Last updated on December 7th, 2023
360-degree cameras are a best-kept secret for photographers. If you want a camera that can come along on outdoor adventures, indoor adventures, and make you money, we recommend getting a 360 camera. Vloggers, photographers, and real estate professionals can’t just take any video quality or image quality, or even live stream without the proper camera.
Today, you’re going to learn the best 360 cameras for your lifestyle or profession. Then, you can buy your very own 360-degree camera.
What is a 360-degree camera?
There are so many different types of cameras out there. You’ve probably heard of a 360-degree camera before. But you probably didn’t know its full functionality before today. 360 cameras are also known as omnidirectional cameras. “Omni” means all. So, you can only guess what that entails.
That’s right! You get a field of view of an entire sphere or full circle if you’re looking at a horizontal plane. Omnidirectional cameras or 360-degree cameras are necessary for photography or videography situations that require extensive field coverage. You’ll likely need a 360 camera for panoramic photography, real estate photography (including virtual tours), and live streaming.
So, whether your life is spent in the great outdoors or on home tours, we have the best 360 cameras for creators lined up for you below:
Best Overall 360 Camera
Insta360 ONE R 360 Edition
Our best 360 camera pick is the Insta360 ONE R. It makes our top spot because the dual-lends 360 Mod is the top quality of 360 cameras with super 5.7K resolution, H.265 encoding, and advanced image procession. Best of all, an AI-powered finishing algorithm preserves detail and makes your images or videos pop.
The FlowState Stabilization gives you a gimbal-life image stabilization without needing to use a gimbal. Even while shooting in low light, your action cam footage will be clear and steady. The Invisible selfie stick effect also makes the appearance of a selfie stick disappear when you edit. So, you can capture different perspectives without interruption.
The IPX8 waterproofing lets you shoot in wet elements. The action camera is waterproof up to 5 meters or 16.4 feet with the mounting bracket or dive case. Surfers love this 360-degree camera.
Best Budget 360 Camera
Ricoh Theta SC2 360-Degree Camera
The Ricoh Theta SC2 360-degree camera is the most affordable best 360 camera for creators with 4K video resolution. With this version, you get high-resolution, hyper smooth 360-degree video and photos. The image quality and stitching technology give you an impressive 360 experience.
Take your camera around everywhere you go. And use all the accessories included, like the dual fish-eye lenses, to capture everything by pressing just one button. With a ½.3 inch image sensor, you get 14 megapixels of output. And the F2.0 lens lets you shoot quality footage in low-light situations.
You can capture up to three minutes of 4K 360-degree video and then upload via WiFi or Bluetooth to social media on your Apple iPhone/iOS or Android smartphone. You can also share small planet images in real-time with the Theta+ App. Even edit or add filters or background music to 360-degree videos during your workflow using the Theta+ app.
The Ricoh Theta is available in a variety of colors and versions. For an even better 4K video experience and longer shooting time and battery life, check out the Ricoh Theta V.
Best 360 Camera for Real Estate Photographers
Matterport Pro2 3D Camera MC250
The next best 360 camera for creators is the Matterport Pro2 camera MC250. This camera is described as the “gold standard” of professional 3D capture and digital twin edition creation. This camera is perfect for scanning commercial spaces, homes, apartments, and more spaces. Many virtual real estate photographers buy this 360-degree camera for its professional or business subscription plans that let you run your business and upload the footage. It also pairs with most smartphones/iOS devices.
The camera notably has high-quality 3D capture with 99% accuracy within range. And the professional photo resolution is 134.2 mega pixels. You also get Unlimited 4K print quality photography. The intuitive 3D capture is as easy as a press of a single button. There’s 20 seconds of capture time per scan/sweep too. You can capture multiple spaces per day using the high-capacity lithium-ion battery and scan for eight hours on a single charge.
Best Runner Up 360 Camera
Ricoh Theta Z1 360 Degree Spherical Camera with Dual 1” Sensors
Ricoh’s flagship model, the Ricoh Theta Z1, makes our runner up best 360 camera. The optical and image processing capabilities are high-resolution and high-quality and stand out amongst the competition.
The camera body’s CMOS sensor is 2 inches of back-illumination to view 23MP resolution 360-degree still images. Shooting modes are varied: you can shoot outside, nighttime, indoors, on topical getaways, or in the mountains. Shoot anywhere. With frame rates at 30 frames per second (FPS) and the robust three-axis stabilization, you get an immersive experience in 4K without any shake.
Honorable Mention 360 Cameras
Kandao QooCam 8K Full View Camera Full HDR Outdoor/Indoor Digital Camera with 5G Support
Our first honorable mention for the best 360 cameras is the Kandao QooCam 8K camera with 5G support. The 8K capability for video makes this 360-degree camera ahead of its time. Images come out in 5.7K, and full HDR is in 4K. Dot matrix, OLED, and WiFi is in 2.4G, 4G, and 5G.
This digital camera can be used indoors or outdoors and has PC/smartphone support to process HDR 8K live video and 3D full view photos in bullet time. There are also different apps and features to support sports action, travel, indoor, and outdoor in the QooCam apps when you connect via WiFi and USB.
GoPro Max — Waterproof 360 + Traditional Camera with Touch Screen
Our next best 360 camera for creators is the GoPro Max. It’s waterproof and a traditional DSLR camera with a touch screen. The stabilization on this 360-degree camera is excellent, and the spherical-capture is out of this world. Creatives love this GoPro because you can get panoramic shots without having to pan your camera. All you have to do is point and click.
The digital camera lenses capture your footage how you imagine your footage to turn out. The bonus is the six mics that build an immersive experience of 360-degree audio. There is no other sound like it. The camera comes with:
- The GoPro Max
- Rechargeable battery
- Curved adhesive mount
- Two protective lenses
- Two lenses caps
- Mounting buckle and thumb screw
- Microfiber bag
- USB-C cable
- Removable 1600mAH lithium-ion battery
Insta360 One X2 360 Degree Waterproof Action Camera
The Insta360 One X follows up to the Insta360 One X2 is our next best 360 camera. This digital camera is the pocket camera crew of just one device. You can shoot in every direction in a 5.7K capture. Then, you can choose your favorite angle. You can also select one lens with Steadicam mode for wide-angle footage with stabilization.
The advanced FlowState stabilization means you get the best stabilization with horizon leveling algorithms without a gimbal. And the invisible selfie stick disappears when you go to edit your footage. You can even capture drone-like angles or third-person perspectives super easily by just moving your camera slightly.
The Insta360 one is also waterproof, with IPX8 waterproofing up to 33 feet. So, if you’re a creator who loves to surf or shoots outdoors in inclement weather, this is the perfect 360-degree camera for you.
Samsung Gear 360-Degree Camera
The Samsung Gear 360-degree camera is our next best 360 camera for creators. Catch every angle in 4K brilliance with this digital camera four times the high-resolution than a regular HD camera. Toss the camera in your pocket and take it with you everywhere you go. In just one take, you can get an entire scene. Capture everything you see and then edit and share in bullet time.
Get the whole story with the 360° camera that captures every angle in 4K brilliance. With four times the resolution of regular HD and a design that fits in your pocket, you can take in the whole scene in a single take. Capture everything on a road trip, in a festival crowd, or at a family reunion, then edit and share in an instant. Plus, it has an IP53 waterproofing rating. You can preview and edit your photos and videos on the app and then share them on social media or your smartphone. You can also upload your photos or videos to Samsung VR to experience your moments in virtual reality while using a VR headset.
Vuze Plus 3D 360 Spherical VR 4K Camera
Another best 360 camera is the Vuze Plus 3D 360 Spherical VR 4K camera. This 360-degree camera is a leading camera for a real-life experience and optics with eight featured full HD custom lenses in pairs that capture the truest stereoscopic 3D 360-degree footage. The audio is so enhanced that it gives you spatial audio output. And the Vuze VR Studio software gives you the highest quality VR creation for a beautiful VR headset experience.
The design is compact and lightweight so that you can take this best 360 camera everywhere. And it’s so easy to use along with its award-winning design. You’ll love it! You can also check out the Vuze XR to compare and see which one fits your creation needs more.
YI 360 VR Camera Dual-Lens 5.7KHI Resolution Panoramic Camera
The next best 360 camera is the YI 360 VR camera. With a 5.7K resolution at 30fps and the Auto-Stitch option in the app or menu, you can stitch together the most awesome footage on any compatible device. The in-camera stitching allows 4K/30fps, and then you can share complete 4K 360 videos with no post-processing in your workflow.
The YI 360 app allows you to effortlessly connect to your smartphone and view it in four different modes. Then download and share to social media in bullet time. The dual-lens camera is 220-degrees and has an aperture of f/2.0 to provide 360-degree camera coverage. There’s even built-in advanced electronic image stabilization, so your footage is the most stable.
Frequently Asked Questions: 360-Degree Cameras
How do I choose a 360 camera?
The best 360 camera for you will depend on the shooting needs. Will you be shooting indoors and outdoors? Will you be doing professional real estate photography? Look at what each product is best suited for. Then, look at the lenses and the shutter speed, and the ISO range. See if it fits the job. Next, make sure you look at the image quality and the camera’s resolution to see if it meets your expectations. Also, check out to see if there’s a free or paid app and whether or not you need one. That should help you choose the best 360 camera.
Which is the best 360 camera app?
Here are our favorite 360 camera apps:
- Panorama 360 camera
- FOV
- 360 Capture SDK (Facebook)
- 360° Media Tools (Google)
- 360 Cameras
- Fyuse
- matterport
What is the point of a 360 camera?
A 360-degree camera is used to capture everything around its sphere. You might also hear this camera called a spherical capers or an omnidirectional camera for its ability to capture everything in every direction. It would help if you used a 360-degree camera for when you have to cover large visual fields or large spaces like in real estate photography or for panoramas.
Which 360 camera is best for real estate?
The best 360 camera for real estate is the Matterport Pro2 3D Camera MC250. This camera helps capture spaces of all kinds. Virtual real estate photographers can do a lot with this 360-degree camera and the 360 camera app subscription.
Which kind of memory card do I need to use for a 360-degree camera?
Always check in the product information or booklet before buying a memory card for these 360-degree cameras. More than likely, you will need a MicroSD card, but it will always depend on the make and model of the camera.
Conclusion: The Best 360 Cameras for Creators
By now, you’ve seen which 360-degree cameras shoot for a variety of settings and which cameras suit your photography needs the best. You may be an outdoor photographer like a landscape photographer, an architectural photographer, or an indoor photographer. Your 360-degree camera is about to be your best friend.
Are you looking for more real estate or landscape photography guides? Check out our real estate photography guide, for instance, and the very many guides we have here at ShutterRelease. We can’t wait to see what you learn today!
