For the last ten or so years, Google has been using 360° photography to showcase local businesses on Google and Google Maps. From the time the program has been in use, it has changed in many ways. One of the biggest changes has been who is able to post 360° images to Google and Google Maps and what type of cameras and devices can be used.
It used to be that Google sought out professional photographers to be part of the 360° program. Each photographer needed to use specific equipment mandated by Google and photograph the panoramic images in a certain way. The equipment needed to be either a Nikon or Canon camera, Sigma 8 mm fisheye lens, Nodal Ninja or Precision 360 tripod head and a professional tripod and ball head.
Google also had specific camera settings and the tripod had to be adjusted to a certain height. Google set these requirements so that all of the Google 360° Virtual Tours would look exactly the same as far as picture quality was concerned. To this day, many of the original photographers still photograph their tours with all of these specific requirements, including America’s Finest 360. even though the requirements are not in place anymore.
The photographer needed to photograph the business in a certain way too. They needed to start outside and do two shots, the first was five feet from the door and the second was to be 3 feet from the inside. Then the third needed to be three feet inside the door.
Before you were able to be a “Trusted Photographer”, you needed to take a multiple choice test and pass with a 90% or better and then photograph ten Google 360° Virtual Tours that needed to be perfect in every way, or the tour was not going to be published by Google. Basically, the program was very strict.
So now let’s fast forward to the program and how it is today….
Since Google basically ripped the entire program apart about 6 years ago, anyone with a DSLR, one shot 360° camera or even a cell phone can be in the program and take 360° images and post them to Google and Google Maps. The reason why the program was ripped apart, was simply for Google to get more data into the machine. The more data there is, the bigger Google becomes.
Like anything else, when restritions are taken away, quality suffers. An amature photographer can now go into a business and photograph a Google 360° Virtual Tour with their cell phone and post it to the business Google Business listing. Let us ask you, would you want a photographer to come into your business and photograph it with a cell phone? Would you want to pay for this? Now we are not down on the amature photographer at all, but taking 360° imagery should be taken with a proper camera with a proper lens to get the best quality image. Would you agree?
If you are thinking about having a Google 360° Virtual Tour photographed for your business, ask the photographer what kind of equipment they use. If it is a cell phone or one shot 360° camera, please ask to see their work before you hire them. Then when you do see it and you are happy with it, by all means, hire them. But if the quality is not to your standards, seek out another “Trusted” photographer.
Thank you for reading and if you are in the market for a Google 360°, please consider America’s Finest 360 as we do use the proper equipment to ge the best results. We have over 700 virtual tours on Google and Google Maps and hold a five star rating on Google.
America’s Finest 360 / 619-316-9671 / bgphotos619@gmail.com