a world of mounting possibilities to helmets, suction cups, handlebars and more.
Capturing is as easy as pressing a button on the top to take photos and pushing a slide to the side to record video. An LCD screen on the top allows easy access to change basic settings and change modes capture. The result is an easy-to-use camera that's fun to play with.
Voice command is also an option that says "OK, Garmin" allows you to give verbal commands. You can then ask the camera to start/stop recording, take pictures and more.
capture quality
5.7K/30FPS, seamless or 4K/30FPS, stitched
15MP photo capture
Automatically merged photos and videos
We were duly impressed with the capture quality of the Garmin VIRB 360. It's no surprise that with such impressive specs under the hood, this camera is capable of capturing not only high-quality videos, but also still images.
In addition to recording 360-degree video at a maximum of 5.7K, the Garmin VIRB 360 also offers a number of other capture options, including standard shots from any lens, the burst mode, time lapse and slow motion capture.
It's easy to capture images and video with just a few clicks, and the camera does all the heavy lifting to process what you've taken, too.
We've had some minor issues with photo stitching at times (people are missing parts of their heads), but this is fairly common on these types of cameras and is often forgivable. Otherwise, the quality of the footage and pictures is quite reasonable.
None of these cameras are yet breathtaking in terms of end results.Despite the specs, the technology isn't there yet and you can easily see the degradation in quality as you watch, but this camera still has a lot to offer.
The Garmin VIRB includes spherical stabilization features and footage can be edited to reduce jitter and shake with just a few clicks. The results are also remarkable. That's for its ease of use, brilliant shooting features and its flexibility that this 360 camera really shines.
As if that weren't enough, the camera is also capable of recording for up to an hour on a single charge.
Spare batteries and dual chargers
are available for purchase to continue recording if desired.
Sharing videos and images
Spherical stabilization capabilities
Free desktop editing software
Mobile app for settings adjustments and sharing on the go
For us, one of the strengths of the Garmin VIRB 360 is almost certainly the way it handles the stitching of images and videos. This processing is done automatically on the device, which means that it is almost continuous .
You can choose to use the
iOS or Android app
to share content away from home or use
free desktop software
to edit the pictures when you get home. But even if you import photos and videos from the device to your PC or Mac, you'll find them already stitched together and ready to view or share on Facebook, YouTube or anywhere you like. or elsewhere.
Google Cardboard functionality is also built into the app, meaning you can put your phone on a VR headset and view captured footage in 360 degrees of glory.
There's a lot of flexibility here. Apple users can even live stream through the smartphone app, so there are plenty of different ways to capture and share content.
The Garmin VIRB 360 is one of the best 360-degree cameras we've ever seen. It's flexible, capable, and powerful. We love the automatic stitching and the easy-to-use app and software that makes it easy to create and share. of your content.
Conclusion
Standout features include powerful video stabilization, brilliant G-Metrix data overlays, easy editing, and spatial audio recording.
For us, however, the best feature is probably what you think is normal - automatic stitching and processing. This is perfect and results in content that can be viewed and shared once exported. without any tedious waiting for the camera to process images first, as we've experienced with other cameras we've tested.
Advantages:
Automatic in-camera film editing and processing
Easy to use interface
Simple pairing and controls via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC
Free app and desktop software make editing and sharing easy
Waterproof and robust design
Flexible mounts and adapters allow you to stick it to anything
The inconvenients:
High price
Written by Adrian Willings.Originally published in
April 12, 2016
.