Explanation
A panorama is an image covering a very wide field of view, up to 360 degrees horizontally and 180 degrees vertically for a complete spherical view. In immersive contexts, the panorama is the fundamental building block of 360-degree virtual tours: each scene is a spherical panorama in which the user can look in every direction by turning their head or dragging the image.
Real-world example
The "panorama" mode on your smartphone that has you spin around to capture a wide-angle photo -- that's a cylindrical panorama. Now imagine the same thing but also covering the ceiling and floor: that's a spherical panorama.
Practical applications
- Capturing a complete scene as a spherical panorama for an immersive virtual tour
- Documenting a construction site or industrial facility with timestamped 360-degree panoramas
- Creating high-resolution panorama galleries for real estate or tourism promotion
- Using annotated panoramas as training material to present a work environment
Types of panoramas
Partial panoramas
- Wide field of view but less than 360 degrees (typically 120 to 270 degrees)
- Captured with a smartphone or standard camera
- No full immersive navigation
- Suitable for showcasing a landscape or facade
Example: A 180-degree panorama captured with a smartphone to show a balcony view
Spherical panoramas (360 x 180 degrees)
- Cover the entire scene (floor, ceiling, all around)
- Captured with dedicated 360-degree cameras or by stitching multiple shots
- Equirectangular or cubemap format for distribution
- The foundation of all virtual tours and immersive 360-degree experiences
Example: A complete spherical panorama of a living room captured with an Insta360, explored in VR by looking everywhere
VR scenario
A real estate photographer captures a 360 x 180 degree spherical panorama of every room in an apartment using an Insta360 camera. Each panorama covers the full scene from floor to ceiling. They import the panoramas into EasyStory 360, link them with navigation hotspots, and publish the virtual tour. A potential buyer explores each room as if they were there, looking in every direction.
Why it matters in professional VR
- The 360-degree panorama is the fundamental building block of any immersive virtual tour
- Panorama quality (resolution, exposure, stitching) directly determines the experience quality
- Spherical panoramas enable natural immersion because they reproduce our 360-degree vision
- The democratization of 360-degree cameras makes panorama capture accessible to all professionals