When it comes to creating 360 virtual tours, you can use a top end digital camera or you can use a professional 360 camera. So which is best – well it depends!
Without doubt, the most visually stunning photographic tours are done using very expensive digital cameras. They are captured by expert photographers, who charge high professional rates. So, if you are selling luxury cars or luxury hotels, that’s probably the way to go.
For everyone else, especially if you don’t happen to have five figure budgets, step this way.
Professional 360 cameras, are incredibly sophisticated cameras that use six lenses to capture a full 360 panorama in one click. Even the most advanced digital cameras cannot do this. Instead a photographer has to set up a shot, taking into account all the light and shutter settings. They take a photo, then rotate the camera by 60 degrees and do it all again. It takes six photos to make a panorama, and then three more each for the ceiling and the floor. In total, they need to take 12 shots to make one 360 panorama. Then each needs stitching together, to create the panorama.
Sounds time consuming? It certainly is, and who pays? You do of course. These tours are very expensive to create, and you will need to close some or all of your business for much longer, to allow the photographer the time they need.
So, what’s the alternative?
So what is the alternative? A low cost 360 tour, where the photography takes a few hours, not a few days. And quicker turnaround times, meaning you save money and get your 360 content much quicker. Talk about win/win.
The big question is will my customers notice the difference? In reality probably not. Customers are looking for virtual tours that help them to make a choice – where to eat, where to stay, where to shop and mostly they will access 360 content on mobile. On a smartphone, it is pretty difficult to tell the difference between 12k resolution and 20k resolution. Both look great.
On a big monitor you can start to see the difference, to see where you investment is going – but is this how your customers access your web content? Not according to the latest 2024 industry data. They say that 75% of all users search first on their phones. It’s no wonder that the industry buzzword is ‘mobile first’.
So, I wouldn’t get a professional photographer?
Professional 360 cameras can be operated without the need for a qualification in photography. However, you still need to be very knowledgeable about photography. This means you can be a skilled professional marketer and a skilled self taught photographer and still get awesome results. But at a much lower cost because the expensive 360 camera does so much of the work.
The computer inside the professional 360 camera can work out using AI, in a split second what needs to adjust to create the best possible shots.
This means that the photographer can work much quicker, and deliver the results much quicker. And because it is quicker, it is cheaper for your business.
So, do I need a photographer or a marketer?
The answer is both. The best 360 tours need to look great, of course they do. But, they also need to help your customers to make the choices that you want them to. Whether it is making a booking, a purchase or signing up to a mailing list – your 360 tour should make it easy and fun to do so.
Ultimately, your return on investment isn’t your photographer winning awards – it is you winning new business.