Inspect-a-Gadget: 360-Degree Cameras

Inspect-a-Gadget is a monthly segment where we feature a tech toy our editors have been playing with.

In the beginning there was Google Street View: the 360-degree street-side images made waves when the service debuted in 2007. But until recently, taking 360-degree photos was the sole province of businesses or wealthy hobbyists who used multiple cameras to stitch together a picture.

Enter the single-lens 360-degree camera. Affordable and simple, a raft of these gadgets are coming to the market. YouTube and Facebook already support 360-degree images and video; more importantly, so does your smartphone. 

At That’s, we got our hands on the Wipet and the soon-to-be-released Camorama. Both cameras use independent apps to view captured material through a smartphone, allowing the user to simply point the phone where they want to look and resulting in plenty of ‘woah!’ moments among friends.

But like smartphone cameras, lowlight situations are a natural enemy. The Camorama, which can record video in 4K, does a competent job of dealing with the problem by offering different light settings. The plan is to eventually use these images in virtual-reality headsets, meaning you'll be able to move your head to look around. Vacation snaps will never be the same!

For who: experimental photographers, forward-thinking real-estate agents
How much: about RMB2000
Sold where: JD.com, Taobao.com

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