I got the GoPro MAX as my introduction into 360 cameras.
​https://amzn.to/2X8SRRa​
It does something my iPhone/handphone camera can't. Take 360 photos/videos, and so I felt that gave me something new that I previously never really had.
Pros:
No need to worry about:
framing
stabilization
horizontal leveling
Capturing the atmosphere, feel, and experience of a place
Cons:
No remote, have to use voice commands
Remember to rest camera on its side
iOS issues:
iOS doesn't support saving 360 photos/videos to the native Photos app
iPadOS
doesn't do vertical/landscape orientation well
Sometimes it goes vertical, when I want landscape
Wish you can speed up or slow down a video
YouTube 90 second limit when exporting from the iOS/iPadOS app
Workaround: AirDrop the file to your macOS, this will export it into an mp4 file.
Upload the mp4 file
Cannot stitch videos on iOS/iPadOS
Sucks when TimeWarp splits videos at 6m40sec
Facebook issues:
Cannot upload 360 from iOS
Works ok when uploading file from Desktop
PowerPano upload doesn't view in Pano
Doesn't work on iOS or Desktop
Instagram:
No support for 360 photos or videos
Google Photos:
Doesn't handle 360 photo files
Doesn't properly Power Pano either
YouTube
Doesn't natively support the .360 video files
Have to export to .mp4 and then upload
YouTube compression doesn't seem that good, will have to experiment
90 second limit when exporting from the iOS/iPadOS app
Memory Card
You need to take battery out to take the memory card out
May consider putting a tape on the memory card so I can yank it out
GoPro Player (macOS Desktop App)
Cannot stitch videos together
5.6k and 4k export is only available without reframing
5.6k ProRes, 10min file took 22mins to render on a MacBook Pro 2017 16GB ram, 2.9 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7
FileSize: 49.38GB
Reframing
Limits exports to either: 1080p or 720p
Cannot speed up videos either
Video Mode
360 @ night, walking
Jitters around the lights
No stabilization?
A lot of visual noise, doesn't do well in low light
Manuals:
Notes:
Voice Commands, alternative for a remote
GoPro, capture
GoPro, stop capture
GoPro, start recording
GoPro, HiLight
GoPro, stop recording
GoPro, take a photo
GoPro, start time lapse
GoPro, stop time lapse
GoPro, turn off
GoPro, Video mode
GoPro, Photo mode
GoPro, Time lapse mode
TimeWarp
360
360 does not have "auto" mode
10x setting
Not good for casual walking
No sound
Might be better to record in video mode, and then speed it up manually in an editor (not GoPro's app) or YouTube (max Playback is 2x)
This will at least include sound
Splits video at 6mins 40seconds (400 seconds)
Raw .360 file size: 4.01GB
AirDropped mp4 file size: 3.33GB
Video
360
No stabilization
Splits video at 8mins 2 seconds (482 seconds)
Raw: 4GB
GoPro Plus
If you are buying accessories, it may make sense to get GoPro Plus because you'd make back the same money
Apps:
iOS/iPadOS https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gopro/id561350520​
Resources:
360 viewers:
Editors:
Final Cut Pro X
$299
Adobe Premier Pro
$239.88/year ( @ $20.99/month) or $31.49/mo
VR Mode
Accessories:
​GoPro Max Grip + Tripod​
Great for simply setting up and capturing 360
Tightener can be on the opposite side of battery access
​GoPro 3-Way Grip​
Tightener blocks access to the battery
Requires you taking the GoPro off
​GoPro Fusion Case​
Harder case to protect your GoPro Max
AirDrop from iPadOS to macOS:
ExifTool Version Number : 11.70File Name : output_11-13-2019_14_08_21.MP4Directory : /Users/aizat/DownloadsFile Size : 3.1 GBFile Modification Date/Time : 2019:11:13 14:15:06+08:00File Access Date/Time : 2019:11:13 14:15:06+08:00File Inode Change Date/Time : 2019:11:13 14:16:50+08:00File Permissions : rw-r--r--File Type : MP4File Type Extension : mp4MIME Type : video/quicktimeMajor Brand : Apple QuickTime (.MOV/QT)Minor Version : 0.0.0Compatible Brands : qtMovie Data Size : 3330208954Movie Data Offset : 36Movie Header Version : 0Create Date : 2019:11:13 06:08:27Modify Date : 2019:11:13 06:15:06Time Scale : 600Duration : 0:06:39Preferred Rate : 1Preferred Volume : 100.00%Preview Time : 0 sPreview Duration : 0 sPoster Time : 0 sSelection Time : 0 sSelection Duration : 0 sCurrent Time : 0 sNext Track ID : 3Track Header Version : 0Track Create Date : 2019:11:13 06:08:27Track Modify Date : 2019:11:13 06:15:06Track ID : 1Track Duration : 0:06:39Track Layer : 0Track Volume : 0.00%Matrix Structure : 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1Image Width : 4096Image Height : 2048Clean Aperture Dimensions : 4096x2048Production Aperture Dimensions : 4096x2048Encoded Pixels Dimensions : 4096x2048Media Header Version : 0Media Create Date : 2019:11:13 06:08:27Media Modify Date : 2019:11:13 06:15:06Media Time Scale : 600Media Duration : 0:06:39Media Language Code : undGraphics Mode : ditherCopyOp Color : 32768 32768 32768Handler Class : Data HandlerHandler Type : Alias DataHandler Vendor ID : AppleHandler Description : Core Media Data HandlerCompressor ID : avc1Source Image Width : 4096Source Image Height : 2048X Resolution : 72Y Resolution : 72Compressor Name : H.264Bit Depth : 24Video Frame Rate : 29.97Spherical : trueStitched : trueStitching Software : Spherical Metadata ToolProjection Type : equirectangularImage Size : 4096x2048Megapixels : 8.4Avg Bitrate : 66.7 MbpsRotation : 0
When filming, you have to consider where the content is going to be consumed.
Two perspectives
VR mode
YouTube
GoPro Player
Spherical
GoPro Player
Hold the camera mostly at eye level, you'll get a more comfortable view of yourself when rewatching the videos.