360 Camera Pros and Cons

Do you enjoy capturing pictures? How about capturing the scene and everything around it? That’s right! Using a 360 camera or panoramic camera is a new photography trend gaining momentum. A 360 camera captures every angle – above, below, left, and right of a frame.

These cameras are used for professional long shots, VR headsets, underwater worlds, and more. The most commonly seen 360-camera images are on social media accounts of travel bloggers and influencers. The fun, unique thing about 360 camera shots is that the image is moveable, allowing you to move the image around to see all angles of the picture.

Read ahead if you are still confused about investing in a 360 camera. We have shared 360 camera pros and cons to make your decision easy.

Photographer with 360 Camera

Pros of 360 Camera

· No Composition and Setting Required

The first thing that sets 360 cameras apart from traditional cameras is that it doesn’t require composition and camera setting. If you are new to cameras, the composition of the frame and settings, like zoom, exposure, focus, etc., can be a little challenging to manage. Full zoom is needed for a detailed image, while certain angles and camera settings work best for long shots.

However, a 360 camera doesn’t have complex camera settings or restrictions. It helps take an image from every direction in one shot. While taking a picture or recording a video, you can see everything around it without worrying about focus and exposure.

360 cameras have a pan focus by default, which means that the camera captures images from all surroundings without losing focus. In addition, 360 cameras have auto exposure, allowing you to take fun images without fixing exposure for each one.

· Portable and Profitable

Another advantage of a 360 camera is that it is a one-hand and portable camera. This camera feature allows you to capture images using one hand only. It works best for travelers since they always carry bags and other travel necessities. Besides the one-hand feature, the no-composition aspect allows users to take images without worrying about camera settings. The 360 camera also is a good choice for moms with little kids. They can hold onto their child and take fun 360 images while on the go.

An added benefit of using a 360 camera is that it reduces the cost of purchasing separate cameras for videography. The 360 camera allows you to take pictures and videos. Also, a panoramic or 360 camera can replace 10-20 conventional cameras.

· No Blind Spots

Since a 360 camera captures the whole surroundings and both sides of the hemisphere, this feature eliminates the chance of blind spots in the picture. 360 camera works best for surveillance or security cameras. The fisheye lens provides a broad view of widespread areas like parking lots, infrastructure sites, festivals, political events, etc.

· Captures realistic Images

Another advantage of a 360 camera is that it captures realistic images, making the experience of going down memory lane fun. The camera allows you to capture everyone in one frame. Additionally, the images can be moved to get views from all directions, allowing you to relive moments and discover everything happening around you.

· Fun to Use

If you like to live in the moment without worrying about capturing everything, a 360 camera will benefit you. The camera is fun and easy to use. There is only one lens with a sensor size of 1/2.3”. 360 cameras allow you to relive concerts, festivals, and big events. The fisheye lens captures everything around you since the 360 camera always faces the right direction.

· Used in Marketing

Although 360 cameras are great for traveling and capturing events, these panoramic cameras are also used in marketing and infrastructure companies. A 360-degree image engages customer attention and provides a full view of the property for selling purposes. Additionally, hotels use 360 camera images allowing customers to view the whole room before checking in.

Moreover, 360-degree images have changed advertising games. These images or banners increase user engagement, have a high conversion rate, and have a higher repeated view rate.

Cons of 360 Camera

· Cannot Zoom

Although 360 cameras capture one shot in every direction, the camera cannot zoom or focus on objects. 360 camera images have room for heavy barrel distortion due to the fisheye lens or the ultra-wide- angle.

The camera is best for capturing sphere images. However, it cannot work for conventional photography. Additionally, the 360-degree camera is not ideal for shooting detailed images of people, objects, or nature. The 360-degree images might lack, adding little to no value to the images.

· The Appearance of the Photographer in the Image

Another disadvantage of a 360 camera is that it includes the photographer in the image. Images of nature and scenic views should not include the photographer. This feature weakens the purpose of the images. However, a self-timer can work to remove the photographer from the image.

A great thing about 360 cameras is that they can be connected to your smartphone. Using the timer feature in the smartphone can help remove unwanted objects from the image, along with the photographer. All you need to do is remove the shutter setting from the camera, select a timer, and then hide in the frame.

Our Final Thoughts

360 cameras are a fun way to relive memories. You can mount the 360 camera on top of your car for a scenic drive, take it to a concert, strap it on your helmet to use it as a dashcam, and install it on your mountain bike to capture challenging jumps. The 360 camera can help you push boundaries and capture the most creative and fun pictures.

In this post, we have mentioned 360 camera pros and cons. A significant advantage of a 360 camera is that it is portable. In addition, it’s easy and fun to use. However, its lack of focus might weaken the image quality. We hope this post helps you make an informed purchase decision if you’re planning to get into 360 photography.

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