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On this page · 10 sections
The best real estate 360 camera is the Insta360 X6 at $699.99 (checked 28 September 2026, no launch discount). It shoots 120MP 360 stills at 15520×7760 and publishes 14.5 stops of dynamic range, and those are the two numbers a virtual tour is built from. If you shoot listings every week and want to spend less, the Insta360 X5 at $549.99 (checked 28 September 2026; its Labor Day promotion has ended) gives you 72MP stills and 13.5 published stops for $150 less.
Four cameras are ranked: the X6, the X5, the GoPro MAX2 and the Insta360 X4 Air, on six criteria stated before any pick appears. Stills resolution leads, because a tour is a set of still panoramas before it is anything else. Published dynamic range comes second, because a dark room with a bright window is the hardest exposure a property shoot contains.
One thing this page cannot tell you, and it says so up front: whether any of these cameras works with Matterport. None of the manufacturer specifications we verified confirms Matterport support for any camera, Insta360's included. If your tours live in Matterport, check Matterport's own current supported-camera list before you buy. That check comes before resolution.
Everything below is ranked on published specifications. Where a manufacturer publishes nothing, the page says not published, and retailer-only figures are marked as such. GoPro MAX2 is quoted at $299.99 (on promotion, list $499.99, checked 28 September 2026). The promotion is running at GoPro and B&H with no stated end date, so where an argument depends on it, the page also gives the list-price comparison.
At a glance
Seven columns. The first two are the ones this page exists to put in front of you. The Matterport column is the one we cannot fill, and every cell in it says so.
| 360 photo | Published dynamic range | Max 360 video | Matterport compatibility | Replaceable lenses | Price, checked 28 Sep 2026 | US availability | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insta360 X6 | 120MP (15520×7760) | 14.5 stops | 8K50 | not confirmed in our sources | Yes — Replaceable Lenses 2.0 | $699.99, no discount | Yes — Insta360 store and B&H |
| Insta360 X5 | 72MP (11904×5952) | 13.5 stops | 8K30 | not confirmed in our sources | Yes | $549.99, promotion ended | Yes — Insta360 store and B&H |
| GoPro MAX2 | 29MP (pixel dimensions not verified) | not published | 8K30 | not confirmed in our sources | not verified* | $299.99 on promotion (list $499.99) | Yes — GoPro store and B&H |
| Insta360 X4 Air | 29MP (7680×3840) | not published | 8K30 | not confirmed in our sources | Yes, user-replaceable | $399.99, promotion ended | Yes — Insta360 store and B&H |
Swipe for 3 more columns →
- 360 photo
- 120MP (15520×7760)
- Published dynamic range
- 14.5 stops
- Max 360 video
- 8K50
- Matterport compatibility
- not confirmed in our sources
- Replaceable lenses
- Yes — Replaceable Lenses 2.0
- Price, checked 28 Sep 2026
- $699.99, no discount
- US availability
- Yes — Insta360 store and B&H
- 360 photo
- 72MP (11904×5952)
- Published dynamic range
- 13.5 stops
- Max 360 video
- 8K30
- Matterport compatibility
- not confirmed in our sources
- Replaceable lenses
- Yes
- Price, checked 28 Sep 2026
- $549.99, promotion ended
- US availability
- Yes — Insta360 store and B&H
- 360 photo
- 29MP (pixel dimensions not verified)
- Published dynamic range
- not published
- Max 360 video
- 8K30
- Matterport compatibility
- not confirmed in our sources
- Replaceable lenses
- not verified*
- Price, checked 28 Sep 2026
- $299.99 on promotion (list $499.99)
- US availability
- Yes — GoPro store and B&H
- 360 photo
- 29MP (7680×3840)
- Published dynamic range
- not published
- Max 360 video
- 8K30
- Matterport compatibility
- not confirmed in our sources
- Replaceable lenses
- Yes, user-replaceable
- Price, checked 28 Sep 2026
- $399.99, promotion ended
- US availability
- Yes — Insta360 store and B&H
*MAX2's lens replaceability is not among the specifications we were able to verify, so the cell is left unscored rather than guessed. Screen brightness is not a column because only one pick publishes it: the X6's 2.32-inch OLED at 1200 nits. For the X5, X4 Air and MAX2 it is not published.
What actually matters for a virtual tour, before any pick
Six criteria, in the order they decide the ranking.
1 · 360 stills resolution. A listing tour is delivered as still panoramas, so the stills figure is what the buyer of the tour actually sees. Across these picks it runs from 29MP to 120MP, more than four to one. It is also easy to miss: three of the four shoot identical 8K30 video and still differ by more than two to one on stills.
2 · Published dynamic range. In a room lit by a bright window, either the interior goes dark or the window goes white unless the sensor can hold both. Only two picks publish a figure: the X6 at 14.5 stops and the X5 at 13.5. GoPro publishes none for MAX2, and Insta360 none for the X4 Air.
3 · Matterport and platform compatibility, as an open question. Placed third rather than buried, because a buyer who needs it needs it before resolution matters. We cannot answer it from the specifications we verified, so treat it as a gate you check yourself.
4 · Lens replaceability. A working camera gets carried through doorways, and a scratched fixed 360 lens means buying another camera. The X6, X5 and X4 Air have replaceable lenses. The Insta360 X4 and Insta360 X3 do not.
5 · The nadir problem. Every 360 still includes whatever is holding the camera. The fix is technique rather than a spec, explained under the X5.
6 · Price, weighed against the listings it will shoot. Last, deliberately.
Then the auditing rule: a criterion nobody publishes cannot be scored. None of the specifications we verified includes a Matterport certification, an HDR bracket count, a bracketing interval or a reframed-output resolution for any of these cameras, so none is scored.
How the order falls out, including the part that does not follow neatly. The X6 and X5 take the first two criteria outright. Numbers 3 and 4 are closer than the numbering suggests. MAX2 and the X4 Air tie on stills at 29MP, on dynamic range (neither publishes) and on Matterport. The X4 Air then wins on lens replaceability, confirmed for it and not for MAX2. MAX2 wins on price while its promotion runs, $299.99 on promotion against the X4 Air's $399.99, but price is the last criterion and the promotion is temporary; at list the X4 Air is $100 cheaper. On these six criteria alone, the X4 Air would still edge MAX2. MAX2 sits third for a reason outside the list: it is the only camera here that exports True 8K from a phone, and for a photographer delivering between viewings that outweighs a lens swap. The older X4 and X3 both shoot 72MP, more than #3 or #4. They are unnumbered only because neither has replaceable lenses, and the buying guidance says when that trade is worth taking.
highlight On a tour, stills resolution is the thing you deliver. Read that column before the video column.
01Insta360 X6
Insta360 X6
- 360 photo
- 120MP (15520×7760)
- Dynamic range
- 14.5 stops, published
- Max 360 video
- 8K50 (7680×3840 at 50/48/30/25/24)
The verdict in one line: 120MP 360 stills and 14.5 published stops, the two numbers a tour is made of, and it leads this page on both.
On the deciding spec the gap is large: 120MP is 4.1× the 29MP of the X4 Air and MAX2, and 1.7× the X5's 72MP. Its 14.5 stops is the highest dynamic-range figure in any manufacturer specification table on this page; the only matching number is a launch claim for DJI's Osmo 360 II, covered below. The sensors are 2 × 1/1.1" custom Sony square units at F2.0, the largest in the X-series.
For walkthrough video it shoots 8K50 in 360, plus 4K120 and 5K60 single-lens. The 2.32-inch OLED runs at 1200 nits, the only published screen brightness among the picks, which helps when framing in a sunlit room. Replaceable Lenses 2.0 means a lens scuffed on a doorframe is a repair, not a new camera. It weighs 196 g, and the 2600 mAh battery is rated at 140 minutes at 8K30 and 79 at 8K50.
The costs. At $699.99 it is the most expensive pick, $150 above the X5's $549.99 and $400 above MAX2's $299.99 promotional price. Its 20 m depth rating does nothing indoors. Matterport compatibility is not confirmed in our sources, and for a Matterport-committed agent that is the whole decision. And the Insta360 App edits 8K but cannot export it on mobile: 8K and 11K exports need Insta360 Studio on a desktop, a real constraint if you deliver from a phone.
Full detail on the stills and the 14.5 stops in our Insta360 X6 review.
＋ Pros
- 120MP 360 stills — 4.1× the X4 Air and MAX2, 1.7× the X5
- 14.5 published stops, the highest in any spec table on this page
- 2 × 1/1.1" sensors, the largest in the X-series
- 8K50 in 360 for walkthroughs
- 1200-nit OLED, the only published brightness among the picks
- Replaceable Lenses 2.0
− Cons
- $699.99, the most expensive pick
- Matterport compatibility not confirmed in our sources
- 8K and 11K export needs Insta360 Studio on a desktop
- A 20 m depth rating is irrelevant to interior work
02Insta360 X5
Insta360 X5
- 360 photo
- 72MP (11904×5952)
- Dynamic range
- 13.5 stops, published
- Depth, no housing
- 15 m · 60 m cased
The verdict in one line: 72MP stills and 13.5 published stops for $150 less than the X6 — the volume pick for anyone shooting more than a handful of listings a month.
The X5's 72MP is 2.5× MAX2's 29MP, and it publishes 13.5 stops where GoPro publishes nothing for MAX2. It uses 2 × 1/1.28" sensors at F2.0 and has replaceable lenses. For a day of appointments, 208 minutes at 5.7K24 in Endurance Mode is the longest published runtime in the X-series; at 8K30 the 2400 mAh battery manages 93 minutes. It weighs 200 g.
The shortfalls are specific. Insta360 publishes no peak-brightness figure for the X5's 2.5-inch LCD. Video tops out at 8K30 rather than 8K50. Matterport compatibility is not confirmed in our sources. And it is not the cheap route: at $549.99 the X5 costs $250 more than MAX2's $299.99 promotional price, and $50 more than MAX2's $499.99 list, so its case rests on stills and dynamic range, not price.
The nadir problem, and why a monopod beats a tripod
A 360 still captures the whole sphere, including straight down, so whatever holds the camera ends up in the picture. The invisible selfie stick works because a thin pole falls in the stitch line between the two lenses and disappears from the frame — a consequence of where the seam is, not an effect applied afterwards. That is why a thin monopod, not a tripod, is the right support for interior stills: a tripod's legs splay out beyond the seam and stay in shot. The same geometry applies to every two-lens camera here. We have not verified a price or load rating for any pole, tripod or mount, so none appears on this page.
Full detail in our Insta360 X5 review.
＋ Pros
- 72MP 360 stills, 2.5× MAX2's 29MP
- 13.5 stops published; GoPro publishes none for MAX2
- 208 min at 5.7K24 in Endurance Mode, the longest in the X-series
- Replaceable lenses
- $150 below the X6
− Cons
- Peak screen brightness not published
- 8K30, not 8K50
- Matterport compatibility not confirmed in our sources
- $250 above MAX2 on MAX2's current promotion, and $50 above MAX2's list
03GoPro MAX2
GoPro MAX2
- 360 photo
- 29MP
- Max video
- 8K30 in 360 · 4K60 single-lens
- Price
- $299.99 on promotion (list $499.99)
The verdict in one line: the lowest price here while its promotion runs and the only camera here that exports True 8K from a phone, but its 29MP stills are why it is third, not first.
MAX2's strongest argument is not on the camera. GoPro Quik exports True 8K for MAX2 from a phone; no Insta360 camera can, because the Insta360 App cannot export 8K on mobile. For a photographer who shoots, edits and sends a tour between viewings without a desktop in the loop, that can outweigh most of the compare table. GoPro's accessory range is also the largest of the three brands, which counts when assembling poles, clamps and tripods.
On price it is the cheapest pick while the promotion runs: $299.99 (on promotion, list $499.99, checked 28 September 2026) is $400 under the X6, $250 under the X5 and $100 under the X4 Air. At its $499.99 list it would still be $200 under the X6 and $50 under the X5, but $100 above the X4 Air.
Against that, its 29MP stills are the lowest on the page, tied with the X4 Air. GoPro publishes no dynamic range, no screen brightness and no rated battery runtime for MAX2 — and no sensor size, aperture, weight or screen size either. The 2 × 1/2.3" sensors, f/1.8, 195 g and 1.82-inch screen all come from retailers or reviewers. On a page read by professionals, that is worth saying plainly. It is rated to 5 m, the shallowest here.
＋ Pros
- True 8K export from a phone via GoPro Quik
- $299.99 on promotion (list $499.99), the lowest price here while it runs
- The largest accessory range of the three brands
- 8K30 in 360, 4K60 single-lens
− Cons
- 29MP 360 stills, the lowest here and 4.1× below the X6
- No published dynamic range, screen brightness or rated runtime
- Sensor, aperture, weight and screen size are retailer- or reviewer-sourced
- 5 m, the shallowest rating here
- Matterport compatibility not confirmed in our sources
04Insta360 X4 Air
Insta360 X4 Air
- 360 photo
- 29MP (7680×3840)
- Max 360 video
- 8K30
- Weight
- 165 g, the lightest X-series body
The verdict in one line: the lowest price here at list prices, and the camera where the word "Air" hides the exact spec a tour is made of.
The X4 Air is not a cheaper X4. It has 2 × 1/1.8" sensors against the X4's 2 × 1/2", an F1.95 aperture, a 15 m rating where the X4 manages 10 m, and user-replaceable lenses the X4 lacks, and it is 38 g lighter. The 2010 mAh battery is rated at 88 minutes at 8K30. At $399.99 it sits $100 below MAX2's $499.99 list, but $100 above MAX2's $299.99 promotional price while that runs.
The spec to check is the 360 stills. The X4 Air shoots 29MP; the X4 and the older X3 both shoot 72MP, more than twice as much, and at $299.99 (checked 28 September 2026) the X3 is $100 cheaper than the X4 Air too. That is the one place the word "Air" can catch a buyer out, and here it is the spec that decides everything. If stills resolution is the job, this is the wrong camera at any price. It earns its place for 8K30 walkthrough video, where the low weight helps.
Insta360 publishes no dynamic range and no screen brightness for it, and its 2.09-inch LCD is the smallest screen in the X-series.
＋ Pros
- $399.99, the lowest pick at list prices (MAX2's promotion undercuts it)
- 165 g, the lightest X-series body
- 15 m bare, 60 m cased
- User-replaceable lenses, which the X4 and X3 lack
− Cons
- 29MP 360 stills against 72MP on the X4 and X3, and 4.1× below the X6
- No published dynamic range or screen brightness
- 2.09-inch screen, the smallest in the X-series
- Matterport compatibility not confirmed in our sources
Where the rivals win
DJI's Osmo 360 matches the Insta360 X6 on the criterion this page ranks first, and undercuts it by $233 on a B&H promotion. It publishes 120MP 360 stills, level with the X6, and 8K50 in 360, also level. It adds 5K60 single-lens and 4K120 in Boost, on a 1/1.1" sensor (DJI markets it as "1-inch imaging") behind f/1.9, and publishes an 800-nit screen, a brightness figure neither the X5 nor the X4 Air publishes. It costs $466.99 on promotion at B&H (list $549.99, checked 28 September 2026) against the X6's $699.99. On stills, the X6 has no advantage over it at all.
On the second criterion the X6 stays ahead, narrowly. DJI claims 13.5 stops for the Osmo 360, one stop short of the X6's 14.5, and the claim appears in a press release rather than DJI's specification table. The DJI Osmo 360 II launched in China on 13 August 2026 and globally on 3 September 2026, claiming native 8K60 and 14.5 stops. If those claims hold, it matches the X6's dynamic range outright and beats its frame rate; for now they are launch claims. The X6's clear leads over the Osmo 360 are depth, 20 m against 10 m, and runtime, 140 minutes at 8K30 against 100.
Then, separately, a fact about buying rather than about the camera. DJI's US store lists the Osmo 360 at $549.99 but it is out of stock in every combo, so a US buyer has to go through a retailer. The $466.99 is B&H's promotional price, with a less certain warranty path than buying from DJI and no guaranteed stock. The Osmo 360 II has no US price, no US release date and no place in DJI's US lineup. That is why neither is a numbered pick on a page for US buyers — not because their specifications are worse.
GoPro wins the delivery workflow. GoPro Quik exports True 8K for MAX2 from a phone, and the Insta360 App cannot export 8K on mobile at all. GoPro wins that criterion outright, and for a photographer who delivers between viewings it is decisive. Its accessory range is also the largest of the three brands.
And the concession that costs this page the most: Matterport compatibility is the hard requirement for many readers here, and we cannot confirm it for any camera on this page, Insta360's included.
Buying guidance and what to skip
Check Matterport first, because it is a gate, not a feature. If your tours live in Matterport, a camera the platform does not support is unusable at any resolution. We cannot confirm support for any camera here, so check Matterport's own current supported-camera list before buying. That people search for a camera alongside Matterport tells you what they are asking, not what the platform supports.
Skip the Insta360 Luna Ultra. It is not a 360 camera. It is a 233 g gimbal camera at $769.99 (checked 28 September 2026) with no waterproofing at all, and its "8K" is a marketing claim with no supporting specification.
Know what the Insta360 X4 and X3 offer before you skip them. On stills alone, both beat #3 and #4. The X4 at $424.99 (checked 28 September 2026) shoots 72MP, is rated to 10 m and publishes no dynamic range. The X3 at $299.99 (checked 28 September 2026) shoots 72MP at 11968×5984 but tops out at 5.7K30 video, not 8K. Neither has replaceable lenses. If you shoot stills-only tours and accept that a scratched lens means a new camera, the X3 is the cheapest route to 72MP on this page. For replaceable lenses and a published dynamic-range figure, the X5 at $549.99 is the step up.
Do not buy the X4 Air on price. Its 29MP stills are below both the X4 and the X3, and the X3 costs $100 less.
Do not buy on the promotion. The Labor Day promotions on the Insta360 cameras have ended; on 28 September 2026 none of them was discounted. The one promotion among the picks is MAX2's: $299.99 (on promotion, list $499.99, checked 28 September 2026), running at GoPro and B&H with no stated end date. At list, MAX2 costs $100 more than the X4 Air, so buy it for the phone workflow, not the discount.
360 camera for construction: a different job
Site-progress capture is not a listing tour. On a site, depth rating, sealing and replaceable lenses matter more than stills resolution alone. Bare depth ratings are 20 m for the X6, 15 m for the X5, 10 m for DJI's Osmo 360 and 5 m for MAX2. On sealing, Insta360's own sources disagree about the X6: the product page says IP68, the manual says IPX8, and the "X" in the manual's code means dust is not rated. We have verified no dust rating for the X5 or MAX2. Replaceable lenses count for more on a site than in a living room, which weighs against the X4 and X3.
Signed verdictWilliam Madden · 2026-09-28
Which real estate 360 camera to buy
First, if your tours depend on Matterport, check Matterport's own supported-camera list. Nothing on this page can answer that for you.
Buy the Insta360 X6 at $699.99 (checked 28 September 2026, no launch discount) if the tour is the product: 120MP stills, 14.5 published stops for window-lit rooms, 8K50 and replaceable lenses.
Buy the Insta360 X5 at $549.99 (checked 28 September 2026) if you shoot at volume: 72MP, 13.5 published stops, replaceable lenses and 208 minutes in Endurance Mode, for $150 less than the X6. For most working photographers, this is the answer.
Buy the GoPro MAX2 at $299.99 (on promotion, list $499.99, checked 28 September 2026) if you deliver from a phone and will not put a desktop in the loop. Accept 29MP stills and a spec sheet GoPro leaves largely blank.
Buy the Insta360 X4 Air at $399.99 (checked 28 September 2026) only for walkthrough video or when weight leads. For still tours, the X4 and X3 both shoot more than twice its resolution.
Ready to decide?
All prices checked 28 September 2026. MAX2's $299.99 is a promotion against a $499.99 list, with no stated end date; the X5's Labor Day promotion has ended. All will move. Matterport compatibility is not confirmed in our sources for any of these cameras.
Insta360 X6 — check price on Amazon →Insta360 X5 — check price on Amazon →GoPro MAX2 — check price on Amazon →
Frequently asked questions
Which real estate 360 camera should I buy?
The Insta360 X6 at $699.99 (checked 28 September 2026), for 120MP 360 stills and 14.5 published stops. If you shoot at volume, the Insta360 X5 at $549.99 (checked 28 September 2026) gives you 72MP and 13.5 published stops for $150 less.
What does a 360 camera for virtual tours need?
Stills resolution and dynamic range, before anything else. A tour is delivered as still panoramas, and across the cameras here stills run from 29MP to 120MP, a far bigger spread than video. Dynamic range decides the interior shots, because a room with a bright window needs the sensor to hold both. Only the X6 (14.5 stops) and X5 (13.5 stops) publish a figure. No HDR bracket count or bracketing interval appears in the specifications we verified, so none is scored.
Which Matterport 360 camera should I buy?
We cannot tell you, and would rather say so than guess. Matterport compatibility is a hard requirement if your tours live there, and it is not confirmed in our sources for any camera on this page — Insta360's, GoPro's or DJI's. Check Matterport's own current supported-camera list before you buy.
What is the best 360 camera for construction?
Choose on depth rating, sealing and replaceable lenses rather than megapixels alone. The Insta360 X6 is rated to 20 m bare and has Replaceable Lenses 2.0, though Insta360's own sources disagree on its sealing label (IP68 on the product page, IPX8 in the manual). The X5 is rated to 15 m with replaceable lenses. GoPro MAX2 is rated to 5 m.
How much does the best 360 camera for real estate cost?
On 28 September 2026: the Insta360 X6 was $699.99 with no discount; the Insta360 X5 was $549.99 and the Insta360 X4 Air $399.99, both after their Labor Day promotions ended; and GoPro MAX2 was $299.99 on promotion (list $499.99) at GoPro and B&H. The MAX2 promotion has no stated end date, and every price here will move.