360° Video Capture Guidelines

These best practices apply to all supported 360° cameras.

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Quick Capture Summary

Parameter	Recommendation
Camera height	At least 15 cm (6 in) above head height
Walking speed	4—6 km/h (2.5—4 mph)
Camera stability	Keep camera stable, avoid rotations
Distance from surfaces	Maintain arm’s length from walls and objects
Lighting	Ensure good lighting, avoid strong contrasts
Environment	Minimize moving people or machinery
Capture duration	Maximum 15 minutes per video
Minimum movement	Move at least 5 m (16 ft) per capture

Camera Position

Keep the camera above head height during capture.

Recommendations:

• Maintain at least 15 cm (6 inches) clearance above your head.

• Higher positioning improves ceiling visibility and reduces the operator’s presence in the capture.

Movement Speed

Walk at a consistent walking pace during recording.

Recommended speed:

• 4—6 km/h (2.5—4 mph)

Avoid:

• Running

• Stopping frequently

• Sudden accelerations

Consistency is more important than exact speed.

Camera Stability

Keep the camera orientation stable during capture.

Avoid:

• Rapid rotations

• Sudden direction changes

• Shaking the camera

When changing direction, do so smoothly.

Distance from Surfaces

Maintain distance from walls and objects.

Recommendations:

• Stay at least an arm’s length from nearby surfaces.

• Avoid walking directly beside walls or equipment.

This helps prevent motion blur and improves reconstruction quality.

Lighting Conditions

Proper lighting significantly improves reconstruction quality.

Recommendations:

• Turn on all available lights in the capture area

• Avoid extreme lighting contrasts

• Avoid mixed lighting temperatures when possible

When transitioning between different lighting environments (for example indoors to outdoors), slow down briefly to allow the camera exposure to adjust.

Environment Preparation

Before starting capture:

• Schedule recording during low activity periods

• Reduce moving people and equipment in the environment

• Open doors between spaces when possible

• Remove obstacles that could interrupt movement

Moving objects can introduce reconstruction artifacts.

Capture Duration

Maximum recommended recording length:

15 minutes per video

Longer recordings may fail processing or produce unreliable results.

For large environments:

• Capture multiple videos instead of a single long recording.

Coverage

Ensure sufficient movement for reconstruction.

Recommendations:

• Move at least 5 meters (16 ft) during capture

• Plan a route that covers the entire area

• Avoid very short recordings