360-degree virtual tours are easier to make with Insta360 and Matterport

As the world continues to battle COVID-19, the likes of realtors, museums and galleries have been seeking alternative ways to serve their clients or visitors remotely. Matterport even claims that its platform helped create more than twice as many 360-degree virtual tours weekly between early March and mid-August, and it’s hoping to continue this momentum by expanding its list of compatible 360 cameras.

Following the Insta360 One X, Ricoh Theta V and Ricoh Theta Z1 integrations last year, Matterport has now added the newer Insta360 One R camera to the beta release of its Capture app, with full integration due in October. This gives users a fourth alternative choice to Matterport’s very own Pro2 Professional 3D Camera, which produces high quality 360 shots but falls short on portability and price — it’s currently asking for around $3,000.

Better yet, Insta360 is offering its One R Virtual Tour Kit — selfie stick, tripod mount and a 32GB microSD card included — at a reduced price of $440 until September 17th. This also comes with a two-month free trial of Matterport’s Starter Plan (which is $10 per month), so you’ll be able to start capturing spaces and getting them stitched together on the cloud right away. If all goes well, you’ll end up with a virtual tour like the one shown above — also captured with a One R — which can be seen through a VR headset as well for a more immersive experience.