Which is the Best 360 Camera to Take Skiing & Snowboarding
Winter is well and truly upon us here in the Northern Hemisphere and many of you may be well into planning this years skiing or snowboarding trip. If you want to truly capture the awesomeness of your winter sports skills, or you just want some shots of which ever stunning mountain range you happen to be visiting, a 360 camera is by far the best way to do it.
Over the past year technology has advanced so much in this category; there are now several action cameras that can shoot super high quality panoramic 360 videos & photos. Some of the best 360 videos I’ve seen have been shot by skiers and snowboarders, so this may be the year to ditch the standard digital camera and invest in 360.
Which Camera?
Which 360 camera should you get? There are dozens to choose from and not all of them will be good for skiing. There are several features you should look out for when choosing a 360 camera for skiing, here they are in order of importance:
- Water Resistant
- 6- Axis Stabilization
- 4K and Above Resolution
- Shockproof
- Re-framing
- Compatible with several mounts
If you can find a camera that has most, or all, of these features then it should be a great 360 camera to take skiing. Thankfully you won’t have to do too much research because I’ve already found all the 360 cameras that have these features, in fact I own most of them so I’m pretty familiar with their capabilities.
A word on re-framing: You may not have heard of this, probably because it’s quite new, but it’s an awesome new way to use 360 video to create awesome looking normal video. Different companies call it different things, but the effect is broadly similar. See the video below for what a re-framed 360 video looks like.
Top 360 Cameras for Skiing & Snowboarding
Updated for Winter 2023/4
Insta360 X3 – Best Choice for Skiing & Snowboarding
The Insta360 X3 is currently the top choice for 360 cameras to take skiing. Why you ask?
- It’s waterproof up to 10f
- Excellent Stabilization
- Up to 5.7K 360 Video
- 1/2 Inch Sensors
- Can shoot both 360 Video and single lens “normal” video at 4K
- Re-framing App powered by AI
- Shockproof case and lens covers available
Not only can the Insta360 X3 shoot great quality 360 video with the BEST stabilization of any camera out now, it can also shoot stabilized standard video at 4K. You have the option of shooting in 360 or shooting like a normal action camera and you can even combine the footage from both in the amazingly powerful editing app.
Let’s take a look at some skiing footage shot with the X3:
You’ll notice how even in the most challenging of conditions the X3 manages to stabilise moving video nearly perfectly. There are also several frame rate options which allows you to shoot in slow motion as well as the ability to reframe your videos in endless ways.
Overall the Insta360 X3 is the best 360 action camera out right now and one of the most unique in terms of its capabilities. I’d fully recommend the X3 for skiing as it is essentially two cameras in one and allows for multiple types of videos.
GoPro Max
If you are a fan of GoPro products then you’ll definitely want to check out the GoPro Max, their latest and greatest 360 camera. The Max can shoot very high quality 5.7K 360 video, stabilise moving video nearly perfectly and is shock/waterproof.
The Max allows you to reframe your 360 video using with a super user friendly app; you can even add music, transitions and titles. Let’s take a look at some Max skiing footage.
This is one of the most awesome skiing videos I’ve ever seen and is testament to the editing capabilities of the user.
What’s for sure is that you can get some pretty amazing footage with the GoPro Max and its re-framing feature. You can also choose to use the Max like a normal GoPro Hero by just activating one of the lenses, however this mode is limited to 1080p quality.
The only reason I selected the One R as my preferred 360 camera for skiing is the fact it can also shoot linear video at 4K quality while the Max is limited to 1080p.
On the other hand the GoPro Max has a better design, larger screen and doesn’t need to be physically taken apart to change shooting mode. The Max is definitely a front runner if you want an awesome 360 action camera.
See Also: Best 360 Cameras Right Now
Garmin VIRB 360
Why is it good for skiing?
- It’s waterproof up to 10m
- Several stabilization options
- Records data such as distance, direction, height, speed and projects it onto your video
- Shock proof body
- Re-framing desktop software – “Hyperframe”
- 5.7K 360 video
The Garmin VIRB 360 is also an excellent 360 action camera available right now. Not only can it shoot high resolution video, but it’s also completely waterproof and has a great stabilization feature.
It’s main selling point, however, is the half dozen sensors inside the camera that allow you to track everything from speed, distance, air pressure, velocity and much more.
Let’s take a look at a skiing video shot with the VIRB 360, remember to set the quality settings to maximum.
You’ll notice the data projected on this video, which is achieved automatically with the many sensors inside the camera. The video is very high quality for a 360 video, although the lenses don’t handle the direct sunlight too well. The camera is attached to the users helmet, however you can also use a selfie stick or any other type of mount.
The VIRB is also compatible with GoPro mounts. Video stabilization works pretty well but I think they could have made it even better if they explored some of the options available in the VIRB Edit desktop software.
I’ve owned the VIRB for a while now and even though I haven’t taken it skiing, I know it can handle fast passed action pretty well. You’ll also be abe to reframe your video but only using the free desktop app, other newer cameras have reframing apps available.
I think this type of video would be awesome for skiing, and it’s achieved by using the VIRB 360 and its free editing software. The VIRB 360 is available on Amazon.com and has just had a price cut.
GoPro Fusion
Why is it good for skiing?
- 5.2K Resolution
- 6-axis Stabilization
- Waterproof to 5 Metres
- Re-framing Desktop Software & App: “Overcapture”
The GoPro Fusion is another awesome 360 action camera with many features perfect for shooting winter sports.
This is the first generation 360 camera from GoPro which has subseqnetly been replaced by the GoPro Max. The Fusion is still a powerful camera and is one of the cheapest available. Here’s a clip from GoPro showing the Fusion in action:
GoPro is also making a huge fuss of their “Overcapture” feature, which they predict will be the main way of making content win the next 10 years. It allows you to manipulate 360 video to create standard looking video with smooth transitions. It’s like having multiple cameras in one. Take a look below:
The Overcapture feature is available on both the GoPro Fusion desktop software and app (coming 2018), so you’ll be able to create these kinds of videos on the go.
The reason it’s not my top pick is that it doesn’t have the same data capture capabilities of the VIRB 360 and it’s harder to use than the Max or Insta360 One R. If these things don’t bother you, or you’re a fan of GoPro products, then the Fusion is a great budget
Insta360 One (with waterproof case)
If you are looking for a cheaper option than the above two cameras, then check out the Insta360 One. By itself the camera is probably too vulnerable to risk skiing with, but thankfully there is a waterproof case that will protect the Insta360 from water and shock damage. I actually couldn’t find a skiing video shot with the Insta360 One (maybe you could be the first), but this video shows the quality of the video:
The Insta360 One can shoot in 4K and features excellent software stabilization. While the video resolution is lower than both the VIRB and GoPro, the quality is still very decent, especially if you only intend to upload to social media.
Insta360 also have their own re-framing mode called Freecapture. It’s similar to the other re-framing modes I’ve already shown you.
The Insta360 One is a great value 360 camera with loads of video modes, and with the waterproof case it’s suites very well for action shots.
Why not the Xiaomi Mijia Mi Sphere? It says it has an IP67 rating, so it should be waterproof and dustproof enough for snow. Is there another reason it isn’t recommended?