Avatour works with several different 360° cameras to enable real-time remote presence. Learn about the pros and cons of different camera options in this article.
NTL;DR: the best 360° camera for most Avatour users is currently the Labpano Pilot Pano; good less-expensive options that works with Android phones are the Insta360 One RS and One X2. For iOS users the only current option is the Insta360 One X. We are always evaluating new devices as they become available, and we update our recommendation regularly. We recommend buying a complete kit from us, but we can also provide a shopping list.
| Camera | Mobile device support | Retail price (USD) | Weight | Battery life | Ext. Pwr? | Max Video Res | Water resist & temp range |
|
Labpano Pilot Pano |
no device required | $479 | 295g | ~75m | ✅ |
5760x2880@30fps |
Unrated; 0°-40° C |
|
Labpano Pilot One |
no device required | $1,799 | 395 g | ~60m | ✅ |
7680*3840 @ 7fps |
Unrated; 0°-45° C |
| Labpano Pilot Era | no device required | $2,499 | 690g | ~120m | ✅ | 7680*3840 @ 7fps |
IP65; 0°-45° C |
|
Insta360 One RS 1" 360° edition |
Android | $1,190 | 239g | ~60m | ❌ | 6144x3072@25/24fps | IPX3; -20°-45°C |
| Insta360 One RS Twin Edition | Android | $838 | 135g | ~60m | ❌ | 5760x2880@30fps | IPX3; -20°-45°C |
|
Insta360 One X |
iOS or Android | $487 | 115g | ~40m | ❌ | 5760x2880@30fps | Unrated; -20°-45°C |
| Insta360 One X2 | Android* | $610 | 149g | ~75m | ❌ | 5760x2880@30fps | IPX8; -20°-45°C |
| Insta360 One R | Android* | n/a | 135g | ~60m | ❌ | 5760x2880@30fps | IPX3; -20°-45°C |
|
Insta360 X3 (support pending) |
Android | $639 | 180g | ~75m | ? | 5760x2880@30fps | IPX8; -20°-45°C |
* Most One X2 and One R cameras do not support required wired connection to iOS devices, and cannot be used for Avatour real-time capture. See this article for more information.
† Ricoh Theta Z1 overheats after <10 min of live streaming under normal conditions
Standalone Cameras with Avatour integration
The Labpano line of 360° cameras - including the Pilot One and the Pilot Era - boast built-in touch screens and an Android operating system, allowing the AVATOUR app to run directly on the device. They also have higher-resolution sensors than other portable devices, enabling capture at up to 8k resolution. This combination of capabilities provides unparalleled quality, ease-of-use and reliability.
Although the Labpano devices are more expensive than typical 360° action cameras, they don't require a separate phone, so the total system price is comparable. Enterprise customers who want to distribute systems for easy use by personnel without requiring use of personal cell phones should look at the Pilot devices first.
Cameras with Avatour integration on mobile devices
Another option is to combine a 360 "action camera" with a mobile device. Avatour has worked with camera manufacturer Insta360 to tightly integrate their products with the Avatour Host app. This enables us to directly control these cameras, making for a convenient experience for users.
- Insta360 One RS / One R: The One RS (and its older variant, the One R) is our recommendation within this category, and the device we include in our "add-on" kits. It's a multi-purpose action camera with slightly improved image performance when compared to the One X. Its form factor is less convenient, though, and hot-swapping batteries on the One RS is impossible due to the design of its mount. With the use of a USB-C splitter, an external battery or wired power may be used to extend battery life indefinitely.
The most recent versions of the One R no longer support direct cable connection to Apple iOS devices! Only the versions sold in Apple Stores still retain support for Apple devices.
- Insta360 One X2: The One X2 combines the benefits of the One X (good form factor) with the improved image quality of the One R. Batteries have a long life (about 1.25 hrs) and are easily hot-swappable. Recently, Insta360 released a revised cable design which now works reliably, so we can now recommend the One X2 for use with Avatour.
- Insta360 One X: This is our previous default recommendation, and was included in our original turn-key Avatour kits. The OneX is cost-effective and reliable, with an excellent form factor and good-quality 4k real-time capture. While its battery cannot be charged during live streaming, Avatour permits hot-swapping of replacement batteries in seconds without ending the session, enabling longer sessions with minimal difficulty. However, continuous power is impossible, and supply shortages for this camera have made it difficult to obtain. It's still a good choice if you can find it, and due to the change in iOS support for the One R, it is the only Insta360 camera currently available with wired iOS support.
Note: Due to continuing thermal issues, Avatour has deprecated live capture support for the Ricoh Theta line of 360 cameras. Theta devices may still be used for offline capture as described below.
Recorded 360 capture for cameras without integration
The Avatour platform supports sharing and collaboration with any standard-format 360° video asset or still image. Users of any 360° camera, such as the GoPro Fusion or Garmin VIRB 360, may record videos directly on the camera and then upload the files to the Avatour platform via the Host Console.
Live capture for cameras without integration
The Avatour Host app may also be used for live capture with any 360° camera which can deliver an equirectangular RTMP feed to a specified URL. Simply set the Avatour Host camera setting to "Other (Manual)" and copy the "Ingest URL," and paste it into your camera's livestreaming app.
We have seen mixed success with non-integrated devices, however. Some devices simply can't deliver low enough latency to be useful for real-time communications. And even for those that can, when used in this limited integration mode, Avatour is restricted in its ability to optimize visual quality and manage connectivity. The upshot is that if you're not experienced with livestreaming, we strongly recommend using one of the integrated cameras listed above.
Purchasing Avatour hardware
We recommend buying a complete Avatour kit from us - we handle installation and testing and provide a turnkey solution that will get you up and running quickly. However if you want to assemble your own hardware, please review this guide to what you'll need.