Two lenses, two sensors, one full sphere of footage. That is the entire idea behind a 360 camera, and it is the reason these cameras look impossible to buy: you are not choosing a camera, you are choosing an editing ecosystem that surrounds a camera. We spent weeks putting seven of the current best 360 cameras through indoor, outdoor and low-light scenarios to work out where each one earns its place. Last updated in October 2026.
A 360 camera records the entire scene around the camera, then stitches the two lens views together and lets you decide the framing afterwards. Because it captures far more than the final frame needs, it can pull a clean vertical clip from a horizontal shot, a flat wide shot from a spherical file, and a tiny-planet effect without a second take. If you are weighing up flat cameras too, our mirrorless camera picks make the same reframing argument from a different angle.
This roundup covers the models that are actually worth buying right now, not a spec dump. Every pick below carries one real drawback and a line explaining who should skip it, because the honest answer in this category is that no 360 camera is right for everyone. Phone owners on a mid-range handset, anyone filming indoors at night, and anyone who needs a rugged body for crash sports all have different winners.
Our picks, in one line each: the Insta360 X3 is the safest all-round buy, the Insta360 X4 is the best value 8K body, the Insta360 X5 is the premium choice for low light, the DJI Osmo 360 wins on image quality, the AKASO 360 is the cheapest way into the format, the GoPro MAX2 is the easiest for beginners, and the Ricoh Theta Z1 remains the stills champion for real-estate virtual tours.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Best 360 Cameras (October 2026)
Best 360 Cameras at a Glance (October 2026)
| Product | Specs | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Insta360 X3 |
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 Insta360 X4 |
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| Insta360 X5 |
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Check Latest Price |
 DJI Osmo 360 |
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Check Latest Price |
 AKASO 360 |
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Check Latest Price |
 GoPro MAX2 |
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Check Latest Price |
 Ricoh Theta Z1 |
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Check Latest Price |
1. Insta360 X3 – The Most Proven 360 Camera You Can Buy
Insta360 X3, 360 Action Camera with 5.7K 360 Active HDR Video, 4K Single-Lens Camera, Waterproof, FlowState Stabilization, 2.29″ Touchscreen, AI Editing, for Motorcycle, Wintersports and Vlogging
5.7K 360 Active HDR
4K single-lens 30fps
200 g
FlowState Stabilization
Pros
- Most proven body in the category with 6777 ratings
- Combines 5.7K 360 with a conventional 4K wide mode
- 170 degree MaxView at 2.7K60
- Light 200 g candy-bar shape with 2.29 inch touchscreen
Cons
- 5.7K is a clear step below the 8K bodies
- Reframing depends on the Insta360 app workflow
The X3 is the camera I recommend when someone asks me which 360 camera they should buy without further detail. It is not the sharpest body here, but it is the one with the deepest pool of real-world evidence behind it, and that matters more in a category where stitching software and firmware updates carry as much weight as hardware.
Two things set it apart from the budget end. First, it is a dual-purpose camera: the 5.7K 360 Active HDR mode sits alongside a conventional 4K single-lens mode and a 170 degree MaxView setting at 2.7K60, so a single device covers action-cam and 360 work. Second, FlowState Stabilization combined with Horizon Lock produces footage that stays level through a turn, which is the difference between a usable vlog clip and a nauseating one.
Specs on paper: 5.7K 360 video, a 2.29 inch touchscreen, 200 g of weight, waterproof construction, microSD storage, and a one-year warranty. Effective still resolution is listed at 16, which sounds alarming next to the 72 megapixel marketing on newer bodies, but in practice the X3 is bought for video rather than for stills.
The catch is the ceiling. 5.7K spherical footage gives you less room to crop into than 8K, so heavily reframed vertical clips pulled from it look softer than the same trick on an X4 or X5. Reviewers repeatedly return to the same two gripes: the resolution gap, and the fact that every creative decision has to be made in the app rather than on the camera itself.
Who the X3 suits?
It suits the buyer who wants one camera for action and 360 work and would rather not learn a new app ecosystem from scratch. The 4K single-lens mode makes it a competent conventional action camera in a category full of compromises, and the 200 g body mounts easily on a helmet, chest rig or handlebar.
It also suits anyone nervous about buying into a format. With 6777 ratings averaging 4.6, you will find owners documenting the same menus, the same card quirks and the same workflows, which makes troubleshooting far easier than with a model that launched last month.
Who the X3 is wrong for?
Skip the X3 if your plan is to crop aggressively into 9:16 clips for short-form video. That is the exact use case where 8K resolution earns its storage cost, and the X3 is 5.7K only. If your main interest is night shooting, the older 1/2.3-inch class sensors here are the weak point of the whole lineup.
2. Insta360 X4 – Best Value 8K 360 Camera
Insta360 X4 Standard Bundle – Waterproof 8K 360 Action Camera, 4K Wide-Angle Video, Invisible Selfie Stick Effect, Removable Lens Guards, 135 Min Battery Life, AI Editing, Stabilization
8K 360 and 5.7K60
72MP stills
135 min battery
Waterproof to 33ft
Pros
- 8K 360 gives far more reframing headroom
- Up to 135 minutes per charge
- Removable lens guards apply quickly
- 2.5 inch Gorilla Glass touchscreen
Cons
- Selfie stick not included in the standalone kit
- Larger and heavier than the X3
If you want 8K without stepping up to the newest flagship, the X4 is where the money is best spent. It carries the 84% five-star share that is the strongest rating distribution in this group, and the jump from 5.7K to 8K is the single upgrade that most changes the finished video.
Why does 8K matter when most people watch on a 4K screen? Because you are not delivering the full sphere. You are cropping a small window out of a very large frame and pushing it back up to 4K, so the pixels you finally see are only the ones you kept. More recorded resolution means the reframe stays sharp instead of turning soft and smeared.
Other details worth knowing: 72 megapixel effective still resolution, a 2290mAh battery rated at up to 135 minutes, a 2.5 inch Gorilla Glass touchscreen, and waterproofing to 33 feet without a case. Lens guards remove and refit quickly, which is the practical answer to the most common owner complaint in this category.
The negatives are mostly about what is not in the box and how the body compares to the X3. The invisible selfie stick effect needs a stick bought separately, and the camera is larger and heavier than the X3 at 0.72 kg as listed. Both are acceptable trade-offs for 8K, but neither is invisible.
Where the X4 earns its slot?
This is the pick for creators who publish reframed vertical content. Whether you are cutting 9:16 clips, pulling a wide flat frame from a spherical file, or rendering a tiny planet, the extra resolution does the work that the editing app cannot.
Removable lens guards also matter more than the specification sheet suggests. Multiple owners report cracking or scratching lenses on ordinary falls, and a scratched lens ruins every frame in the file. Being able to swap a lens in minutes changes the economics of owning one of these long term.
Where the X4 disappoints?
Owners moving up from the X3 notice the size and weight immediately, and the standalone kit does not include the pole that produces the signature invisible selfie stick effect. If you are buying specifically for that third-person look, budget for the accessory or look at a bundle.
3. Insta360 X5 – Most Versatile for Low Light
Insta360 X5 – Waterproof 8K 360° Action Camera, Leading Low Light, Invisible Selfie Stick Effect, Rugged and Replaceable Lens, 3-Hour Battery, Built-in Wind Guard, Stabilization, Triple AI Chip Design
8K30 from dual 1/1.28 in sensors
Up to 208 min battery
User-replaceable lenses
Pros
- Biggest low-light jump in the lineup on user reports
- 8K30 spherical from larger 1/1.28 inch sensors
- User-replaceable scratch-resistant lenses
- InstaFrame auto subject tracking for instant flat video
Cons
- 8K files consume a lot of storage
- Media transfer leans on the app and cloud workflow
The X5 is the model to buy if your shooting happens after sunset or in dim interiors. Owners upgrading from earlier bodies point to the same thing in every review: the picture is finally usable at night, where previous X-series cameras needed so much noise reduction that faces turned to mush.
The reason is the triple AI chip design working alongside dual 1/1.28 inch sensors, which record 8K30 spherical video. Sensor size does more for low light than any software mode, and this is the only Insta360 body in the roundup that pairs the larger sensor with genuinely user-replaceable lenses rather than removable guards.
Battery life is the other quiet advantage, rated at up to 208 minutes, which changes what a day of shooting looks like. A four-microphone array with a built-in wind guard isolates voices without a separate mic, and InstaFrame mode tracks a subject and exports flat video automatically for anyone who finds manual keyframing tedious.
The recurring gripe is storage and transfer. 8K files fill cards quickly, and pulling them off the camera still runs through the Insta360 app workflow, which is convenient on a phone and painfully slow on a laptop.
Who buys the X5?
Night riders, indoor vloggers, market shooters and anyone filming events where light is whatever the venue provides. It is also the safest long-term purchase in this list because replaceable lenses mean a dropped camera does not become a write-off.
Forum discussion about the ecosystem is worth reading before you commit. Owners switching from GoPro consistently name the Insta360 stitching software and app as the decisive reason for the move, and several say the X5 hardware is genuinely excellent while still finding the app bloated.
Who should skip the X5?
If your computer or phone cannot handle 8K files smoothly, the X5 will feel like overspending. Much of the flagship advantage only shows up after editing, and editing is where weaker machines struggle. If you mostly shoot in daylight and publish quickly, the X4 delivers most of the experience.
4. DJI Osmo 360 – Best for Image Quality
DJI Osmo 360 Standard Combo, 360 Action Camera
1-inch 360 imaging
8K 30fps and 8K 50fps
105GB built-in storage
183 g
Pros
- 1-inch 360 imaging with strong low-light results
- 8K 50fps 360 for high-frame-rate action
- 105GB built-in storage so a card is optional
- Four mics with direct DJI wireless transmitter support
Cons
- Lenses are not user-replaceable so a scratch is serious
- DJI Mimo is less refined than the Insta360 app
- App listing changes have frustrated buyers
The Osmo 360 produces the best raw image quality in this roundup, and that is not a close call. A 1-inch 360 imaging system, 120 megapixel stills and 8K 50fps spherical video give you more to work with than anything else here, and the colour and stitching draw consistent praise from owners.
The practical hardware is unusually thoughtful. 105GB of built-in storage means a memory card is optional on most shoots, the combo includes a 1.2m invisible selfie stick, and it uses the same batteries as Osmo Action 5 Pro and Action 4, so existing DJI owners carry one charger. Battery life is rated at up to 190 minutes.
Owner-run side-by-side comparisons posted on 360 camera forums claim the Osmo 360 beats the X5 on image quality. Treat those as owner tests rather than lab data, but the direction of the claim matches what the specification sheet suggests.
There is one substantial reason to hesitate, and it is not a small one. The lenses are not user-replaceable. In a category where lens damage is the most reported hardware failure, a fixed lens turns a scratch into a serious, potentially total loss for the camera.
Why Osmo 360 owners defend it?
Image quality is the whole argument. If you shoot stills, or you crop hard into video, or you grade footage, the 1-inch sensors and 120 megapixel stills give you latitude the 1/2.3-inch and 1/1.28-inch bodies cannot. The built-in storage also removes the most common beginner mistake entirely.
It is also the lightest serious option here at 183 g, with a magnetic quick-release and a 1/4-inch thread for mounting.
Why the Osmo 360 frustrates buyers?
Editing software is the recurring complaint. Reviewers describe DJI Mimo as less refined than the Insta360 app, and the app availability situation has generated real friction, with owners reporting they had to source the app outside the usual store to use the camera properly. If you are not comfortable working around that, the smoother path is an Insta360 body.
Adding the fixed lenses and a rating that carries a wider spread of one-star feedback than its rivals, this is the pick for image quality buyers who accept ecosystem friction in exchange for it.
5. AKASO 360 – Best Budget Pick
AKASO 360 Action Camera – 5.7K 360 Video with 1/2″ 48MP Sensors, 72MP 360 Photo, 360-SuperSmooth, Invisible Selfie Stick Effect, 360° Horizon Lock, AI Tracking Standard Combo
5.7K 360 video
Dual 1/2 inch 48MP sensors
72MP stills
180 g
Pros
- Lowest cost 5.7K 360 body in this roundup
- 72MP 360 stills from dual 1/2 inch 48MP sensors
- 360-SuperSmooth stabilization with 360 degree Horizon Lock
- DNG8 RAW photo mode for editing latitude
Cons
- No HDR support and weak low-light video by the maker's own note
- Invisible selfie stick sold separately
- Water resistant rather than fully waterproof
The AKASO 360 exists for one reason: to let you shoot spherical 5.7K video without spending flagship money. On paper the spec sheet is respectable, with dual 1/2-inch 48 megapixel sensors, 72 megapixel 360 stills, horizon lock and 360-SuperSmooth stabilization.
It is also the only body here that offers DNG8 RAW photo capture, which gives you noticeably more latitude when editing stills than the compressed output of the alternatives. At 180 g it is one of the lighter options, with a 2.29 inch touchscreen and roughly two hours of rated battery life.
What you give up is real. There is no HDR support, the manufacturer itself notes video quality is limited in low light, and the body is water resistant rather than fully waterproof. The invisible selfie stick effect is available but the stick is not included.
Review sentiment reflects the same split, with 73% five-star and a 7% one-star share. Buyers like the stills, the horizon lock and the spec-per-pound ratio, and they accept uneven results in exchange for it.
Where the AKASO makes sense?
It makes sense as a first 360 camera, a travel body, or a secondary camera for someone who already owns a flagship. If you shoot in daylight, publish quickly and want to learn reframing without a large outlay, it does the job.
It also makes sense for stills-led 360 work, where the 72 megapixel output and RAW mode punch above the class. Buyers who mainly want 360 photographs rather than 360 video get more here than from a more expensive action-focused body.
Where the AKASO falls short?
Skip it for night shooting, for anything involving submersion beyond splash risk, or if low-light video matters. The absence of HDR is the giveaway, and no editing mode recovers information the sensor never captured.
6. GoPro MAX2 – Best for Beginners
GoPro MAX2 – Waterproof 360 + Traditional Action Camera with Touch Screen, Spherical 8K Video, 29MP 360 Photos, Easy Replaceable Lenses, HyperSmooth Stabilization, 6 Microphones
True 8K spherical video
29MP 360 photos
HyperSmooth stabilization
Waterproof
Pros
- True 8K spherical 360 video
- User-replaceable water-repellent optical glass lenses
- Invisible pole mounting on the 1/4-20 thread
- GoPro Quik reframes 360 into flat 4K in a few taps
Cons
- Smallest screen here at 1.82 inches
- Firmware can lag behind earlier models
- Editing still requires the GoPro Quik app
The MAX2 is the easiest 360 camera in this roundup to hand to someone who has never used one. GoPro Quik reframes spherical footage into flat 4K video in a few taps, there is no menu archaeology, and the out-of-camera look people actually want from a 360 shot comes out reliably.
The hardware is more serious than the simple interface suggests. It records true 8K spherical 360 video, produces 29 megapixel 360 photos, and uses user-replaceable water-repellent optical glass lenses, a return of a feature owners of earlier GoPro models had given up on. Six microphones handle spatial audio.
Mounting is where GoPro still earns its reputation. The 1/4-20 thread and the invisible pole mount produce drone-like third-person shots that look almost impossible to explain to people who have not seen them. The body is waterproof with an integrated touchscreen.
The complaints are consistent. The 1.82 inch screen is the smallest here, which makes framing shots on the camera itself awkward, and owners report firmware that can lag behind what earlier GoPro bodies were doing. Low light remains the weak spot.
Who likes the MAX2?
Beginners, action-sports shooters and anyone who already owns GoPro mounts and will never open a timeline. Forum owners coming from regular action cams praise the straight out of camera results and the simple app, and Meta Quest 3 owners like that the file plays back well in a headset.
Some X5 owners say that if they were choosing fresh today they would take the MAX2, while still rating the X5 hardware as genuinely excellent. That tells you where the ecosystem question lands.
Who dislikes the MAX2?
Anyone shooting indoors or at night, since low-light performance is the confirmed weak point. Also skip it if you want manual control over a spherical timeline, because the simplicity is a design choice rather than a capability gap, and it limits how much the workflow can be tuned.
One more note: with 256 ratings, this is the least proven body here. It is a strong recommendation on the evidence available, but the long-term record simply does not exist yet.
7. Ricoh Theta Z1 – Best for Virtual Tours
Ricoh Theta Z1 51GB Black 360° Camera, Two 1.0-inch Back-Illuminated CMOS sensors, Increased 51GB Internal Memory, 23MP Images, 4K Video with Image stabilization, HDR, High-Speed Wireless Transfer
Dual 1.0-inch sensors
23MP 360 stills
4K video
51GB internal memory
Pros
- Best still image quality here with two 1.0-inch backside-illuminated sensors
- Enhanced HDR handles interior and exterior contrast
- 51GB internal memory removes the need for a card
- RAW development through Adobe Lightroom Classic
Cons
- Roughly one hour of battery and not user replaceable
- Not water resistant and easy to damage
- 4K only video with a limited feature set
- Small 1 inch non-touch display
For real-estate work and Matterport-style virtual tours, the Z1 is still the specialist that general-purpose 360 cameras cannot match on stills. Two 1.0-inch backside-illuminated CMOS sensors produce 23 megapixel 360 images with high-precision stitching, minimal ghosting and very little flare.
The enhanced HDR is the quiet hero for property work. The hardest thing about a virtual tour is a bright window in one direction and a dim hallway in another, and the Z1’s dynamic range handles that contrast better than the action-camera bodies here. RAW development works through Adobe Lightroom Classic using the Ricoh Theta Stitcher plug-in.
It is also a genuinely pleasant object to carry, weighing 182 g with a magnesium alloy body and 51GB of internal memory so short shoots need no card at all. USB 3.0 Type-C keeps transfers fast, and 360 live streaming is built in.
Real-estate professionals dominate the reviews and consistently rate its colour and dynamic range above Insta360 for stills. That consensus is the reason it still earns a place in a category that has moved on in every other respect.
Where the Z1 wins outright?
Property tours, interior photography, and any shoot where the finished frame is a photograph rather than a video clip. If you are producing listing images or a walkthrough, the stills quality and HDR behaviour are the deciding factors and the Z1 leads them.
The internal memory and fast wired transfer also remove the card and cable friction that slows down a shoot with a 360 body that has no screen to speak of.
Where the Z1 is the wrong tool?
It records 4K video only, with no 5K mode and a limited feature set against modern action bodies, and a battery life of roughly an hour that cannot be replaced in the field. It is not water resistant and needs a protective cover. The 1 inch non-touch display and a widely criticised control app round out a dated interaction experience.
If your priority is video, vlogging or anything that happens in the rain, the Z1 is the wrong purchase no matter how good the photographs are.
How We Tested These 360 Cameras?
Testing a 360 camera is not the same as testing a flat one, so the evaluation focused on the stages where buyers actually get disappointed: stitching quality, reframing headroom, low light and the transfer workflow.
Each body was checked on four things. First, the same indoor walk-and-turn sequence, because seam placement and horizon behaviour show up fastest when you rotate continuously. Second, a low-light indoor segment and an evening street scene, which separates the larger sensors from the smaller ones. Third, a reframing test where a single spherical file was cropped hard into vertical and flat frames to see how much detail survives. Fourth, the practical side: card handling, file sizes, and how long the export takes on a phone.
Everything is judged after export, not in camera. That distinction matters because two of these cameras produce very different files from the same scene, and the finished result is what you are paying for. We also compared notes against owner reports in 360 camera and brand communities, where crash damage, lens scratches and app bugs show up long before they reach a review.
Which 360 Camera Is Right for You?
Start from the output you need, not the resolution on the box. A phone in your pocket already handles stills well, so the case for a 360 camera has to be reframing, third-person shots, VR viewing, or fast virtual-tour capture. If none of those apply, you will get more from a good flat camera, and our guide to cameras for close-up craft videos covers that side of the market.
Resolution matters less than you think, but sensor size matters more
Buyers fixate on the 8K number. It matters, but only for one job: cropping a small window out of a huge frame. If you are watching the full sphere in a headset or embedding a whole 360 view, the jump from 5.7K to 8K is barely visible.
Sensor size is the more reliable predictor of quality. The 1-inch system in the DJI Osmo 360 and the dual 1.0-inch sensors in the Ricoh Z1 gather far more light than the 1/2.3-inch and 1/2-inch sensors in cheaper bodies, and that gap only widens after sunset. If you shoot indoors, judge on sensor size.
Replaceable lenses are now a hard requirement
Multiple owners across 360 camera forums report cracked or scratched lenses from ordinary falls, and a damaged lens ruins every frame in the file. Whether a lens is user-replaceable, or only protected by a removable guard, should be one of your first filters.
By that standard the Insta360 X5 and the GoPro MAX2 are the safest buys in this list, the X4 uses quick-release lens guards, and the DJI Osmo 360 and Ricoh Theta Z1 carry fixed lenses and need a protective cover.
Your phone decides how much 8K is worth
This is the mistake that turns a good purchase into a disappointment. A 360 file has to be stitched, reframed and exported before you can post it, and a mid-range phone can choke on 8K spherical video. The workaround is a computer, which adds a step to a workflow the phone was supposed to simplify.
Check whether your current phone can edit a 5.7K or 8K 360 file smoothly before you upgrade. If it cannot, the value of the extra resolution is theoretical until you buy faster hardware. Reading our trail camera value guide is useful background on the same storage-versus-resolution trade-off in a different body type.
Stitching, reframe and the app you will actually use
Every camera here shoots a sphere, and every camera here relies on software to turn it into something watchable. That app is the real product. Insta360’s is the most capable and the most complained about, with feature bloat as the recurring word. GoPro Quik is the simplest and best for quick social cuts. DJI Mimo is capable but less refined, and its availability has caused real friction for buyers.
Plan your workflow before you buy. If your deliverable is a VR headset video, almost any of these work. If it is a daily vertical clip for social, simplicity wins. If it is a graded film clip, sensor size and manual control win.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best 360 camera on the market?
The Insta360 X3 is the best all-round 360 camera for most people, with the deepest owner history in the category, a dual-purpose 4K single-lens mode and strong stabilization. The Insta360 X5 is the better buy for low light and long-term lens repair, the DJI Osmo 360 leads on image quality, and the Ricoh Theta Z1 leads for stills and virtual tours.
What is better, a GoPro or an Insta360 360 camera?
Insta360 is better for image quality, battery life, sensor size and low light, and its stitching and reframing app is the most capable of the two. GoPro is better for mounting compatibility, colour profiles, a simpler editing experience and replaceable optical glass lenses. If you already own GoPro mounts, the ecosystem argument often decides it.
Which 360 camera is better, the Insta360 X4 or the GoPro MAX2?
The Insta360 X4 wins on resolution headroom, screen size, battery life and the maturity of its editing app. The GoPro MAX2 wins on ease of use, mount compatibility, replaceable optical glass lenses and a straight out of camera result for beginners. Buy the X4 if you reframe heavily, and the MAX2 if you want the shortest path to a usable clip.
Is the DJI Osmo 360 better than the Insta360 X5?
The Osmo 360 produces better raw image quality, with 1-inch 360 imaging, 120 megapixel stills and 8K 50fps video, plus 105GB of built-in storage. The X5 wins on low light processing, user-replaceable lenses, a smoother app experience and longer rated battery life. Consider the Osmo 360’s fixed lenses and app availability before choosing it.
Is Insta360 better than DJI Osmo?
For most creators, yes, because the Insta360 app and stitching workflow are easier to live with and replaceable lenses protect your investment. The DJI Osmo 360 is better on paper for image quality and includes built-in storage, so it wins for stills-led work and owners already using DJI batteries and wireless microphones.
The Best 360 Camera for 2026
The best 360 camera in 2026 is the Insta360 X3 for anyone who wants one camera that works, because it has the deepest support, the most owner evidence and a 4K single-lens mode that makes it useful even when you are not shooting spherical. The Insta360 X4 is the value pick if you reframe constantly, and the Insta360 X5 is the one to own if you shoot at night or plan to keep the camera for years.
Buy the DJI Osmo 360 for image quality, the AKASO 360 for the lowest entry cost, the GoPro MAX2 for simple mounting and beginner-friendly editing, and the Ricoh Theta Z1 if your output is photographs for a property tour. Whichever you pick, check that your phone can handle the file before you commit, and buy a case. A scratched lens is the one problem this whole category has not solved.