When comparing Bublcam vs LG 360 CAM, the Slant community recommends LG 360 CAM for most people. In the question“What are the best 360-degree cameras?” LG 360 CAM is ranked 6th while Bublcam is ranked 8th. The most important reason people chose LG 360 CAM is:
The LG 360 camera has a small rectangular frame with a plastic sheath that slides over its lenses to protect them from scratches. It's rather short and a little thick, which may make it feel a bit bulky. But even then, it's small enough to be carried around and fits comfortably in a pocket.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion 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 Highly portable
The LG 360 camera has a small rectangular frame with a plastic sheath that slides over its lenses to protect them from scratches. It's rather short and a little thick, which may make it feel a bit bulky. But even then, it's small enough to be carried around and fits comfortably in a pocket.
Pro Good bang for the buck
Most good 360 degree cameras cost upward fo $300. LG 360 is one of the few (if not only) 360-degree cameras that costs $200 and has great specs.
Pro Easy to use
The camera on its own is very simple to use. It only has two buttons: a power button and a shutter button.
Most of the time though it will be used in tandem with a smartphone which again, is pretty easy to do. Connecting a phone to the camera consists of selecting it from the phone's Wi-Fi settings like any other wireless network.
Pro Storage capacity can be increased
The micro SD card can be quickly removed and replaced with another if the user requires more storage. In this sense, the user is not limited to the built-in storage capacity of some other options.
Pro Comes with a protective lens cover for carrying and storage
The camera is easy to damage due to the protruding lens. However, it comes with a hard shell cover which keeps it protected when in your pocket/bag.
Pro Clear stills in good lighting
The LG 360 has one of the higher MP specs at 16MP, and the images have good clarity in well-lit areas.
Pro Allows manually tuning ISO, white balance, shutter speed and aperture
Gives you the option of tweaking the camera settings for capturing images in difficult situations and/or adding an artistic effect.
Pro Multi-purpose lens cover
The lens cover not only provides protection, but it also doubles as a small stand.
Pro Sharp videos in bright locations
When taken in good lighting, the higher resolution results in a fairly clear and sharp video.
Pro Real-time live preview via a smartphone app
The smartphone app allows previewing the footage that the camera is capturing. It can also adjust settings such as exposure and white balance.
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 Cannot view photos or videos directly on the camera
Since there's no screen on the camera, the only way to view what you captured is to transfer them to your phone or PC. For most photos this is not an issue as the process is very fast, but unfortunately it's quite slow for videos that are large in size.
Con Stitching quality is poor
Con Third-party software is required to edit video
Neither the mobile app, nor the desktop program that the camera comes with can edit the captured footage.
Con Poor video quality
The stitching in videos is much more evident than in the photos. The video loses a fair amount of clarity in low light settings.
Con It's easy to accidentally damage the device
You have to be extra careful in how you store the device due to its protruding lens design which makes it quite easy to damage.
Con Indicator lights are difficult to see in the daylight
When outdoors on a sunny day, the indicator lights can be very difficult to make out. For example, it can be difficult for the user clearly see whether the camera is recording or not.
Con Photos are out of focus
Only a small area at the center of each lens is capture properly in focus. Everything else is blurry to some degree with nearby areas being especially poor. Plus, the stitching quality is not that great either.