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LifestyleTravel & Leisure

360 cameras: best ways to use Insta360, GoPro and other models to capture your travels, from lighting to image stitching

  • 360 cameras have improved to the extent that the top models are appealing alternatives to regular cameras when travelling
  • Positioning objects correctly around the two lenses will get the best results, while ‘overcapturing’ means you don’t have to worry about missing shots

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“Tiny planet” image of riding a Mekong slowboat in Laos using a 360 camera. Photo: Steve Thomas
Steve Thomas

Things have come a long way since Ricoh launched its pioneering Theta 360-degree consumer camera back in 2013. 360 image capture and video quality have improved dramatically, thanks to improved sensor technology, higher quality lenses and better manual exposure controls.

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Gains have been made in the relevant apps and software used to capture and process the files, while superb image stabilisation has also made 360 cameras far more appealing as alternatives to walk-around and action cameras.
The Insta360 One X and GoPro Max cameras are currently the best all-round performers. They offer gimbal-like stabilisation at a level previously only approachable with huge Steadicams and rigs, making shaky footage a thing of the past.

While there are several other new players in the 360-camera marketplace such as Garmin and Xiaomi, established brands Insta360 and GoPro remain at the forefront of this technological sprint. Insta360 is set to release a yet-to-be-detailed modular 360/action cam with a drone element and a larger sensor on January 7.

Through their free phone apps and desktop software, both companies offer “overcapture” or “freecapture” – different terms used by manufacturers for the reframing they make possible in the app software.

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