5 Things To Know Before Shooting 360 Video

Capturing video in 360 degrees is all the rage these days. It offers an immersive experience that was once unimaginable. Thanks to continuous improvements both on hardware and software, all the tools to shoot in 360 degrees are within arm’s reach. But don’t think that investing in a 360 camera is all you need. There’s more to it than simply pointing and shooting. Here are some important things you should know before shooting your first 360 videos.

IMAGE: 360

1. Not All 360 Cameras Are The Same

If you do a quick Google search, you’ll find plenty of 360 cameras ranging from a couple hundred bucks to tens of thousands of dollars. Money is always a huge role in determining what camera to include in your arsenal, but it shouldn’t be the only factor to consider. You should be particularly careful with the viewing angle. Many cameras boast of capturing in 360, but their actual viewing angle may only be 240 degrees. This means you have some filling up to do, which requires adding graphics or using multiple cameras to cover all angles.

As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. This cannot be truer for 360 cameras but it doesn’t mean investing in the most expensive camera. It’s all about identifying your needs and finding the camera with the right specifications at the price you can afford.

2. Creating An Interactive 360 Experience Requires The Right Planning And Resources

Since 360 cameras have become more affordable, many people have jumped on the trend without a clear idea of how to make their 360 videos a success. You may have seen a 360 video that doesn’t really offer the kind of experience that will keep you coming back for more. The secret lies in creating an interactive 360 experience, one that has a clear purpose and guides viewers throughout every step.

When viewing a 360 video, viewers have the freedom to look anywhere and fail to see what you really want them to. The best solution to this is by adding interactive elements to your video. These elements essentially tell viewers where they should be headed. Even if each viewer takes a different route, everyone ends up seeing your core message or doing your desired action. Using a 360 video builder like Viond, you can turn an otherwise forgettable 360 video into one that offers an immersive experience and delivers your target message.

3. Objects May Appear Differently In 360

You may have a picture in your mind of how you want things to look in 360, but there are many things that may not fall into place. It’s hard to gauge how far an object will appear or how the lighting will look like. Dealing with stitch lines can also be frustrating. It takes trial and error especially when you’re totally new to 360 video production.

4, Resolution Goes Down

In an attempt to lure in customers, most 360 cameras are advertised as high-resolution. Don’t fall for it, though, since this number only reflects the maximum resolution of the flat RAW image the cameras can shoot. Once you render the images in 360 degrees, the resolution goes down. Expensive cameras that can shoot at 1080P may only produce something closer to a 480P quality video.

5. Video Quality Suffers When Sharing

Platforms that support 360 videos are also making improvements to deliver the highest-quality immersive content. However, video quality still takes a hit when you share your videos. The reason for this is that most 360 players compress the video file. You can always start with a high-resolution video to get the best result, but don’t expect it to be of the same quality as the one you have on your phone or desktop.

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IMAGE: TECHNISCH