Request for a review about cameras

[KaliroAlex]

Greetings to Googlers,  Google and Connect Moderators and fellow Local guides,

As a local guide you may have noticed that a post with a wow picture and nice content will receive a great deal of Kudos here on Connect and a higher number of views on the Maps resulting into great feedbacks from users. Take  examples of @OSAMA's post, the pictures I took after reading a number of reviews by  @AriMar and other Googlers; one, two and Before joining Connect picture and 360 Grand Master @Gio51x at the street view.

All the examples stated are as a result of Cameras used and skills at work.

With this I request for a review about the cameras(smartphone cameras, pro camera and VR camera) may be most local guides will be confident to share their experiences with a photo talk.

Best Regards 

Kaliro  Alex 

[DeniGu]

Hi @KaliroAlex,

We do have very skillful photographers among the Local Guides. I'm sure you can find many tips and tricks if you search the community.

Also, I'll move your post to the Photography board, so that more pros can see it.

Kind regards,

Deni

[Gio51x]

dear friend @KaliroAlex  

I have a passion for Street View that starts from 2007/2008 and for all these years I have navigated in maps in SV mode, only recently (April 2018) I'm sharing SV of the world in htlm mode, in March 2018 I got the certification Trusted SVT and to date I have 77 spheres published on Maps.

soon I'll get a better instrumentation and I'll start proposing the sale of VTs also in Tourmake / viewmake mode to commercial activities,
I'm a bit early here, I have to learn a lot, but I have to learn a lot,

up to now I'm using the Galaxy S 8 smartphone camera,
I learned to make 360 spheres always better,

but I still have to learn a lot, myself, just as I am continuing to study and work in Content marketing and communication strategies.

[Nick-Hobgood]

@KaliroAlex  I use a Canon SL 1 DSLR, Tokina 10-17mm fisheye lens and Nodal Ninja panoramic head on a tripod to take my 360s.  I have not tried a one shot 360 camera yet but I am happy with the resolution and quality of images that the DSLR produces.  I have added an image of the equipment below and an embedded tour with resulting images from using the equipment listed above. 

Pros

• Your 360s are higher resolution and will come out clearer and in focus
• With stitching software like PTGui, you can mask parts of photos in areas where they overlap. This will allow you to eliminate people from one scene to another by selecting the areas where there are no people in the shots. 
• The tripod allows you to take low light and High Dynamic Range HDR photos as the camera does not move when you take several shots of the same area
• The stitching will be more accurate.  No V shaped horizons of the sea or people's legs or heads cut off like can easily happen with smartphone 360s

Cons

• You need to carefully plan your images to take into account moving object like people, cars, vegetation as they can be cut in half between shots and may not be masked out if in an area without overlap (see above) 
• The gear is a lot heavier and more bulky than a one shot 360 camera or a smartphone.  You can still carry it around and make tours like this one in a nature park in Lebanon

I hope that helps with your research and have fun with virtual reality photography !  -  Nick

[KaliroAlex]

@DeniGu Thanks

May be I was not specific with the Location of the local guides but to say East Africa especially my location Uganda 

I wish  you can even witness this depending on the contributions on the map 

[KaliroAlex]

Wow Amazing success story/lesson @Gio51x thanks for sharing it with us the community of local guides.

I think I was right to call you the Grand Master I can imagine since 2007 when I was still in primary school.

It's unfortunate that my location has few areas with SV but as a proud Local Guide am trying my best to find my way to SV family by getting the device suitable for the move. And join the World of street View 

As learning never ends I wish you success 😕😕by the way what would htlm mode be

Kind regards 

Kaliro Alex 

[KaliroAlex]

@Nick-Hobgood Thanks for sharing I find it useful 

And I loved the photo in the link aat nature park in Lebanon more 

[bhaskar_arin]

@KaliroAlex

I am also looking for 360 degree video cameera's reviews

[KaliroAlex]

@bhaskar_arin I think we are in the same boat but so far we have good replies from @Nick-Hobgood and the Grand Master of the 360 @Gio51x

[Nick-Hobgood]

Thanks @KaliroAlex Yes, I really enjoyed the park in Lebanon. The day was clear and the lighting was perfect.