360 Cameras For Real Estate

most affordable

1. Ricoh Theta SC2

Easy on the wallet, easy to use.

Price:
 
 
 

pros

 Excellent value

 Small, light form factor

cons

 Images can be grainy in low light

 Limited storage

highlights

 Megapixels: 12

 Resolution: 5376×2688 (5K)

 Storage: 14GB

 Video: 4K

It’s no mistake that Ricoh makes our list multiple times on our list of best 360 cameras for real estate. The Theta SC2 is the little brother of the Z1 and for under $300, we think it’s the best entry level 360 camera on the market.

Pretty much everything is not quite as cool as the Z1, but then it’s hard to complain for a third of the price. It shares an almost identical form factor of the Z1, though has an overall less rugged build with a peepy shell that comes in four colors.

The image quality is naturally not as good as the Z1, but it’s no slouch either. Shooting at 5K resolution (but taking note this is at a 2:1 aspect ratio) with a 12 megapixel camera is adequate for most lower-to-middle end properties which have good lighting.

The biggest downside is likely the on-camera storage, which can fill up pretty quickly and won’t cut it for large jobs, particularly if you are shooting in HDR mode.

Overall, we ranked it number two because if you don’t already own a 360 camera it’s the lowest risk, highest value way to jump in. And if you start picking up more virtual tour gigs, it’s super easy to upgrade to the Z1.

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top rated

2. Insta360 ONE X2

Consumers give it all the stars.

Price:
 
 
 

pros

 Excellent social features

 MicroSD storage is great

 Great for video

cons

 More expensive than similar competitors

highlights

 Megapixels: unknown

 Resolution: 6080×3040 (6K)

 Storage: MicroSD Card

 Video: 3-6K

The Insta360 ONE X2 is a second generation 360 camera that is beloved by consumers for its fun features and ease of use. While the current $425 price tag is justified if you are looking to use this for social media or travel videos… it’s not much better for 360 photos than the Theta SC2.

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high quality

3. Ricoh Theta Z1

The perfect first 360 camera for pros.

Price:
 
 
 

pros

 Quality build & construction

 Small, light form factor

 Impressive specs

cons

 Images can be grainy, especially in low light

 Interface could be better

highlights

 Megapixels: 23

 Resolution: 6720 x 3360 (7K)

 1.0-inch CMOS image sensor

 Can shoot in RAW or JPEG

 Storage: 51GB

 Video: 4K

 Audio: 4-channel mic

If you are just jumping into offering professional virtual tours as a service for agents, property managers or businesses, the Z1 is the place to start. It’s easily the best mid-priced 360 camera of the top four on our list and does a nice job of balancing quality and cost.

Coming in at just above the $1,000 mark, the Z1 isn’t cheap though and if you’re already been shooting professional real estate photos for some time, you will undoubtedly feel the images are more grainy than you’d like. However, most of the other 360 cameras are even more grainy, so it’s all relative.

While there are other 360 cameras that shoot at higher resolutions, 23 megapixels does a great job of balancing what is possible with what is practical. Also, the ability to save in RAW is handy if you plan to do more post-processing, but I find myself shooting in JPEG for speed and ease.

If you are looking to expand your offering, but not ready to drop $3,000+ and a monthly subscription for a Matterport, this is your best option.

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most expensive

4. Matterport Pro 2

Oh. So. Pro. And oh so expensive.

Price:
 
 
 

pros

 Unparalleled image quality

 Excellent build quality

 3D LiDAR measurements

cons

 Money, money, money!

 Yet another big thing to lug around (7.5lbs)

Required monthly subscription

 Poor data privacy reports

highlights

 Megapixels: 134

 Resolution: 8092px x 4552px (8K)

 Storage: external

 Video: none

Yes, owning a Matterport will make you look and feel professional, but at what cost? Yeah, just a cool $3,395. And that is without accessories or their subscription service, both of which you need and in the case of the subscription, must, purchase.

If you plan to build up a high-end virtual tour business for luxury or commercial clients, this is likely where you will end up. But even then, make sure you have the business before you make the investment because this isn’t like your other expensive cameras…

No, unlike any other professional camera you’ve ever owned, this one is going to cost you an additional $69 per month subscription just to use it. Oh, and it goes even higher once you exceed 25 active spaces.

Once you get past the sticker shock and are really really sure you have the order volume and true need… this is one heck of a camera! Nothing, not even the Z1, comes close to the image quality you can get from Matterport. But once you sip the juice, it’s hard to escape the fees.

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