Best 360 still camera for interior panos?

[Transforman]

Hi there,

what are your recommendations regarding a good 360 camera for interior panorama photos?
I do have a fisheye lens and a panorama tripod head that I'm using with my Sony A7RII sometimes but I need something that comes close in terms of quality while still being a one-shot camera.

The Ricoh Theta Z1 still isn't available and also not exactly cheap. Is there anything in the sub $1,000 range that shoots good quality photos inside as well as outside in direct sunlight?

[Transforman]

Does anyone have experience with the Insta360 ONE X? If so, would you mind posting a link to an interior tour?

[Hopki]

Hi,
I have one, but not used it to build any tours.
Stitching is not as good as the Ricoh Theta V IMO, but it has the advantage you can get the RAW photos from it.
But then if you're going to start photo edit then get a DSLR and get far better images.
Regards,
Hopki

[greytail2018]

I have been using an InstaPro One. I use it in AEB mode and take at least 3 bracketed images that I process in Aurora 2019 aa a batch.I do the same thing with a DJI Phantom 4 Pro. Then I stitch these images in Auto Pano Giga or PTGUI. Then I fix up the nadir/and or sky in Affinity Pro, then import the result into ON1 Photo Raw for final touches. Finally, I bring it into Pano2VR. I find this entire process retains GPS information, ready for Google Street View and website display. IMO, the result is a high resolution image, not as good as a DSLR (which I also have) but quick and convenient and if it is going to be displayed full screen on a website, entirely satisfactory. I am open to criticism but i think the images here are pretty respectable for a client who may get the occasional website visitor. You will note that I do not use any Adobe products!
www. maplesyrupvermont.com/panoramas

[Transforman]

Thank you both for your comments! I will give the Insta360 One X a try.

[Transforman]

I just got the Insta360 ONE X and took a few AEB bracketed test shots with it.
How do I import the .insp files into Pano2VR? I tried processing them with PTGUI Pro but it wouldn't accept it.

Is there a way to make the import process quick and easy? The project I'm about to undertake doesn't allow for lenghty conversion sessions of any kind.

[360Texas]

Good question. Glad you asked.

You need to download from insta360.com their "Insta360 Studio 2019 "360 editing" software.

Desktop type:
Windows v3.3.2
MacOS v3.3.2 or
LUT v 1.0.0

https://www.insta360.com/download/insta360-onex

Here is the link to the Studio 2019 Tutoria page Their Support has video on a lot of their funtions
https://www.insta360.com/support/suppor ... t_id=11139

copy/cut all the .insp files from your smart phone folder to your desktop new folder.

Then from your new desktop folder drag drop them into the blank field in the Studio 2019. Afterward you can export or save out with a file type suitable for PTgui version 11.x and Photoshop or Affinity Photo.

Hope this helps
Dave

[Transforman]

Thank you sir.
I have the insta software installed but unfortunately it doesn’t process/create hdr images. I was hoping to have that step included when batch exporting to jpg.

[360Texas]

while I have not yet done HDR

I would think... take the .insp set into Studio... export / convert the exposure "set" -2,0,+2 to .jpg's. Then into PTgui v11 and let Ptgui do the HDR combining and save out to single equirectangle large file like 24 bit .tif file type.

Keep in mind that the original .jpg image quality (read your Camera Craft) will determine the final quality. If the camera settings, shutter speed and ISO, window blow out etc are not near perfect then PTgui really can not improve on the file stitched panorama. It might take a few attempts

Some where in the "Save" work flow.. it is important to keep the meta data intact as meta data keeps file name, exposure values, date time etc which PTgui uses to merge the HDR process.

[Hopki]

Hi,
As an FYI, if you rename the file extension from .insp to .jpg then they show.
They use their own extension but it's still a jpg.
Regards,
Hopki

[Transforman]

Thank you both for your answers!

[360Texas]

That was a REAL find. Thank you. Copy paste/ rename. Much faster !

I have always wondered why a company would try to create their own file name extension. Silly !
One less program to work with !