With the best 360 cameras, you can capture images and videos that are quite unlike anything else. You can capture video which can be explored edited down to "flat" 2D or explored in full by dragging on a screen or deep-diving using AR glasses. Understanding it fully can be a little technical, but you probably won't need to – the best cameras have apps which help you side-step this.
The files created by 360-degree cameras record the whole scene, so it's the camera's job to see everything and, ideally, ignore any device you use to hold the camera – hence the term 'invisible selfie stick'.
It is also why the positioning of the lenses opposite each other matters in the design, and the camera software's ability to both stitch the image from the two together and, ideally, to compensate for the camera's movement – stabilization, just like other action cameras. This is less relevant in stills, of course!
Atop that there are a lot of cool effects you can apply by changing the framing; zooming in and out beyond common sense to create 'tiny planets' and the like. This is where a good ecosystem – and good apps – put some cameras ahead of others. Keyframing is one way, but AI to track people really helps, and makes the apps quicker. As well as separate apps, plugins for leading editing programs can speed things along. Ultimately you have tremendous versatility with a 360-degree camera; it almost doesn't matter where you point it.
If you're feeling lost, don't worry – jump to our section on how 360 imaging works, which will get your head around the basics. Thankfully, though, several of the cameras have helped out here a lot too, as you'll see. The cost of entry is a lot less than you might expect, too. And on that note, let's dive in and count off the best 360 cameras you can buy right now.
Adam has been obsessed with looking at cameras and gadgets for his whole life, and has written several bestselling books including The Drone Pilot's Handbook (he is our resident drone expert too). He owns and travels with a 360-degree camera, and tests as many as he can get his hands on.
The Quick List
The Insta360 'X' series has been refined over several generations, and now it is sharp with 8K resolution, has great low light performance, and – crucially – is easy to use with excellent software for quick fun or serious creators.
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The GoPro Max 360 camera set an exciting simplistic standard for 360-degree cameras in 2019, and in 2025 this first version got a big price cut, a minor refresh, and better software. It's hard to know which you're getting though...
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With high-res 60.5MP still images, a 1/2-inch sensor, and 5.7K 360º video, the Ricoh Theta X's specs are up there, but the auto HDR feature makes it ideal for virtual tour photos.
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The Insta360 X3 dropped in price when my new favourite the X4 came out, but this is still a very powerful device with great features and the benefits of Insta360's class-leading apps.
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With impressive hardware specs and especially good low-light performance, this is a great choice at a relatively low cost. The software offers fewer choices, but enough possibilities for exploration.
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If you're looking to work in low light, or just need better specs, then this is the more serious contender that you need, backed up by the quality software of Insta360.
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This camera is so limited that it can’t shoot regular stills or 360-degree video – but that’s the point. With a rotating mechanism and one-click operation, it’s designed for effective and foolproof capture of virtual panoramas.
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This is one of the best 360-degree cameras around for overall image quality, with a relatively large image sensor, 10-bit color and that mighty resolution. And the color and contrast you get are really something special.
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The best 360 camera
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Best 360 camera overall
✅ You want sharp 360 video: The 8K makes for much more flexibility than most alternatives.
✅ You want a great all-rounder, in any light: The camera is powerful enough to turn itself to nearly any task, including one-camera action camera modes, and works even in lower light than its predecessors.
❌ You are on a tight budget: There are cheaper options – go back two generations to the X3 and you still get a lot of quality.
❌ You don't have a modern phone: Like all 360-degree cameras, you'll get the best out of it if you can run the app.
Just as its predecessor the Insta360 X4 was destined for the top spot on this guide (and can still be seen as something of a bargain for many), I knew as soon as I first powered it up the X5 was bound to replace it. For a 10% price bump it brings even more processing power, bigger image sensors for better low light performance, and a host of improvements that have the potential to save you tons of cash and make you feel comfortable using the camera anywhere and everywhere.
Insta360 offers excellent software, which means all their 360-degree cameras are the start of a smooth and easy journey. The X5, though, with extra processing power is even better, identifying action for auto-edits and subject tracking.
As well as an excellent phone app (iOS/Android), there is an Insta360 Studio for Mac/PC and plugins for Premiere and Final Cut Pro so creating content can happen almost immediately for social, or in careful detail later. The AI subject tracking is excellent too, saving hours in manual keyframing compared to GoPro's offering.
8K resolution is significantly better than 5.7K, but the arrival of improved frame rates for 5.7K is also impressive; there are options for creators. Since you can also just use a single lens at 4K60fps threshold, you might not need a GoPro or equivalent either, which makes the cost easier to swallow.
The camera's toughness comes not just from removable lens covers but replaceable lenses should the worst happen (though in my testing I dropped the camera three feet onto a hard surface without the lens covers with no ill effects).
See my full review of the Insta360 X5
Features | I couldn't identify a feature that wasn't available to me, and moreover the device and app feel refined in use. | ★★★★★ |
Design | Obviously back-to-back lenses are inherently vulnerable, but everything has been done to mitigate that, added to a brilliantly realised device which feels like a design icon in the making. | ★★★★★ |
Performance | Everything about the cameras seems snappy in operation, and the output is strikingly impressive – certainly visibly better in lower light than predecessors. The docked star is only because I didn't find the battery – though better – didn't quite live up to the claims in my real-world tests. | ★★★★☆ |
Value | This is still spectacular value – arguably more so than the X4 since it is better in low light and makes an even better case to be your only action camera. My only reservation is that you can get a lot of the fun (but not the ruggedness or resolution) with the X3 because Insta360's apps are good. | ★★★★☆ |
Best GoPro 360 camera
✅ You love the GoPro ecosystem: The Insta360 X3 still has great software and good features despite a few extra months!
✅ You are getting the 2025 refresh: Confusinlgy this camera has been re-released – make sure you're getting the newer one to get the new mount.
❌ You want the latest and greatest: The Max (1) is way behind now – a new model is still expected later in 2025 with this staying on as a budget offering.
❌ You want the best resolution: The Insta360 X3 comfortably surpassed the Max; now the X4 has 8K.
There's no denying that my colleague who reviewed this 360-degree action camera was impressed – rightly given the fact it harks from 2019 and remains an impressive piece of hardware. In 2025 GoPro has decided to refresh it slightly as the GoPro Max 360, finally adding 1/4-inch mounting threads to the body (unbelievably the original insisted on GoPro accessories only) and cutting the price to something more reflecting the market.
In practice, that means you can screw in any selfie stick, just like the Insta360 competitors.
The company has also made a significant effort to add updated 360-degree features to the Quik app. The "Shoot first, frame later" editing has finally got some AI subject tracking options so GoPro fans aren't as far behind the game as they had been. There is also a Premier plugin (but not one for FCPX – Insta360 is still ahead there!)
That's partly because this camera will be the lower-cost option when GoPro's delayed Max 2 finally comes out (it was expected for the holidays in 2024, but now mid to late 2025 seems likely).
That's not to say that the image and video quality of the GoPro Max 360 doesn't belong on this list. In some respects, it can compete with the Insta360 X3 even now, though that device (let alone the X4) is more advanced in many respects.
The Max boasts an excellent six-mic setup, making it a highly credible vlogging camera, and the 1600mAh battery means you'll have enough charge for a day's shooting.
It still lacks a dedicated flat 4K video capture mode that you'll find on some rivals like those from Insta360, so you may need to budget for a standard GoPro or alternative too!
Significantly the price – a major negative for this camera until February 2025 – is much more competitive now, and the software better, making this a reasonable choice for the best budget camera. In fact the only reason it isn't there yet is that not every retailer carries the newer version of the old Max yet (yes, it's a bit confusing!). If you go directly to the GoPro store, you'll get it. But some other online retailers still stock the older Max (the thing to look for is the
Read our full GoPro Max review for more details
Features | GoPro is well behind the game on resolution, but at least they've got stabilization and other action camera functionality. | ★★★☆☆ |
Design | An elegant square affords a more natural screen alignment for many. Nicely robust. | ★★★★☆ |
Performance | As well as being behind in the resolution game, the stitching could be better. | ★★★☆☆ |
Value | Well this was the weak point, but GoPro finally accepted that in that in Feb 2025 and cut the price, making it a good value 360 degree camera. | ★★★★★ |
Best 360 camera for stills
✅ You want to shoot for virtual tours: The auto HDR and built-in GPS features are ideal for this
✅ You want good low-light performance: Again by automating the shooting of HDR images, good resolution is achieved in low light
❌ You want to shoot action: Frankly the insta360 X4 is better and cheaper.
❌ You're looking to keep costs down: The price is definitely high based on the spec sheet alone.
I've got to be clear straight away: this is very much a niche choice – but 360-degree photography serves niches, and virtual tour content is an important one.
Whether the Ricoh Theta X is going to appeal to you will depend on what kind of content creator you are. If you're looking at this 360° camera as an alternative to an action camera like the Insta360 X series, then bear in mind that its image stabilization just isn’t as good. Vloggers should also look at the Theta X with suspicion purely because you can’t use an external microphone with it.
So who is the Theta X actually for? It's for people who need to shoot a virtual tours fast. It can be placed on a monopod with tripod feet in its automated HDR mode and capture a 62 megapixel image which can be placed into a tool like Matterport to create a virtual tour – handy for realtors.
This is a feature that put it along way ahead of the competition when it launched, but to be fair its pricing and limited powers in the broader feature scope do put it at a bit of a disadvantage; for many virtual tours it is possible to use the technically slightly higher resolution images from an Insta360 X3 or X4.
When combined with its excellent coloring and low-light abilities, though, the Theta X’s abilities do look good even in average looking apartments. Its lack of RAW capture slightly undermines that option for some, but the realtor on the go may feel this is a wise choice.
Read our full Ricoh Theta X review for more details
Features | The automated HDR stood out at launch, but now this camera faces stiff competition from generalists. The lack of a smartphone download feature feels historic. | ★★☆☆☆ |
Design | Styling and plastic edging might not be rugged, but there is a certain chic | ★★★☆☆ |
Performance | It is dated, and lacks RAW functionality, and – while it can shoot video – the stabilization isn't up to modern standards. | ★★★☆☆ |
Value | Unless you've got a specific purpose in mind, this feels like dubious value compared to more feature-rich alternatives | ★★☆☆☆ |
Best 360 camera for beginners
✅ You want a good all-rounder: The Insta360 X3 still has great software and good features despite a few extra months!
✅ You want to save a bit of cash: This might not be the cheapest option here, but it's great value because of the apps and quality.
❌ You want the latest and greatest: The newer X4 has 8K resolution and an improved battery.
❌ You want the most rugged option: If you need lens guards for the X3, they need to be stuck on.
The Insta360 X3 was the ultimate immersive and versatile video camera until the X4 came out, trumping the X3's 5.7K capture with 8K. Nevertheless the camera still captures everything around you, enabling you to create 3D VR content easily or use its software-based reframing tools to edit your scenes as regular ‘flat’ video, where you can track subjects, create panning shots, and basically point the camera where you like AFTER you’ve shot your video, albeit at slightly lower resolution.
For most quick action shots, and things you throw onto social, you will likely find the extra resolution isn't essential, while the lower price of this now older model is appealing – and it's still newer and more powerful than the GoPro Max!
The Insta360 X3 itself was an evolution of the concept (yep, it was called the X2) rather than a giant leap forward, so it already has some improvements that makes it user friendly. It can be held in one hand, though I usually prefer to user it on a selfie stick – which becomes an 'invisible selfie stick'. thanks to the device. All the key features are available via the touchscreen, and the device is waterproof for a few meters even without a housing.
At the moment, Insta360 seems to be leading the game, and that is evidenced by their software – just about the best, friendliest, and most exciting on the market, and the software tools on phone, Mac & PC (as well as plugins for the likes of FCPX and Premier Pro) have come a long way.
I tried the X3 on a real vacation successfully, and another benefit of this camera's dominance is the range of accessories, including dive cases and more.
Read our full Insta360 X3 review
Features | Drop the resolution from the newer X4, but it still boasts a lot of action camera features including HDR. | ★★★★☆ |
Design | Decent usable screen for control; the biggest problem is the lack of detachable lens protectors so you have to be cautious in rough environs. | ★★★★☆ |
Performance | Can take a few moments to come to life, and definitely prefers good light for video. Isnta360's software is amazingly flexible. | ★★★★☆ |
Value | With a hefty price advantage over its newer sibling, this is a fine choice if you need to save some cash. | ★★★★☆ |
Best budget 360 camera
✅ You want to try 360-degree photography: With a low cost of entry the QooCam is a great way to experience 360-degree video.
✅ You want decent low-light performance: The wide aperture sensors don't do a bad job at all.
❌ You want to transfer beyond your phone: No Mac/PC apps were on offer when I tested it.
❌ You want a long battery life: I found the battery didn't manage half an hour.
This simplistic-looking 360-degree camera is very appealing because of its price. The dual 1/1.55-inch sensors and ƒ/1.6 apertures collects a good amount of light and not only captures good-looking 5.7K video but up to 62-megapixel stills, putting it close to the Insta360 X3 or the GoPro Max it seems to draw some appearance cues from.
It looks and feels good, and can be held on a selfie stick for vlogging or capturing immersive panoramas. Hardware quality extends inside too – I have found no issues like early overheating, though admittedly the battery life is surprisingly short, at about 30 minutes.
Compared to the leading brands, though we've not had time to be sure whether Kandao's new software suite quite matches up to the others. There certainly isn't the same level of support – no Mac/PC app – but the phone app connects to the device and allows transfer to social in a way which means you can have fun experiencing 360-degree.
Kandao is clearly on a good trajectory (and it doesn't hurt that company produces high-end pro 360-degree cameras and owns a good chunk of the 360-degree conference room camera market too). Pricing, though, is where this camera really shines.
That's also interesting because the camera has an 8K sibling, now available, called the QooCam 3 Ultra – which is similar looking, but taller. This suggests a decent level of confidence in the series from Kandao, which feels well-earned based on this. The Ultra is in the honourable mentions here because (at launch anyway) the value is open to doubt, but do check it out.
Check my review of the QooCam 3 for sample videos
Features | While you're "restricted" to 5.7K, that is fine; you will be more dependant on platforms like YouTube's ability to display 360-degree video though as, aside from the phone app, there isn't a lot from Kandao. | ★★★☆☆ |
Design | The camera housing feels high quality, and the aesthetics work well. | ★★★★☆ |
Performance | There is a slight sluggishness to the system, but if you keep your phone with you you'll have no problems. | ★★★☆☆ |
Value | The lower cost of entry makes this a very appealing choice, though it is now in some contention with the price-reduced Insta360 X3 which can bring better software to the table. | ★★★★★ |
Best 360 camera for sensor size
✅ You want good low-light: The large image sensors offer impressive low-light abilities even now
✅ You love Leica: The co-engineering with Leica on the lenses seems to pay off!
❌ You want to keep the cost down: Expect to pay more then even the higher-res X4
❌ You want good battery life: The battery block of the system is only 1350mAh
The Insta360 ONE RS 1-inch 360 edition is aimed at the serious filmmaker who is after the best image quality and low-light performance. It might be twice the price of the regular Insta360 One X2 but we think considering how much better it is in terms of low-light performance, dynamic range, and clarity it's definitely worth it.
As we noted in our hands-on review, It feels very well made, uses a 6-gyro FlowState stabilization for super-smooth video, and has a touchscreen which is great for previewing footage but not so easy to use if you have big hands. It's considerably cheaper than the Ricoh Theta Z1 and offers a big step-up in quality so perfect for those needing really professional-looking content.
When I got to grips with it myself, what I noticed was that it still feels like a consumer product, but there is something magical about the size of the image sensors. Having more recently reviewed the X4, I do realise that this camera is now in a very small niche; you need to want less noise in lower light or the X4 will seem a more obvious choice.
To be honest I also found the 1-inch display a little compact compared with newer devices like the X3 and X4.
Read our hands-on Insta360 ONE RS 1-inch 360 Edition review for more details
Features | Good range of features like star lapse, and Ista360's excellent editing software make this versatile. | ★★★★☆ |
Design | Simple – can be held and used without a stick. You can't say it's not innovative, but the screen is a little small and the 'some assembly required' approach isn't especially helpful. | ★★★★☆ |
Performance | The bigger sensors do afford better low light, like indoors | ★★★★☆ |
Value | This is definitely not this camera's strong point; it's a lot more expensive than the more modern X4 for a marginal improvement in some conditions. | ★★☆☆☆ |
Best single-lens 360 camera
✅ You want to shoot stills: This is all about shooting detailed images, perhaps for virtual tours
✅ You need to avoid stitching marks: By rotating the camera, there aren't two images to stitch
❌ You want video: The technology prevents it
❌ You want to shoot fast: You need to wait while the motor turns the camera
Designed for businesses that have a need to produce a lot of static virtual tours, the Trisio Lite2 is a very simple device that’s incredibly easy to use. Its 360º photos are excellent and easily good enough for use on virtual tours and for showing off event spaces and hotel rooms online.
The 8K boast is less impressive than its ability with HDR, which helps create vibrant and dynamic spherical images that excel in high contrast environments, but also in low light.
It’s no 360º action camera, with VR-style video off the table. Patience is required, too, since it takes the Trisio Lite2 30 seconds just to light-meter and take a single 360º photo. However, used slowly and carefully the Trisio Lite2 is one of the most limited, and yet the most capable, 360º cameras around that does one thing very well indeed.
The camera got a big boost when a PC & Mac app finally came along after launch, so USB – not just phone – transfer was possible.
Read our full Trisio Lite2 review for more details
Features | Not many stars here because there aren't meant to be – this is a one-job device. | ★★☆☆☆ |
Design | A little meh, to be honest, but a simple one-touch approach means you can entrust it to realtors. | ★★★☆☆ |
Performance | After a software update to 1.2, it takes surprisngly good smooth-stitched images without excessive saturation. | ★★★★☆ |
Value | To my mind, even with the improved app capable of batch processing, it's still had to justify compared to the prices of generalist 360-degree cameras like the X3. | ★★★☆☆ |
Best 360 camera for 8K video
✅ You want quality: Though there is now a new consumer 8K cam from KanDao, this broadcast tool is actually a value proposition against very high-end gear.
✅ You want to live broadcast: With a built-in ethernet socket, you can stream with no interruption.
❌ You want an 8K camera as a consumer: To be honest, Kandao – not to mention Insta360 – have cheaper options!
❌ Battery life is important to you: Frankly, it's not great.
The QooCam 8K Enterprise is very much a niche product; Kando themselves now offer a more 8K-friendly consumer product (which effectively replaces the QuoCam 8K for most). This, however, is listed in their professional section and remains one of the best 360 cameras right now for image quality because it has a massive (by 360 standards) 1/1.7-inch CMOS sensor, 10-bit color, and, of course, the 8K resolution.
It's expensive, but it isn't the 5 figure sum that some of the pro 12-megapixel gear is, so if you're looking for photos that have plenty of colors and contrast (like nothing we’ve seen before from a camera like this when the camera was launched) and are prepared to put up with the less-than-slick software that Kandao offer, this is a good choice.
The ability to spit out a great-looking photo from a 360º video is welcome, while the detail, sharpness, and smoothness of video – whether in 360º or cut down to widescreen – itself makes the QooCam 8K a giant leap forward for creative filmmakers.
We did list some negative points in our review, most notably that it does have an audible fan, however, the battery life isn't great and it's not waterproof without a housing. It was also pretty expensive, and we'd suggest that this probably isn't the right device to buy if you can wait until the QooCam 3 Ultra (see QooCam 3) starts shipping.
Read our full Kandao QooCam 8K 360 camera review (non-Enterprise version) for more details
Features | When launched, the highest resolution was THE feature, though 10-bit color didn't hurt. | ★★★★☆ |
Design | Nice big screen, though somehow the styling more or uess entirely fails to please the eye. That's hardly an issue with broadcast geatr though! | ★★★☆☆ |
Performance | Decent app with SmartClip tools / 'ExpressEdit' – don't expect to run off the battery long. | ★★★★☆ |
Value | Value has taken a kicking thanks to the Insta360 X4 for most users, but for pros the Ethernet port is what you're paying for and the usability is something you'll work around! | ★★★☆☆ |
Honourable Mentions
FAQs
How does 360 imaging work?
When visualizing how 360-degree images are captured, imagine someone photographing a sphere from the inside, making sure they get every contour of its inner surface. That’s essentially what 360-degree cameras do – place you in the centre of a sphere, and use extremely wide-angle lenses to capture everything around that point.
The sensors are ordinary ‘flat’ types, but the key is in the lenses, which are extreme fisheyes capable of capturing a 180-degree view, placed back to back. This captures two hemispherical images, which are then merged to produce the final 360-degree image. A viewer can then explore this image with a mouse, touchpad, touchscreen, or VR headset, depending on how they’re viewing the image.
Taking 360-degree videos is, naturally, more complex than stills, as the action all around the viewer will continue even if they’re not looking at the portion of the image where it’s happening. As streaming platforms get more sophisticated, live 360-degree broadcasts are also becoming more common, which is an unparalleled way to immerse yourself in an unfolding event (short of, y’know, actually being there).
Editing 360-degree imagery can be a daunting task, though it is possible to divide them up into smaller ‘windows’ to handle individually, giving yourself a bit more control. In stills, you can crop out one of these windows entirely and export it as a ‘flat’ image. In the video, this flexibility allows you to essentially simulate camera movements like tracking, panning, and zooming, even though your shot was captured from a fixed position. Handy!
There is one thing to be aware of when dealing with 360-degree imagery, which specifically is resolution. As the surface area of a 360 image is much larger than a conventional one, 12MP on a 360-degree camera means something pretty different than 12MP does on a DSLR, and you can’t crop in as close expecting the same level of detail.
How we test cameras
We test cameras both in real-world shooting scenarios and in carefully controlled lab conditions. Our lab tests measure resolution, dynamic range, and signal-to-noise ratio.
Resolution is measured using ISO resolution charts and quoted in line widths/picture height, which is independent of sensor size. Dynamic range is measured using DxO Analyzer test equipment and the results are expressed as EV values. DxO Analyzer is also used for noise analysis across the camera's ISO range, with results quoted as a signal-to-noise ratio. We typically choose three competing cameras to offer a performance comparison and some context.
More importantly, we get out there in the world and shoot some 360-degree video. This gives us the opportunity to experience the stitching – do the lenses line up and create a spherical view, or are there lens problems? Is it easy to manipulate the preview?
It is also the only way to experience a type of cameras which depend, as 360-degree photography does, so heavily on software to offer the best feature set. Effects which might seem a novelty can actually be the basis of great social video (not to mention the beginning of a whole world of goggles-friendly AR content.
We also test significant accessories – for example 360-degree cameras require special cases for underwater photography, so I did a full real-world review on the Insta360 X3 Invisible Dive Case.
