Today’s smartphones have managed to turn most of us into amateur photographers. But as smartphone photography became ubiquitous, a more intriguing version of the instant photo came into vogue – the spherical 360-degree panorama. 360-degree photography allows you to view a scene in any direction from a single vantage point, and smartphone apps make this incredibly easy to achieve, as you don’t have to do anything other than use a specialized app and move your smartphone to capture and view the scene.
Before modern smartphones, the only way you could capture a true spherical panorama was to use a special camera designed for the task and use stitching software to stitch the multiple shots together. You can still do that, but today’s photo apps allow you to not only capture 360-degree images, videos, and billboards, but share them instantly privately or via social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube. Here are some of the best 360 camera apps currently available for iOS and Android.
Google Street View
When you’re in the middle of nowhere or maybe somewhere majestic and need to show the world what it looks like, the free Google Street View app with a built-in 360-degree camera is where it’s at. The app is a viewer that lets you see public 360-degree scenes from photographers around the world, but the best part is that you can create your own spherical images to share on Google Maps. Take 360-degree photos using your phone’s camera, then position them and add links on a map using the Street View app. Just select a camera and the interface will guide you through a recommended sequence of shots to create your panorama. Then, using the GPS built into the app, you can determine your exact location. You’ll need to upload via Wi-Fi so if you’re away from a hotspot or at home, your images will remain private until you can upload them.
iOS Android
360 Pro
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With 360 Pro, you can shoot 360-degree videos and 360-degree photos from your tablet or smartphone. The application supports the VR format and is compatible with all VR devices. You can also watch live video streams from your camera, take 360-degree videos, take 360-degree pictures, download videos or pictures to your smart device and share them with friends.
iOS
Visa360
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Vizo360 lets you take stylish 360-degree photos and selfies — complete with filters — for a whole new look. With an easy-to-use interface, you can choose Panorama or Free style to capture the image and then share the results on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube.
iOS Android
Panorama 360
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With your iPhone or Android smartphone, Panorama 360 lets you capture the view around you. The app quickly connects footage and lets you view it in your own 360-degree viewer. The app also supports Google Street View photos and iPhone panoramas and includes automatic geotagging. After reviewing your footage, you can upload your panoramas to share with friends and family or embed them on your website or blog. You can also upload images directly to Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. The app also connects you with other users to share their collections, and you can view panoramas via a 3D viewer or as flat images. A $3 in-app purchase gives you an HD option for high-definition panoramas, although newer versions have the native panorama resolution increased. Although this app is not as highly rated as some others, it is still available, still works as advertised and is updated regularly.
iOS Android
Photaf Panorama
Photaf, an Android-only app, lets you easily create flawless 360° panoramic photos by using your camera’s orientation sensor to detect the exact angle of each image. The application includes creation of panoramas, automatic merging of images and sharing on Facebook. Just launch the app and start moving your phone to see a full panoramic view using your phone’s compass or touch screen. The Pro version costs $4 and allows you to upload images to the company’s website and view them from your computer. It also offers HD, live wallpaper creations and no ads.
Android
Cardboard camera
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With Google’s free Cardboard Camera, you can capture and share 3D VR photos designed for viewing in Google’s Cardboard companion app and compatible headsets. It is extremely easy to use; just open the app and tap on the bottom right corner Take photos, then tap Record. With outstretched arms, hold the device in portrait mode and slowly move in a circle to the left or right. The camera automatically stops recording when you turn completely 360 degrees. Then tap Done. These photos offer more accurate distance and perspective of objects so that nearby objects actually look close and objects that are further away maintain a realistic and proportional distance. To experience the app’s VR output, place your phone in the Google Cardboard browser.
This app is down considerably from its 2016 peak and has lower ratings than our typical top picks. We’re including it here because of its historical value as the original VR app designed to work with the original Google Cardboard browser, and in recognition of Google once again updating this app for modern smartphones.
iOS Android
Frequently asked questions
Are 360-degree images the same as panoramic photos?
With standard panoramas, you shoot while rotating around your own axis, but the up and down parts are not included. When you take a 360-degree spherical image, you capture every point around you in all directions, side to side and up and down. Sometimes 360-degree images are called 3D or VR, although with 3D the camera also captures depth information, which is used to create 3D models that allow you to move through environments. These 360-degree images are also viewed as panoramas where you simply turn your phone around or slide your finger across the touchscreen to see a quasi-immersive scene.
Is it the same as virtual reality?
Since you can view 360-degree images and spherical panoramas through VR headsets from Google Cardboard to HTC Vive Pro, calling them VR isn’t too much. The anticipation of Apple’s brand new VR headset, the company’s long-rumored first, could help revitalize older VR photo apps and inspire the creation of new AR/VR hybrid or mixed-reality ones. The genre isn’t as robust today as it was during its 2015-2017 heyday, and many apps have been pulled or simply abandoned.
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Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn