Best 360 cameras of 2017 in first 360 Camera Awards presented by Life in 360 Rumors

Ben Claremont (Life in 360) and yours truly (360 Rumors) present the best 360 cameras of 2017 in the First Annual 360 Camera Awards.  Without further ado, here is the video:

Here are the winners as of October 2017:

Best 360 camera under $100 (photo and video):
– Samsung Gear 360 2016 – around $90.  30mp photos, 4K video. Detailed review here. Needs Samsung S6 phone or above, or Windows PC with OpenCL 2.0 to stitch.

Best 360 cameras under $300 (photo and video):
– Xiaomi Mijia MI SPHERE – under $200 with code 360RUM1111 or see here for other discounts. Edge-to-edge sharpness, excellent dynamic range, high resolution (24mp) with Adobe DNG Raw (note: Raw shooting requires third party stitcher).  Detailed review here.
– Insta360 ONE – $270 with code GBNovember. High resolution (24mp) with Adobe DNG Raw shooting and stitching.  For video, this is the best option if you want live streaming or a better workflow than Xiaomi.  Detailed review here.

Best 360 Photo $300 to $1000:
– Mic prefers: Xiaomi Mijia Mi Sphere under $200 with code 360RUM1111.  Although this is less than $300, in my opinion, it outperforms other all-in-one 360 cameras in this category.  Detailed review here.
– Ben prefers: Ricoh Theta V $429.  Excellent dynamic range and excellent stitching.  Detailed specifications.
– Mic and Ben: Panohero H5B $90 or Pano5+1 Mk II $60. For static shots, these have higher image quality than Xiaomi or Theta V.  Both of these use a GoPro to shoot 65mp 360 photos with Raw option, and zero parallax error.  They have similar image quality but Mic prefers Panohero because you don’t have to switch panoramic heads.  To use Panohero or Pano5+1, you will need GoPro Hero 5 $360 or GoPro Hero 6 $499.

Best 360 video $300 to $1000:
– Garmin Virb 360 $749. Excellent resolution and dynamic range, built-in stabilization.   Comparison vs Xiaomi.
– Ricoh Theta V $429. Video quality almost as good as Virb, plus best audio quality.  Also best 360 camera for underwater. Detailed review.
– See also Yi 360 VR $399.  Class-leading image quality.  Similar resolution as the Virb but with better desktop stitching and with less flare.  Reviewed here.

360 photo over $1000:
Panono $2099.  Best resolution (16384 x 8192) and excellent dynamic range.  Hands-on first impressions.
Insta360 Pro for 8K 3D $3499. Email me for discount code.  Reviewed here.
Kandao Obsidian Go for 8K 3D $2499.  Preview here.

360 video over $1000:
Insta360 Pro $3499 email me for discount code.  Reviewed here.
Kandao Obsidian S $6999.  Preview here.
Kandao Obsidian R $6999. Hands-on impressions here.
Z Cam S1 $2499.  Comparison with Insta360 Pro.

Don’t just take our word for it!  You can compare these and other 360 cameras in the Ultimate 360 Camera Comparison page.