The Best Professional 360 Cameras in 2021 [Buying Guide]

Are you looking for a professional 360 camera to create virtual tours, video tours of livestream an event for VR? There are plenty of consumer cameras available but these aren’t up to the job if you want the highest quality 360 media possible. In this post I’ll take you through the current crop of pro-level cameras for shooting 360 and what they are specifically great for.

Top Professional 360 Cameras in 2021

Specs	Theta Z1	Insta360 Pro 2	Pilot One	X-Phase Pro S
Image
Lenses	x2 1.0-inch back illuminated CMOS image sensors	x6 f/2.0 sensors	x4 1/2.3" Sensors	x25 f/2.2 Sensors
Best For	Virtual Tours	360 Video Tours Livestream	Virtual Tours 360 Livestream	Virtual Tours
VIDEO
Max Video Resolution	4K (3840 x 1920) @30fps	7680 x 3840 @30 fps HDR (8K 2D) 7680 x 7680 @30 fps HDR (8K 3D)	8K (7680*3840) 24fps	N/A
Max Bit Rate	80MBPS	120MBPS		N/A
Video Modes	Timelapse Manual Noise Reduction	Standard LOG cHDR	Standard	N/A
Stabilization	Horizon Correction	Flowstate	PilotSteady™ technology	Horizon Correction
Livestream	4K	[email protected]	[email protected] [email protected]	N/A
Audio	4 Channel Microphones	Ambisonic	x2 Micophones	N/A
PHOTO
Photo Resolution	23MP (6720 x 3360)	12000 x 12000	8192 x 4096	16384 x 8192 (134mp) stitched 200 megapixels unstitched
Photo Formats	JPEG RAW	JPEG DNG	JPG	JPEG DNG
Photo Modes	Noise reduction DR correction Auto HDR Interval shooting Internal Composite Shooting Shooting with self-timer Shooting with multi bracket	Auto Shutter Priority ISO Priority Shooting with self-timer Manual	Timelapse HDR Countdown	Auto Shutter Priority HDR
HARDWARE
Screen	LCD Display	Mini LCD Display	2.2 Inch Touchscreen	None
Memory	19GB Internal	6 x MicroSD cards + 1 x Full SD card
Battery	Li-Ion, Approx 600 Photos, 60 Minutes of Video	5100mAh removable battery	3400mAh Battery	3400 mAh - 250 shots
Other Features	Expandable Functionality via Plugins 360 Spatial Audio	Built In GPS WiFi Antenna	Built In GPS 6GB RAM Pilot Tour - Automatic Virtual Tours	Geotagging Optical Flow Stitching
WHERE TO BUY
	Amazon	Insta360	Available on Amazon

Pilot One EE

The Pilot One EE is the third generation 360 camera from company Labpano; it’s a slightly upgraded version of the Pilot One which was reelased last year. The Pilot One EE is designed to be an all-in-one 360 camera for creating virtual tours. The camera has built in virtual tour creation software which automatically uploads your geotagged images to the cloud where a virtual tour is created almost instantly.

Labpano calls this “Pilot Tour” and is a great way of creating virtual tours at a high volume. The 4 lens setup allows for more accurate stitching and the high resolution images look very sharp. One downside to the Pilot One is the lack of DNG RAW capability. The automatic nature of the Pilot One means that editing is not a part of the process so you may have to sacrifice some quality compared to other cameras.

Compared to the Pilot One, the EE version features internal GPS, improved battery life and some overall stability improvements.

The Pilot One can shoot high resolution 8K video, however it’s limited to 24fps which is not ideal for 360 video. One major feature of the Pilot One is the livestream feature which is automatic and easy to set up for continuous livestream. 4G and 5G connection capabilities results in high quality, smooth live streams. You can plug in the Pilot One for continuous power supply for long streaming sessions.

Overall the Pilot One EE is a feature packed camera that’s great for virtual tours especially. Users have found that the automatic VR tours can be hit and miss, but when it does work it reduced the workflow for shooting virtual tours considerably. This is also one of the best 360 cameras for livestreaming thanks to the easy set up.

Insta360 Pro 2 – Best for Video

One of the older professional 360 cameras is the Insta360 Pro 2, however it’s the most tried and tested and is especially great for shooting high quality video. The Pro 2 features 6 individual lenses and can create 8K video in both 2D and 3D. HDR video mode increases dynamic range considerably and LOG mode allows the user full control of color editing in post production.

Video shot with the Pro 2 is also stabilised thanks to Insta360’s Flowstate stabilization technology; this makes the Pro 2 the best professional 360 camera for moving video. Insta360 has also developed a Premiere Pro plugin that allows you editing directly from the camera files; this makes the usually long workflow process significantly shorter.

Many people have also used the Pro 2 to create virtual tours thanks to the excellent photo capabilities. 12K photo resolution results in very sharp images and the same HDR mode automatically improves the quality of the images without editing.

The Pro 2 is my recommended professional 360 camera for high quality video projects. The Pro 2 has been used by companies like the BBC & National Geographic as well as many VR producers around the world.

X-Phase Pro S

If you want the highest quality image for your virtual tours then the X-Phase Pro S offers the best 360 images of any professional 360 camera right now. 24 individual lenses and a max resolution of 200 megapixels results is images that can match up to a DSLR in terms of sharpness and overall quality.

For virtual tours there’s probably no other all-in-one camera that can match it, however there are some serious limitations. For a start there’s no video capability nor can you livestream. The editing process is also quality complicated, which raises the question whether its better to use a DSLR.

Ricoh Theta Z1 – Best for VR Tours

The Ricoh Theta Z1 has become the workhorse of the Virtual Tour industry. Its dual One Inch lenses are able to create high quality 360 images with excellent dynamic range in a variety of environments.  DNG mode allows you to get the most out of these images and a relatively easy editing process means you can create high quality virtual tours quickly and efficiently.

The compact size and shape of the Z1 means its easy to transport and use, making it perfect for semi-pro users such as real estate agents and construction workers.

360 photos shot with the Z1 are limited to 23 megpixels which can’t quite match up to the other professional 360 camera in this list; however bare in mind that mode virtual tours are viewed on mobile screens where this isn’t as much of a concern. You should also look elsewhere if shooting video is your main aim as the Z1 isn’t a great option for this

The Theta Z1 has been the most in demand 360 camera of the past year for virtual tour creators thanks to its excellent lens technology and easy to use design. The Z1 is the cheapest camera on this list and is great for those looking to get serious when creating virtual tours.

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The 360 Guy

Owner of threesixtycameras.com. Writer, photographer and videographer. You can see my YouTube channel for guides of how to shoot 360 video. I've written for The Times, Digital Photography School and Sunday Express.