the 360 mode which uses 2 cameras is awesome. Horizon lock is easy to use and gives a very stable video. Awesome camera

The ease of use on this camera is incredible. It's really easy to start shooting from the moment you pull it out of the box. It's possibly the most fun camera to use for any lifestyle videos. What's extra special about this camera is the way it works with the GoPro app. I mounted the camera onto our horse and filmed the kids going for a ride. Using the app, I edited the video by choosing my angles, saved it to my phone and then shared the video around with the family.

GoPro's second-generation 360-degree action camera, the Max ($499.99), is a lot friendlier to use than its first effort, the Fusion. You don't have to fiddle with dual memory cards, the software tools to work with 360 footage are a lot better now, and the camera has a touch screen so you can more easily adjust settings. It costs a bit more than our favorite action camera, the GoPro Hero8 Black, an item that's a better fit for most action videographers, but is worth a look if you're all-in on 360-degree capture and editing.A Smaller Fusion The Max takes its basic design cues from the Fusion. It has the same matte gray finish with a rubberized exterior, built to withstand drops and go underwater without the need for an external housing. But it's smaller all around, and adds a color touch screen so you can preview the frame from either of its lenses, and adjust settings via touch. The camera measures 2.7 by 2.5 by 1.6 inches (HWD), weighs 5.8 ounces, and is waterproof to 16 feet. It...

The 360-degree GoPro Max camera promises an easier, more streamlined workflow than last year's Fusion, but has more niche appeal than the less expensive Hero8 Black.

360-degree capture; Also works as a single-lens camera; Intuitive software tools; Strong stabilization; Good in-camera audio; Waterproof without a case; Integrated mounting clips

Effective resolution is really 1080p; Single-lens capture tops out at 60fps; Requires more editing time to get the best results from spherical footage

Each new 360 camera that hits the market carries with it the promise of being the one that gets immersive video right. None have yet delivered on this promise. We’ve looked to GoPro before to be the savior the format so desperately needs, but 2017’s Fusion, GoPro’s first 360 camera, left much to be desired. Two years later, GoPro takes the lessons learned from the Fusion and wrapped them up into the smaller, cheaper, and easier-to-use Max. It’s a hybrid camera that can be used in 360 mode or “Hero” mode, where it operates more like a standard GoPro Hero camera, albeit at just 1080p resolution. As with many other 360 cameras today, the Max’s spherical footage can be re-framed in post, allowing you to “direct” the camera and add pan, tilt, and zoom effects. It’s a step in the right direction for GoPro. However, the Max is haunted by the 360 format’s usual ghosts, and does little to propel the segment forward. 360-degree video still isn’t ready for serious editing. While the Max is $200 c...

Excellent mobile app; Great image stabilization; Good audio quality; Rugged and waterproof; Keyframe-based reframing controls;

Video quality is OK; Imperfect stitching; No subject tracking;

Easy to edit 360-degree video; Easy to edit 360-degree video; Decent audio capture;

16:9 video caps out at 2.6K; Seam lines noticeable ; No 360-degree editor for Windows;

The GoPro Max is a genre-defining product – the best 360-camera we’ve ever used

Incredibly flexible; Great image quality; Easy to use;

Bulkier than a regular GoPro; Can’t shoot in 4K;

Easy to edit 360-degree video; Easy to edit 360-degree video; Decent audio capture;

16:9 video caps out at 2.6K; Seam lines noticeable ; No 360-degree editor for Windows;