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360-degree video captures a spherical scene and lets viewers choose where to look. To make one, record overlapping views with a dedicated 360-degree camera or camera array, stitch them into a sphere, edit and export with the right 360 properties, then test the file in the player your audience will use. A monoscopic video lets viewers look around but appears flat; stereoscopic 360 video uses separate views for each eye to add depth.
What 360-degree video is—and what it is not
Also called spherical video, 360-degree video surrounds the viewer with a recorded scene. A dedicated camera typically uses multiple fisheye lenses, each capturing a different, overlapping angle; a camera array can capture the angles with separate cameras. The views are combined into one spherical image. Apple’s Final Cut Pro guide describes the capture and viewing approaches.
Viewers can look around using a compatible headset, by moving a mobile device, or by scrolling a rectangular view on a desktop. A 360 video is not automatically stereoscopic 3D, nor is it necessarily a complete virtual-reality application: the viewer chooses a direction in recorded footage, while depth depends on mono or stereo capture and headset use depends on the playback device and platform.
Monoscopic and stereoscopic 360 video
| Format | What the viewer sees | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| Monoscopic (2D) 360 | One view fills the sphere. The viewer can look around, but the image has no stereo depth. | Can be viewed on ordinary screens or compatible headsets. |
| Stereoscopic (3D) 360 | Separate left- and right-eye views create a sense of depth. | Suitable stereo capture and processing, plus a compatible headset or glasses playback experience. |
Stereo capture and processing are more demanding because the two eye views must be handled correctly. Choose a format only after checking that the intended platform and playback device support it.
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How spherical footage becomes a video file
Capture and stitching
Each lens or camera records part of the scene, with overlap between neighboring views. Stitching aligns and combines those views into a single sphere. Some cameras do this automatically; other workflows require separate camera-vendor or stitching software. Poor alignment can leave visible seams, so inspect the joins and check stabilization after stitching.
Projection and file properties
A common way to store the sphere is equirectangular projection: it maps the spherical view onto a rectangle, like a flat map representing the globe. In its documented developer workflow, Google’s 360 Media guidance describes monoscopic video at a 2:1 aspect ratio and stereoscopic video at 1:1, and recommends MP4/H.264 for the use cases on that page. These are workflow-specific recommendations, not universal requirements for every platform or profile.
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Projection and spherical metadata matter as much as the visible image. A conventional flat-video export may not preserve navigable 360 playback. Apple’s WWDC25 session describes Apple Projected Media Profile signaling in QuickTime and MP4, using equirectangular projection for 360 video; it also discusses converting spherical metadata when a camera’s software does not yet support that profile. This guidance concerns Apple’s profile in a visionOS 26 context, not every destination platform. Check compatibility across the camera, editor, operating system, and player you intend to use. Apple’s WWDC25 session names GoPro MAX and Insta360 X5 as example cameras and advises using camera-vendor software for tasks such as stitching and stabilization.
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- Choose the viewing experience. Decide whether the audience needs monoscopic or stereoscopic 360, and identify the target platform and device before recording.
- Capture the scene. Use a dedicated 360-degree camera or a camera array that records overlapping angles.
- Stitch and inspect. If the camera has not already combined the views, use its supported stitching workflow. Check seams and stabilization before moving on.
- Edit in a 360-aware editor. Use software that recognizes 360 or VR properties and provides a way to preview the sphere. Adobe’s Premiere documentation describes 360- and 180-degree viewing in monitor panels and VR-aware sequence behavior. Apple’s Final Cut Pro guide documents a 360 viewer and dedicated 360 projects.
- Export for the destination. Preserve the correct projection and metadata, and confirm that the target platform and playback device support the chosen format and profile.
- Test the finished file. Open it in the intended web, mobile, or headset player and confirm that viewers can look around as expected before sharing it.
Adobe’s page, last updated March 5, 2026, says Premiere can publish VR video to websites such as YouTube or Facebook. YouTube Help search information says 180- and 360-degree videos can be watched in the YouTube app or YouTube VR app on supported headsets. Exact upload and playback steps can change, so check the platform’s current instructions when publishing.
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How to choose a camera, editor, and output format
There is no single camera or editor that suits every creator. Match the equipment and workflow to the image you want, your editing experience, and where people will watch the result.
- Capture and stitching: An integrated workflow may be simpler; separate stitching can offer a different level of workflow control. Confirm how the camera handles its overlapping views and what inspection or stabilization steps it supports.
- Image format: Monoscopic is the simpler choice when viewers need to look around but not perceive stereo depth. Choose stereoscopic only when the capture, processing, and playback chain supports the two eye views.
- Editing: Check whether the editor can preview the sphere, recognize 360 or VR properties, and preserve the intended output.
- Delivery: Verify projection, metadata, container, resolution, and compatibility with the actual destination player or headset rather than assuming one export works everywhere.
The cited vendor and developer documentation establishes examples and software functions, not comparative prices, image quality, battery life, or independent product test results.
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