What are some tips for using the Insta360 to produce a high-quality virtual tour?

An immersive and engaging approach to showcase a home, a location, or a space is through a virtual tour. It enables viewers to experience the setting as if they were physically present by letting them observe it from various angles and viewpoints. Virtual tours are frequently utilized in the real estate industry as well as in tourism, education, and company marketing.

With the Insta360 camera, a high-resolution 360 camera that takes beautiful photographs and movies from every angle, creating a virtual tour is surprisingly simple. You may build and share virtual tours online using the Insta360 camera in conjunction with a number of software programs.

The tools you require

You’ll need the following tools to use the Insta360 camera to make a virtual tour:

• An Insta360 camera: The Insta360 RS 1-Inch 360 Edition Virtual Tour Kit is our best pick. The two 1-inch sensors in this camera, which were co-engineered with Leica, provide unmatched image quality and low-light performance. Additionally, it supports Wi-Fi preview and control, allowing you to take pictures without being in them. The Insta360 X3 camera is an alternative that has comparable functions but smaller sensors.
• A robust tripod is required to install and maintain the stability of your Insta360 camera during the session. Any conventional tripod with a 1/4-inch screw mount will work, or you may purchase the Insta360 Invisible Selfie Stick, which is made to blend into your photographs.
• A phone or tablet: To connect to your Insta360 camera and operate it via the Insta360 app, you’ll need an iOS or Android smartphone. To construct and submit your virtual tour, you will also need to download the software platform of your choice, such as Matterport or iStaging.
• An account for Matterport One of the most well-liked and potent systems for building and presenting virtual tours is Matterport. You can create one active spot for up to 50 scans using the free option. Plans that are paid for, which start at $9.99 a month, provide additional advantages including infinite spaces, floor plans, measurement tools, and more. Register for Matterport by visiting https://matterport.com/plans/.
• A battery pack: You may want to carry an extra battery pack to keep your Insta360 camera and phone charged depending on how long your shoot will go.

Setup procedures

Make sure your equipment is equipped and your venue is ready before you begin filming your virtual tour. Here are some actions to take:

• Update the Insta360 camera’s firmware: The most recent firmware may be downloaded from this page (https://www.insta360.com/download/insta360-rs) or updated using the Insta360 app.
• Get the Matterport application: On the App Store or Google Play store, type “Matterport” to locate it. After that, access your account.
• Switch on the Insta360 camera: Open the Insta360 app after that, and click the yellow camera connection icon.
• Use the Matterport app instead: Press “Connect to Camera” and then “Create New Job” or the (+) button. Give your scan a name, and if asked, consent to location sharing.
• Maintain, arrange, and clean your space: Have everything in its proper location, since your 21MP 360 images will reveal a lot of information. To prevent them from appearing in any published work, try to eliminate all clutter, personal items, and images.
• Beware of reflections: Make an effort to place the camera so that it is not reflected in any windows or mirrors.
• Turn on every lamp: This will guarantee that the camera has at least some illumination to operate with, even if certain rooms have less natural light than others.

The aiming advice

Now that you’re prepared to shoot, have a look at these pointers for getting the greatest 360-degree images for your virtual tour:

• Begin at the entrance: Starting at the entrance of the building or area, moving from room to room in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner is the ideal approach to construct a logical and intuitive virtual tour. This will assist you in avoiding any gaps or awkward transitions.
• Position the camera in the middle of the space: The camera should be placed in the middle of the space, at eye level or slightly below. This will provide a fair and realistic image of the area. It’s best to keep the camera away from walls, furniture, and other objects because doing so might lead to stitching errors or distortions.
• Capture several viewpoints: In order to produce a seamless and engaging virtual tour, you must capture many viewpoints in each room, allowing visitors to explore the area from various perspectives. Depending on the size of the space, a reasonable rule of thumb is to set the camera every 5 to 10 feet, or every 2 to 3 steps. The Matterport app may be used to preview your scan and check for any coverage overlaps or gaps.
• Pay attention to the room rather than the view: Occasionally, you could have a beautiful view or a feature in the room that you want to draw attention to. But the goal of a virtual tour is to experience the entire space, not just a single feature. The quality of the space as a whole may suffer if the camera is positioned too close to a window or other prominent feature. Taking a more centered perspective of the space and inserting a hotspot that enables users to perceive the view or feature in a standard 2D picture is a preferable method.
• Step away from the camera: The Insta360 camera records everything in its immediate vicinity, including you. You must conceal yourself while shooting by going behind a wall, a door, or into a different room. You may shoot remotely from your phone using the Insta360 camera’s Wi-Fi preview and control capability. As an alternative, you may initiate the capture with a timer or voice command.

The procedures of editing and sharing

You must submit your photos to your Matterport Cloud account, where a 3D model is built instantly, when you have done shooting your virtual tour. Your virtual tour may then be edited and shared online. Here are some actions to take:

• Upload your images by choosing your scan from the Matterport app’s “Upload” menu. For this stage, you require access to the internet. Depending on the size of your scan and your upload speed, it can take some time.

Edit your model: After it has been processed, you may access it from your computer’s Matterport Cloud account. Then, you may alter your model using a variety of tools, including:

• Trim: You can remove undesirable parts of your model, such as the flooring, ceilings, or outside regions.
• Align: You may align your model with a reference point or a compass direction.
• Highlight reel: Using guided tours or cinematic transitions, you may make a highlight reel that highlights your space’s greatest qualities.
• Labels: You may apply labels to your environment to help you find specific rooms or features.
• Metric additions: You can include metric additions to illustrate distances or dimensions in your environment.
• Floor plans: You may create 2D or 3D floor plans with dimensions and labels for your area. -Mattertags: To embed text, photos, videos, or links in your area, add Mattertags.

Share your model: Once you are satisfied with it, you may make it publicly available online. One can:

• Publish: You may embed your model on your website or publish it to Matterport.com so that anybody can access it.
• Share: You may send a link or an email to select others to privately share your model.
• Download: You may save your model in a file format, such as OBJ, XYZ, PDF, or JPG, that best meets your needs.

Creating a high-quality virtual tour using the Insta360 camera requires careful preparation and attention to detail. By following these tips, such as using the right equipment, setting up your space effectively, capturing multiple viewpoints, and utilizing editing tools, you can produce an immersive and engaging virtual tour. Remember to showcase the entire space rather than focusing on specific features, and take advantage of software platforms like Matterport to enhance and share your virtual tour easily. With these techniques, you can create a captivating virtual experience that effectively showcases homes, locations, or spaces.