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Add to SafariWhen comparing Bublcam vs Samsung Gear 360, the Slant community recommends Samsung Gear 360 for most people. In the question“What are the best 360-degree cameras?” Samsung Gear 360 is ranked 5th while Bublcam is ranked 9th. The most important reason people chose Samsung Gear 360 is:
Samsing Gear 360 is extremely easy to use. The software experience is excellent and intuitive with minimal (if any) bugs or issues. It's so easy that even an absolute beginner can use it without any problems.
Specs
Question Ranking
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 Very easy to set up and use
Samsing Gear 360 is extremely easy to use. The software experience is excellent and intuitive with minimal (if any) bugs or issues. It's so easy that even an absolute beginner can use it without any problems.
Pro Can connect and edit wirelessly
When connected to a Galaxy device, you can use the familiar Samsung camera apps with the same buttons and settings in the same places.
There are a few new buttons such as the one that lets you select which Gear 360 lens to use (front, back, or both), and another one for the live view.
Pro No seam artifacts
Offers dual F2.0 lenses at 195° FOV each. The amount of overlap in theory should reduce seam artifacts (even if it isn't perfect) and the F2.0 aperture will make shooting in low-light a breeze.
Pro Straightforward updating experience
Updating the firmware on the camera is pretty easy. You don't have to download a binary on your computer and transfer it to the camera or anything like that. Instead, it's all done through Wi-Fi directly from the camera itself.
Pro Will feel very familiar for users who have used a Samsung mobile device in the past
The camera and sharing applications are very similar to Samsung's camera and gallery apps (with minor differences). Anyone who has used a Samsung mobile device in the past will find it very easy to get used to these apps as well.
Pro Can shoot videos at 60 frames per second
There's an option to shoot 360-degree videos at 60 frames per second. Unfortunately, the resolution drops to 2560 x 1280 when you choose that option.
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 Blatant image stitching
Virtually all photos and videos that have been published present blatantly poor stitching: it is clear to see where the images were taken and digitally stitched together.
Con Only compatible with Samsung flagships
This camera can only be paired with the latest Samsung flagships which are S7, S7 edge, Note5, S6 edge plus, S6 edge, and S6.
Con Soft focus or blur quality
Distant objects will be blurry in the final result, whether it is a still picture or a video.
Con Difficult to carry around
While most 360-degree cameras are small enough to fit inside a pocket, it is not the case for the Samsung Gear 360. The round shape makes it uncomfortable to fit inside a pocket and you need a bag to carry it around.
Con Video not stitched in camera
Better cameras give you finished video, ready to use. Samsung's need post processing to render viewable 360 video. Not only inconvenient, but a very slow process and subpar results with very raw stitching.
