You don't see the world around you in a rectangle or a square, so why should limit yourself to that view in photos and videos? 360-degree cameras let you record everything going on around you at once. If you have a VR headset, such as the Gear VR or Google Cardboard, you can enjoy that trip to the Grand Canyon, family birthday party, or that concert in virtual reality and really feel as if you were there. Or you can just watch 360 clips on your phone or laptop after uploading them to social media.
The best 360 camera, the Insta360 One X features an updated image-stabilization feature that will make even the bumpiest videos look smooth. The One X can capture 5.7k video (5760 x 2880) at 30 fps, and 4K video at up to 50 fps. Its FlowState image stabilization algorithm helps smooth shots, and a TimeShift feature lets you slow down or speed up specific segments of your videos. The One X can connect to Android or iOS devices via Wi-Fi or via USB, and lets you livestream videos, too.
The second generation Gear 360 sports a new design that makes the camera smaller and easier to hold, but remains just as intuitive to use, and takes great pictures, too. The Gear 360 livestreams to different social media outlets. Still, we have some reservations: Android users will have to own a Samsung smartphone to use the camera, and while it works with iPhones, not all of the Gear 360's features are supported. If you're looking for something more universal, the LG 360 cam supports all phones and costs less, but has a lower-resolution camera.
If price is no object, then you should check out the Ricoh Theta Z1, which took some of the best low-light photos and videos of any 360 camera we tested. The Z1 uses an Android-based operating system, and Ricoh is letting third-party developers create plug-ins for the camera, increasing its functionality. However, this camera lacks expandable storage, and you need to use two different apps if you want to edit photos or video.
Not only does the Vuze XR take 360-degree photos and video, but its two cameras can pop out so you can take stereoscopic images and video, too. We liked the simplicity of its mechanism, the built-in handle, and, of course, the quality of the images it captured. Still, it had trouble in low-light conditions, and we wish its desktop app were more fully-featured.
See the world!
After testing more than a dozen models and evaluating them on video quality, the field of view, water resistance, ease of use and other factors, we think the best 360 camera for most people is the Insta360 One X. It's small and portable, works with both Android and iOS smartphones, and has some great features, such as the ability to record Matrix-like "bullet-time" videos, as well as create a motion-stabilized video to smooth out those rough rides.
Our favorite budget 360 cam is the Samsung Gear 360 (2017), which is a bit old but takes good pictures for its size and price. However, it only works with Samsung smartphones and some iPhone models.
