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Take high-res 66mp 360 photos with your GoPro Hero: Pano5+1 mk II vs. Panohero H5B vs. iGo 720 (GoPro Hero panoramic head comparison)

Pano 5+1 vs. Panohero vs. iGo 720 VR - GoPro Hero panoramic heads comparison
Pano 5+1 vs. Panohero vs. iGo 720 VR – GoPro Hero panoramic heads comparison

Here is a comparison between three panoramic heads for GoPro Hero 5, Hero 6 and Hero 7: the Pano5+1 mk II, the Panohero H5B, and the iGo 720 VR.  With these panoramic heads and a compatible GoPro, you’ll be able to take very high resolution (around 66mp) fully spherical 360 photos, with detail comparable to low-end DSLR panoramic photos, for under $500.

I compared the three panoramic heads by shooting photos with them with a GoPro Hero6.  I then stitched the photos in PTGui.  Here are the results.

Pano5+1 mkII

Pano 5+1 mk II (reviewed here) is a panoramic head for Hero5, Hero6, or Hero7.  It also includes an adapter for Hero4.  Here is a tutorial:

Here is a quick tutorial:

With respect to stitching quality, here is an analysis from PTGui showing ‘very good’ stitching:

Pano5+1 mk II stitching quality
Pano5+1 mk II stitching quality

Panohero H5B

Pano 5+1 mk II is a panoramic head for Hero5, Hero6, or Hero7.  Here is a tutorial with an older model for Yi action cameras (Panohero H5B is very similar except you take 4 shots above and 4 shots below, i.e. 8 shots instead of 6 shots).  Panohero H5B also has better stitching due to greater overlap compared to the older 6-shot Panohero.

Here is an updated tutorial:

With respect to stitching quality, here is an analysis from PTGui showing ‘very good’ stitching (with a bit lower control point distances than the Pano 5+1 mk II):

Panohero H5B stitching quality
Panohero H5B stitching quality

 

iGo 720 VR

iGo 720 VR is a panoramic head for Hero5, Hero6, or Hero7.  It also includes an adapter for Hero4.  To take a photo with the iGo 720 vR, you’ll need to take 12 shots (6 shots above and 6 shots below).  Here is a tutorial by its distributor Stabilizer Pro:

Here is an analysis of its stitching quality:

iGo 720 VR stitching quality
iGo 720 VR stitching quality

 

Conclusion

Panohero H5B and Pano 5+1 mk II both have ‘very good’ stitching (Panohero’s stitching is slightly better than Pano 5+1).  iGo 720 VR’s stitching is “good.”  Because they have better stitching and because they require fewer shots, I would suggest Panohero or Pano 5+1.  Between Panohero and Pano 5+1, Panohero is a bit easier to shoot with in my opinion, because you only need one panoramic head.  However, the stitch lines are diagonal, which makes it harder to avoid the stitch line (it’s difficult to aim it in such a way that important objects will not have a stitch line).  With Pano5+1, the angles are orthogonal, so avoiding the stitch line is easier.

Where to buy:

Thanks for supporting 360 Rumors at no additional cost to you by using these affiliate links:
GoPro Hero 7 Black
GoPro Hero 6 Black
GoPro Hero 5 Black (commercial packaging)
Pano5+1 Mk II
Panohero H5B (not an affiliate link)
iGo 720 VR (not an affiliate link)

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Mic Ty

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