The number one most commonly asked question by clients always seems to be:
Tweet ThisAnd it’s no surprise. If you’re not in the industry or aren’t familiar with the technology, why would you know the difference, right? To make things easier on you, our 360 VIrtual Tour and 3D Tour Photographers have compiled a list of some of the main benefits, features, pro’s and con’s of both Interactive 360 Virtual Tours and Immersive 3D Tours.
Hopefully this helps clarify a few questions you may have and makes things a bit easier to understand.
Immersive 3D Tours
If you’re looking for a fully IMMERSIVE, foot-by-foot walkthrough experience with VR (Virtual Reality) compatibilities, and enjoy the ability to be able to have a bird’s-eye view of a property through a Dollhouse feature, while at the same time being guided through a property at the click of a button; then you might be more inclined to an Immersive 3D Tour.
A cloud based 3D rendering, meshed to create both a schematic floor plan and a fully immersive 3D experience, these 3D Tours allow users to immerse themselves into a property either through Virtual Reality headsets, tablets, mobile devices, desktops, and/or laptops.
Pros
Dollhouse Birds-eye view
View a property from a bird’s eye perspective, from the dollhouse view on a 3D Tour.
VR Ready
Immerse yourself even deeper into a space with a Virtual Reality headset. Showcase your property with a competitive edge and make viewing a listing fun and enjoyable.
Fully Immersive Walkthrough Experience
Walk through a property as if you are really there. Foot by foot, corner to corner. Property viewings have never been so immersive and “true”.
Cloud Ready – Can Be hosted and viewed anywhere
On the go or at a property? Store your 3D Tour into the cloud and give yourself instant access. This will enable you to showcase your 3D Tour of a property at ease.
Cons
No Gyroscope Feature
Unfortunately, one of the pitfalls of 3D Tours is that they evolved to a point of compatibility with gyroscope technology. Not sure what exactly GYROSCOPE technology is? What this pretty much means is that when you are viewing a 3D Tour on a tablet or mobile device, if you move left or right, back or forward, the 3D Tour won’t move with you.
Infoboxes Have Very Minimal Features
Although you have the opportunity to enable INFOBOXES into your 3D Tours if requested upon, sadly they only have the option of either including text, or an image.
Low Dim Environments Look Dull and Pixelated
Due to the fact that immersive 3D Tours are relatively brand new, the software and cameras haven’t seem to have found an answer for low dim environments such as theaters, venues, clubs, lounges, bars, or low dim museums.
360 Virtual Tours
Pros
Fully Customizable
What lacks in a full immersive walkthrough experience with limited hot spot, makes up ground in the customizable branded tripods, re-directed social icons, touch up and quick edits, video integration, guest list, cocktail list, menus, happy hour special announcements, and so much more.
Clarity and High Resolution Pixelation
Being that 360 Virtual Tours are an essence “true” photography, it allows for clearer, crisper, and more high resolution virtual experiences.
Gyroscope Technology
View a 360 Virtual Tour on either a tablet or mobile device, and immerse yourself in a unique way unlike any other in the market. Move with your screen either left, right, up or down, and as you move, you’ll begin to notice the screen move with you.
Cons
VR (Virtual Reality) available through 3rd party software provider
Unfortunately 360 Virtual Tours are as VR friendly as 3D Tours. Although it is possible to capture a VR (Virtual Reality) experience with 360 Tours, it’s a bit more complex than how easy it is to function with an Immersive 3D Tour.
Not A Fully immersive Foot By Foot Walkthrough Experience
Unlike a 3D Tour, Interactive 360 Virtual Tours function by what are called hot spots. In other words, main focal destinations in which each panoramic 360 shot is captured.
No Dollhouse Feature
Even though 360 Virtual Tours don’t feature a dollhouse function, they do give you the opportunity to integrate a floor plan.
Conclusion
Overall, if we were to say choose one or the other, we will usually respond to you by saying: “It’s really based on preference. If you’re looking to achieve a more immersive fully walkthrough experience and want your tour to be VR ready, then go with a 3D Tour. But if you want a more interactive and customizable experience, then go with a 360 VIrtual Tour.
For the latest tech news and trends, Matterport 3D Tour information, Aerial Photography Service updates, 360 Virtual Tour projects, incredible HDR Real Estate Photography images, Architectural Photographer tools and much more, make sure to follow our blog: https://invisionstudio.com/blog/
