What Is 360-Degree Photography?

Have you ever dreamed of capturing entire scenes in a single, immersive image? This blog takes you undercover into the world of 360-degree photography, explaining the technology and guiding you through the process. We'll even explore the factors to consider when deciding what 360-degree camera to buy.

In this article:

What is 360-degree photography?
Where have I seen 360-degree photography before?
Can I take 360-degree photos with any camera?
Tips for producing the best 360-degree photos

What Is 360-Degree Photography and How Do You Do It?

360-degree photography is sometimes called full or spherical panoramic photography, and it refers to capturing a complete image of your surroundings — including everything from the ground at your feet to the sky overhead, with no angle left unseen.

While 360-degree photos can sometimes be confused with panoramas, panoramas capture the full view in front of you when you look straight ahead. If you're interested in exploring wide-field shooting more broadly, our guide to panoramic photography covers techniques and gear in depth. The difference between a 360 image and a panorama is that a 360 image also captures the details behind you!

Where Have I Seen 360-Degree Photography Before?

Have you ever actually encountered 360-degree photography? It's more likely than you think! Facebook may have been an early adopter in 2016, but 360-degree experiences are popping up everywhere. They're being used to create in-depth virtual reality tours of everything from travel destinations to museums. Even in the search for a new home, you might come across 360-degree real estate photography, with listings that showcase properties from all angles, allowing you to take a virtual walk-through of rooms before scheduling an in-person inspection. For more on shooting properties professionally, our real estate photography tips cover lighting, composition, and gear recommendations.

Can I Take 360-Degree Photos With Any Camera?

The popular Insta360 X4 360-Degree Camera

With a dedicated 360-degree camera, the task of capturing beautiful 360-degree photographs is quick and easy — but you can also take 360-degree photos on an iPhone or any other digital camera.

A 360-degree camera includes more than one wide-angle lens and built-in software that allows you to capture and render a full 360-degree image in no time at all.

With a standard camera, the process is more in-depth and you need to piece together a specialised set of equipment. As well as a camera capable of capturing high-quality images, you need a tripod that can pan 360 degrees, a remote control to save you from accidentally bumping your camera, and software capable of stitching the multiple images captured into a finalised 360-degree product.

Tips for Producing the Best 360-Degree Photos

360-degree photography tips

Keep things level: A key element to a seamless 360-degree photography technique is ensuring your camera is level during capture. Use a tripod for stability and adjust its height so the camera sits at eye level. If you need help choosing the right support gear, check out our roundup of the best tripods for photos and video.
Consistency is key: Maintain consistent settings throughout your shots. This includes the key settings of the exposure triangle — aperture, shutter speed, and ISO For a thorough breakdown of how these three elements work together, see our complete guide to the exposure triangle. For a full breakdown of how ISO works and how to use it confidently, see our guide to ISO in photography. Consistency helps the stitching software seamlessly blend the individual images. To make this more successful, shoot in RAW so you have greater latitude during editing and can do batch edits to speed up the process.
Embrace overlap: When capturing your multiple photos, make sure each frame overlaps the previous one by at least 20–30%. This extra overlap provides the stitching software with more data to create a smooth and accurate final image, and it avoids "stitch lines" — a 360-degree photographer's worst enemy.
Avoid moving subjects: 360-degree photography struggles with objects or people moving within the scene during capture. If possible, choose a time with minimal movement to save you from having to become a master editor to fix the issue.
Stay out of the way: Another nightmare for a 360-degree photographer is appearing in their own images. If you are shooting manually, it's easy enough to stay out of the frame, while it is a bit trickier when using a 360-degree camera that produces the image in a single capture. Cameras within the Ricoh Theta range offer a time shift function, which allows the dual lenses to operate independently, therefore allowing you to shuffle out of view.
Lighting matters: For even lighting throughout your 360-degree image, try shooting on overcast days or in locations with diffused light. Avoid harsh shadows or brightly lit areas that can cause stitching issues.
Embrace the edit: Post-processing software can enhance your 360-degree image. Adjust exposure, white balance, and even remove unwanted elements for a polished final product.

Understanding the 360 Camera View

The defining feature of a 360 camera is its ability to produce a complete spherical view in a single capture. Most dedicated 360 cameras achieve this using two ultra-wide fisheye lenses mounted back-to-back. Each lens covers roughly 180–200 degrees, and the camera's internal software — or companion app — stitches both feeds together into one seamless 360 camera view.

When you view the raw file on a flat screen it appears distorted, like a stretched map of the Earth. But when loaded into a compatible viewer or social platform, it transforms into an interactive, navigable scene. This is what separates a true 360 camera view from a standard wide-angle or panoramic shot — full spherical coverage with no gaps.

What Does a 360 Camera Shot Actually Look Like?

A finished 360 camera shot can take several forms depending on how it is exported and shared. In its equirectangular format — the standard output for most 360 cameras — the image looks like a wide, distorted rectangle covering the full sphere around the camera. Once uploaded to platforms like Google Photos, Facebook, or viewed in a headset, it becomes fully interactive.

360 camera photos can also be exported as 'tiny planet' or 'rabbit hole' projections, popular creative styles that reinterpret the spherical data into eye-catching circular compositions. Whether you are shooting 360 camera photos for virtual tours, social media content, or real estate listings, understanding your export options helps you get the most out of every 360 camera shot you take.

How to Do 360 Photography: A Step-by-Step Overview

Knowing how to do 360 photography comes down to a repeatable process, whether you're using a dedicated 360 camera or stitching shots manually. With a dedicated camera like the Insta360 X6 or Ricoh Theta X, the steps are straightforward: mount the camera on a tripod at eye level, connect to the companion app, frame your shot, and capture. The camera handles stitching automatically. If you're shooting manually with a DSLR or mirrorless camera, set your exposure manually to keep settings consistent across frames, rotate your tripod head in even increments (every 30–45 degrees), overlap each frame by at least 20–30%, and import the images into stitching software such as PTGui or Adobe Lightroom's panorama merge. Either way, the fundamentals are the same: stable support, consistent exposure, and sufficient overlap.

360 Photography and Video: What About Moving Images?

While this guide focuses on still 360-degree photography, it's worth knowing that many modern 360 cameras also capture stunning 360 video — and the newest addition to the Insta360 lineup, the Insta360 X6, pushes this capability further than ever. Released in 2026, the X6 shoots 8K 360 video with significantly improved low-light performance and on-camera AI editing tools, making it one of the most capable all-in-one 360 cameras available in Australia. Whether you're creating immersive travel content, virtual tours, or social media reels, a camera like the Insta360 X6 means you no longer have to choose between photo and video — you can do both in a single shoot.

View Novatech Direct 360-Degree Camera Range

Ready to start shooting immersive 360-degree images? Browse our full range of 360-degree cameras online or visit your local Novatech Direct store for expert advice.