When comparing Panono Camera vs Giroptic 360cam, the Slant community recommends Giroptic 360cam for most people. In the question“What are the best 360-degree cameras?” Giroptic 360cam is ranked 5th while Panono Camera is ranked 25th. The most important reason people chose Giroptic 360cam is:
The camera has a curved LED screen with two buttons - one on each side. These allow for basic functions (such as switching between various modes, starting or stopping an action or turning the device on or off) to be carried out. More complex configuration can be done via the companion application.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Takes completely spherical, high quality 108 MP photos
Panono uses 36 camera modules to take 108 MP photos with zero blind spots. Because Panono avoids using wide angle lenses, instead opting for a large amount of camera modules with normal lenses, the device can avoid much of the distortion that's commonly found in 360-degree cameras.
Pro Google Photosphere compatibility
Images taken with the Panono are Google Photosphere compatible. As such, they can be even used on Google Street View.
Pro You can take photos by throwing the camera in the air
This can be achieved by the accelerometer which will trigger the camera at the highest point.
Pro Fully automated stitching
Once the image files are uploaded to the cloud, they are automatically stitched within minutes. Panono provides high quality stitching and is therefore convenient for users who want to save time.
Pro Offers HDR mode
Panono Camera can capture high dynamic range photos due to HDR mode. Its settings can be enabled via the iOS or Android app.
Pro Panono apps offer a range of services
Panono has apps for Android and iOS mobile devices which allow camera settings to be changed (exposure time, ISO, White Balance). The camera can also be triggered remotely, previews can be viewed, images can be transferred to the cloud for stitching, and the user's own and other public panoramas can be viewed by pointing the mobile device in the desired viewing direction. Additional features include HDR and Anti Shake mode, while there are direct sharing options too (website embedding via iFrame, Facebook, Twitter).
Pro Water-resistant
The camera is resistant to light rain.
Pro Highly durable
This device has two shells to secure its interior while the green rubber stripes help make it more flexible in case it drops.
Pro Can be used with standard tripod screws
With the Panono tripod adapter, the camera can be mounted on a tripod and charged while it is still in use.
Pro Viewing images on a mobile device is done by pointing the device in the desired direction
Panono images can be accessed via apps for Android and iOS mobile devices and via browsers. Viewing images is achieved by pointing the mobile device in the desired viewing direction. This approach is easy to grasp by any user and no additional software is needed.
Pro Simple 2-button on-camera interface
The camera has a curved LED screen with two buttons - one on each side. These allow for basic functions (such as switching between various modes, starting or stopping an action or turning the device on or off) to be carried out. More complex configuration can be done via the companion application.
Pro Oculus Rift support
It is possible to view images and videos via Oculus Rift virtual reality headset.
Pro Can be controlled via a mobile app
360cam has native apps both for Android and iOS mobile devices.
Pro Footage can be sent instantly to other devices over WiFi
Images and videos can be sent instantly to desktop or mobile devices as well as cloud storage over WiFi.
Pro Geotagging is Google PhotoSphere compatible
GPS can be used to geotag photos. Geotagging is compatible with Google PhotoSphere and these images can then be added to Google's Street View.
Pro Offers surround sound audio
The camera has 3 built-in microphones for capturing surround sound audio.
Pro Stitching done in-camera
There is no need to use an extra tool (such as a desktop app or a cloud service) to stitch the image together as it is done entirely in-camera.
Pro Can be submerged in water of up to 10 meters
360cam is IPX8 certified, meaning that it can be safely submerged and used underwater at depths of up to 10 meters. Additionally, an Underwater Lens Cups accessory can be purchased to allow for filming underwater without water distortion.
Pro Can be used as a home surveillance camera
A Light Bulb Adaptor accessory can be purchased, allowing the camera to be screwed into a light bulb socket where it can charge and be used as a home security camera. This is done by streaming a live feed to a mobile or tablet device or cloud video surveillance service.
Pro Supports universal mounting and has a selection of additional accessories available
As it uses the universal mounting system, 360cam can be used with a large selection of mounts.
Furthermore, there are optional accessories that can be purchased, such as Light Bulb Adaptor (which allows for the camera to be used as a home security device), Underwater Lens Cups (which permits filming underwater without water distortion), and POE Video Streaming Base (which provides Ethernet connectivity).
Pro Offers automatic image stabilization
The camera uses a gyroscope and an accelerometer for image stabilization.
Pro Built-in features for time-lapse photography
Burst picture mode allows for photos to be taken at a set interval. The camera will utilize much less battery when in this mode: it can take photos for a period of up to 24 hours if set to take a picture every minute.
Pro Can upload directly to YouTube
360cam can directly upload footage to YouTube. The camera is also natively supported by YouTube, meaning that it is possible to completely navigate videos taken with the 360cam, both on the web and when using a mobile app.
Pro Can take 360 degree 8MP photos and 1080p videos
The camera has three 185-degree fish-eye lenses that it uses to capture 1080p videos and 8MP photos. It captures 300 degrees vertically.
Pro Can live stream videos over WiFi
360cam is capable of streaming videos to a mobile or tablet device or a cloud-based video streaming service over WiFi. A POE Video Streaming Base accessory can be bought optionally, so to provide Ethernet connectivity.
Pro HDR support
Giroptic 360cam supports HDR, meaning that the user can capture and recreate scenes just as they appear before his/her eyes.
Pro Excellent storage space
Giroptic 360cam offers MicroSD storage of up to 64 GB.
Cons
Con Battery life
Between 12 - 15 images per charge (which takes 10 hours) on HDR mode.
Con Only for stills (no video)
Panono Camera is only able to capture photos, and not video footage.
Con Inefficient workflow
Connecting to the panoramic ball camera via WiFi, having to enter a password and download the preview to one's phone, then connect to a router with internet access so to upload to the cloud service (into which the user must login on their phone) to get the final stitch, is all too much work.
Con Final stitching requires an internet connection
After images are taken by Panono, an instant low-resolution and unstitched preview is sent to the companion app over WiFi. For stitching, the images must be downloaded from the camera and sent to the cloud via WiFi (USB transfer is planned). If no internet connection is available, or the service is down for whatever reason, no final stitching on images can be done.
Con Blind spot beneath the camera
The camera does not produce a complete spherical image or video. It captures 300 degrees vertically, leaving a blind spot at the bottom.
Con Battery can only record continuously for an hour
The battery drains in about an hour of continuous recording.
Con Design may not appeal to everyone
The egg shape design of 360cam is not the most attractive and may not appeal to everyone's taste. On top of that, the button placement is slightly difficult to reach, making for an unusual, impractical design.
Con Poor stitching quality
At the top of the photo you can see 2 seams from the three lenses being stitched together.
Con Low video quality
Con Shipping and quality problems
Recent comments on Kickstarter about this product are namely negative and regard poor quality, faults, updates on shipping, stalling on shipping, late deliveries, inaccurate feedback from support, etc.