Check out 24 of the best Photo Sphere shots so far

By Alex Dobie  | Nov 05 2012 | 6:58 pm  | 36 Comments

Android Central

With the Nexus 4 in the hands of Googlers and press alike, and a leaked version of the app doing the rounds on other phones, Google+ is starting to play host to a wealth of high-quality Photo Sphere images. Taken using the Android 4.2 camera app, Photo Shere pics stitch multiple images together in up to 360 degrees, allowing you to create a Google Street View-like globe of shots.

We've collected some of the best Photo Sphere from Google+, and we've got 'em linked for your enjoyment after the break. There's 24 in total, from a variety of countries around the world.

If you've got any Photo Sphere images of your own that you're particularly proud of, be sure to drop us a link down in the comments!

Alex Dobie

Alex Dobie Europe Editor

"AC's resident Brit, cooking up steaming bowls of European Android coverage every day."

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There are 36 comments

dtraini30 says:

Hey check out mine! https://plus.google.com/u/0/104672634074280584774/posts/jPBecYPULMB

jean15paul says:

I assumed that Google would make the photosphere images scrollable on Google+ (like street view images). I think they're missing an opportunity for "wow factor" by displaying them as a single panorama instead of a scrollable "3d" image.

Wicket says:

they are scroll-able.. at least mine was so maybe it is a update so double check.

patrickmaher says:

The 3D photosphere mode works in Chrome but not in Internet Explorer. Have not tried Fire Fox so not sure about that.

On Chrome it launches straight into photosphere view and there is a button to switch to panoramic view.

15israellai says:

Works perfectly except for some glitches. At least on Chrome.

willenium_1217 says:

So I tried to take a photosphere today and let's just say that I was not at all successful. Just like panorama, I am scared that this is a great, but weak addition unless its the user's fault.

MartynHaigh says:

Here's mine https://plus.google.com/u/0/112312612663275547305/posts/LSfh8NnsEEz and here it is as a tiny world: https://plus.google.com/u/0/112312612663275547305/posts/BWMUXAhQhFh and on Google maps: https://maps.google.com/?ll=37.429745,-122.121894&t=m&layer=c&panoid=HTK...

samagon says:

Can't wait to see some of these with the galaxy camera.

dancing-bass says:

I'm running the 4.2 camera on my Gnex. It never properly stitches the photos together at the "start" of the photosphere. The rest looks good (maybe a tiny glitch here or there) Mind you, I haven't practiced a lot. Any tips for me? Much appreciated!

I usually make the first pass horizontal and add layers top and bottom. Maybe I need to make vertical passes instead of horizontal?

Everyone else's look very nice! I can't wait to post my first successful one :)

ryaninc says:

I was messing with it a lot today and had mixed results. Some stitched together perfectly and others were laughably bad. I tried using different techniques, and doing an initial horizontal pass seemed to work best.

Do you hold the phone in portrait or landscape? I always do landscape just because I'm used to taking pictures that way. But it definitely works in portrait...maybe that would work better? I need to try it.

dancing-bass says:

I've only tried it in landscape. Never occured to me to even try portrait. I usually don't have much day light by the time I get home from work, so I'll have to wait for the weekend to play with it some more.

I guess I'll just have to keep practicing! However I just need to figure out what I'm doing wrong with the first image or 2 that it grabs, because that is where the stitching issues arise.

marcardar says:

I had this problem too. It seems the starting dot was significantly above the horizon, but after taking the first shot, everything seemed to recalibrate so that all subsequent shots were aligned to each other but not to the first.

Most of the time I don't have this problem (guess it recalibrates at some point) but sometimes it comes back.

You could try recalibrating - maybe using something like a Compass app?

c4v3man says:

I think this needs a few things, which Google may not be willing to pony up the money to do.

First off: Needs to ability to see the source pictures. I understand this takes more bandwidth and storage space, but the level of detail in these pictures is pretty low... it'd be awesome if you could zoom in on the photosphere, and automatically load the closest source picture and allow you to zoom further.

Secondly: Allow editing the stitch points/desktop processing. I use an app called hugin for desktop panorama processing... having the same power, but the ability to export to a 3d sphere would be pretty awesome.

Numbuh101 says:

Who said the Galaxy Nexus has a bad camera? https://plus.google.com/114073029255091743153/posts/SNMRZ84CQLy I love my Gnex more than yesterday

rjj1976 says:

You think Hef would let me take one around the Playboy Mansion?

dponte says:

Nice pics! Very cool feature. Sigh, 4.2 on their S3?

Makes me want to root my not-here-yet AT&T Note 2! Wait...maybe when I get the Note 4, THEN I'll root the 'old' Note 2 AND then I will surely have a newer OS level than the Note 4! ;)

ryaninc says:

Here's mine, the very first Photosphere from Disney World, taken with an Xperia S (I changed the build.prop, so I'm sure it says Galaxy Nexus): https://plus.google.com/102809331117577637609/posts/LuA8kAvvuJZ

It was approved for Maps already, too: http://maps.google.com/?ll=28.420375,-81.581145&t=m&layer=c&panoid=G7HIR...

I have several more from Disney today on my Google+ page, too.

kmd12371 says:

Here's one of mine- from part of the Toronto waterfront at dawn this past Sunday

https://plus.google.com/photos/103751121072531447024/albums/580693569770...

and one just after dawn from a different spot. Some noticeable glitches on the railing, etc, but my fault for moving my feet too much rather than the app's I think.

https://plus.google.com/photos/103751121072531447024/albums/580693470242...

willenium_1217 says:

So I think I did it. Well I only did a photosphere of my office but I can't seem to upload it right. When I upload my picture, it does not do the 360 view. It only has a wide view of my picture. How do I upload it the way it is on my phone?

gchesteruk says:

here you go

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/instantupload/5807364408274420946

chusir says:

Here's mine, from Hong Kong (Tsim Sha Tsui & Victoria Harbour)
https://plus.google.com/photos/100550562122108379047/albums/580689419076...

dasraab says:

Check out mine! ;)

https://plus.google.com/photos/115350418738962964193/albums/580767396229...

Hamburg, Jungfernsteg

impulse101 says:

I tried opening them up in the G+ app and they don't go into 3D mode. You think they would in the G+ app

brandbread says:

I love photosphere!

my picture :D
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8331/8149002158_78f946edce_b.jpg

mao mao says:

These shots are remarkable!

I just sent a few of them to my iphone loving coworker lol

reudyfam says:

Here's one of mine, https://plus.google.com/113640939744959173083/posts

Marko Sawall says:

Here's one of mine from my hometown cathedral. Enjoy!

https://plus.google.com/u/0/111586700232079490475/posts/jc3AEsKMe4e

mmace says:

Just come across this story (linked from one of your recent stories), cheers for including mine (Maff Mace, Yorkshire Post Newspapers), there's loads more on my Google+ page too

CoreyVA says:

Here is mine, the Boise Capitol Building.
http://maps.google.com/help/maps/streetview/contribute/index.html#nuMORb...

Edmond Mirijaj says:

This is my first photo-sphere. https://plus.google.com/photos/109800717755631862301/albums/581302726922...

PittsPgh says:

Here are some practice shots using a modified photosphere app on my EVOLTE.
Paul

https://plus.google.com/photos/103380845157600648815/albums/581389794985...

The cul-de-sac shot and the warehouse shots came out well.

ilabrada says:

Mine at Downtown Disney. Orlando FL
https://plus.google.com/u/0/106798257313161816891/posts/dXagDW2EfGM

torontor says:

In Havana, Cuba in front of there Capitolio Building.

https://plus.google.com/photos/102911218942494637529/albums/583112462380...

Abhishek Malhotra says:

Photosphere is the only thing that comes close to doing justice to La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona:

https://plus.google.com/app/plus/x/ulqo4teij0w2/?v=photos_by_activity_id...

Abhishek Malhotra says:

Photosphere is the only thing that comes close to doing justice to La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona:

https://plus.google.com/app/plus/x/ulqo4teij0w2/?v=photos_by_activity_id...

sapsaj says:

Photosphere Phun:
https://plus.google.com/115275814083109203310/posts/DUggGNyYXNY