When comparing Bublcam vs Kodak SP360 4K, the Slant community recommends Kodak SP360 4K for most people. In the question“What are the best 360-degree cameras?” Kodak SP360 4K is ranked 2nd while Bublcam is ranked 8th. The most important reason people chose Kodak SP360 4K is:
The range of mounts offered by the Kodak SP360 4K enable it to be fixed to anything when capturing shots.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Real-time in-camera stitching
The camera does not require use of an extra tool (such as a desktop app or a cloud service) to stitch the image together: this is done in-camera. The result can be viewed real-time on mobile devices via native iOS and Android apps by streaming it over WiFi.
Pro Can be controlled via a mobile device over WiFi
Bublcam has companion apps for Android and iOS. They allow the camera to be controlled within a 10-20 meter range over WiFi. The app can display a live stitched preview of the footage.
Pro Comes with several useful items
Bublcam comes with a protective bag for carrying it, as well as a mini tripod, a lens pen, a USB charger and cable, and a 16 GB micro SD card with an SD card adapter.
Pro Good stitching quality
Bublcam uses its own software to stitch images together to form a 360 view. The software used is reasonably successful at stitching. While artifacts and splicing issues may occur, they are usually not noticeable during a casual viewing and only properly reveal themselves upon closer inspection.
Pro Good quality image capture
Bublcam uses four 190-degree 1.6 MP lenses to capture completely spherical 14 MP photos.
Pro Good video quality for a first generation device at a reasonable price range
Bublcam uses four 190-degree 1.6 MP lenses to capture completely spherical 2688p x 1344p @ 15fps; 1984p x 992p @ 30fps videos after stitching.
Pro Includes time-lapse support
The user can set intervals between images, as well as a time-lapse duration of up to a maximum of 60 minutes.
Pro Can take HDR images
The user can increase the exposure range of Bublcam from 0.5 to 3 stops when shooting in HDR mode.
Pro Flexible mounting
Bublcam uses a standard mount, which allows for a wide variety of mounting options.
Pro Includes lens pen for cleaning lenses
If the user happens to touch the lenses, Bublcam comes with a lens pen for cleaning off fingerprints or smudges.
Pro VR smartphone frame support
The smartphone app can create a splitscreen view of the image and use the phone's built in gyroscope to view around the image. This permits the user to apply a VR smartphone frame to look at images and videos.
Pro Good range of mounts
The range of mounts offered by the Kodak SP360 4K enable it to be fixed to anything when capturing shots.
Pro Can capture slow-motion videos
This device can capture 720p @ 120 fps videos.
Pro Highly durable
The camera is splashproof, waterproof via a case, shockproof up to 2m via a lens cover, freezeproof up to 14°F / -10°C and dustproof, making it an excellent device for use outdoors when exposed to the elements.
Pro Can be controlled remotely
The camera can be controlled remotely from the user's mobile device, allowing for added flexibility.
Pro Free stitching software if you opt for the dual mount
The company offers free stitching software for those who opt for the dual mount.
Pro Can be combined with another camera to shoot 4K spherical videos
SP360 4K allows for one of the rare 2-camera setups that's capable of capturing completely spherical 4K video at 30 frames per second. Most alternatives either can't match the resolution, the framerate or require more than 2 cameras (which means more stitch lines). Important to note that in order to capture spherical footage, you'll need another SP360 4K camera and a dual camera base mount. Once captured and stitched, the output video is 3840 x 1920 @ 30 fps.
Pro Can shoot 360° x 235° without stitching artifacts
Unlike most other 360-degree cameras, SP360 4K only uses a single lens which means that there's no need for stitching the video.
Pro Offers motion-detection mode
The user can set the camera to a motion-detection mode that allows the camera to record videos when it picks up movement. It will then stop recording if there has been no movement for 10 seconds. This makes for an easy set-and-forget mode that can pick up one's pets or be used for security.
Pro Excellent video quality in the price range
You can capture 2880 x 2880 footage @ 30fps with one camera and completely spherical 3840 x 2160 footage @ 30fps with 2 cameras. Within its price range, the video quality of the camera is excellent. The footage is reasonably sharp and it has good colors.
Pro Camera is straight forward to use
If you only want to shoot 360° x 235 then you don't need to worry about stitching the images. Though the software can be a problem, the camera itself is fairly intuitive.
Pro Good stills quality
Takes 12MP stills with clear colors.
Cons
Con Battery can only record for an hour's duration
The battery of Bublcam is used up quickly, and the file is in fact deleted when the camera runs out of juice.
Con The company has a questionable history
Multiple people are reporting their Bublcam's dying after a few weeks of use, while requests for replacements and returns are being ignored. There has been a long delay in customers (who purchased in late 2015) receiving the cam.
Con No desktop or web-based preview
Bublcam real-time preview only works through Android or iOS companion apps.
Con Internet streaming not possible
There is currently no way to broadcast stitched videos over the internet with Bublcam.
Con Limited uploading to the cloud
Photos can only be uploaded to the cloud one at a time, which is rather time consuming for users who have taken numerous photos.
Con Can't charge it while shooting
The company suggests not powering on the bublcam while charging. This can be quite problematic considering the battery will only last for one hour of recording.
Con Not waterproof, and no waterproof casing available
The bublcam cannot handle moisture. Waterproof housing was supposed to be available in late 2015, but is still not on the market. You can read more here.
Con Live preview is slightly laggy
When previewing videos via the smartphone app, there is an obvious stuttering that sometimes occurs.
Con Turning it on can take too much time
The boot-up process takes about 30 seconds. In that sense, it is unrealistic that the device can be used spontaneously, unless of course the user has kept it turned on all the time.
Con Desktop software is unintuitive and buggy
The desktop app is difficult to navigate, making it hard to find what features you're looking for.
It's known to be buggy, with a common issue being an error message when trying to upload to youtube.
Con Stitching could be better
Kodak's stitching software is somewhat disappointing, particularly when it comes to matching up exposure.
Con Can look grainy in low light settings
Details are lost in a lower-light setting and the image becomes grainy.
Con Getting a completely spherical image requires two cameras
A single SP360 4K camera captures a 360 by 235-degree video. In order to get a completely spherical 360 by 360-degree video you need two cameras and a mount to stick them together. A bundle like that costs $799.99, which requires a serious commitment to shooting spherical video (even if it's great value for money).
Con Loose dome cover
The dome cover on some devices has become loose.