Kandao QooCam 3 Ultra review: a next-generation 360-degree camera

360-degree cameras are maturing in terms of image quality and features, and their popularity is growing at a colossal pace. The idea of capturing a 360-degree view sounds complicated, but these cameras are incredibly easy to use and with 8K consumer models becoming available, including the Kandao QooCam 3 Ultra, everyone can enjoy high-resolution capture of everything around them.

The QooCam 3 Ultra is one of the best 360-degree cameras, and despite 8K sounding excessive, when you’re capturing a full 360-degree view it’s not as high-resolution as you might think. File sizes are large, as are the 96MP photos that can be captured in Raw and JPEG, but these high-resolution capture options alongside the shooting modes available make this a versatile action camera.

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Sensors	Dual 96MP 1/1.7-inch sensors
Video	360-degree 8K up to 30fps, 5.7K up to 60fps, 4K up to 120fps, Single Lens up to 4K 60fps
LCD	2.19-inch touchscreen
Video modes	Video, Dynamic Range Boost, Loop Recording, Interval
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, USB-C
Battery	2280mAh
Size	2.81×4.06×1.04in / 71.5×103.2×26.6mm
Weight	11.85oz / 336g (including battery)

Design-wise, there are just a handful of direct access controls with most settings accessed by swiping the 2.19-inch rectangular touchscreen, like most action cameras, which provides access to an intuitive interface. The lenses are offset rather than being back to back, but the stitching of the images captured by each lens is absolutely fine with just a minor wobble in the join being visible in videos occasionally.

Alternatively, you can control the camera wirelessly using the QooCam 3 phone app, which connects easily and also provides the ability to download photos and videos for editing in the app. Surprisingly, I had no issues downloading, reframing, and exporting 8K videos on my phone, but I did prefer reframing in the QooCamStuio desktop app, simply because of the larger user interface and, of course, a larger screen to work on.

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Kandao QooCam 3 Ultra action camera outside in front of brown leafy ground — (Image credit: James Abbott / Digital Camera World)

Battery life is pretty good, and I’ve found that I can take the camera out for a day’s shooting, capturing photos, videos, and timelapse videos here and there with plenty of charge left at the end of the day. Of course, this is intermittent use, capturing videos between one minute and around seven minutes in duration, so heavier users shooting for longer periods would benefit from a second or even a third battery.

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Screenshot of the Kandao QooCam 3 Ultra action camera editing software showing a stone bridge crossing a river — (Image credit: James Abbott / Digital Camera World)

The best image quality for photos comes from shooting in the DNG8 mode. This captures eight images that are then merged in the Kandao RawPlus software for sharper shots with lower noise levels and a higher dynamic range. It’s a fiddly process with some back and forth between RawPlus, Lightroom, and QooCamStudio, and is far from as streamlined as it should be. Even capturing in Raw means you have to process it in Lightroom, export it to a JPEG, and then reframe it in QooCamStudio before exporting a reframed JPEG.

Other features available include Image Stabilisation using a 6-axis gyro, built-in GPS, and Spatial Audio. The sound is pretty good from the four onboard mics, but you can also attach a Bluetooth mic, which is recommended if you’d like to improve sound quality and reduce ambient sound capture. Image stabilization is also effective, but you do have to walk smoothly with bent knees to eliminate bobbing.

Shooting modes include Video, Dynamic Range Boost, Loop Recording, Interval, and Timelapse, so there’s everything most people will need and want available. There’s also subject tracking that can be applied in the phone and desktop apps to track a selected subject, which works well. TShooting modes can be switched easily in the menu, although with all shooting modes, there is some lag when saving alongside a startup lag when the camera is switched on.

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A vintage silver car in front of terrace housing shot on an Kandao QooCam 3 Ultra 360 camera — (Image credit: James Abbott / Digital Camera World)

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Features	Lots of shooting modes to choose from.	★★★★★
Design	Great build quality but bulky for a 360-degree camera.	★★★★☆
Performance	Easy to use although the apps could be better.	★★★★☆
Value	More expensive than the Insta360 X4.	★★★☆☆