The Giroptic iO ($249) is a tiny 360-degree add-on camera for smartphones. It garnered some attention in the tech community when Facebook distributed it to all attendees of its recent F8 conference. But if you're in the market for a spherical video camera, and it's your own money on the line, you can do a lot better. Insta360 sells add-on cameras for Android and iOS for less money that deliver better video quality. You can get a much better standalone camera in the Samsung Gear 360.

Design

The iO ($259.00 at Amazon) is a small camera with dual lenses, an internal battery, a micro USB charging port, and either a Lightning, micro USB, or USB-C connector to plug into your phone, depending on which version you buy. It measures 1.8 by 2.9 by 0.5 inches (HWD) and weighs about 2.5 ounces. The camera includes a removable blue clip to help better steady it on your phone, as well as a clear protective case with a cutout window so you can charge it within the case.

Because it has an internal battery, you'll need to charge the iO on its own. That may be a slight hassle, but it won't drain your phone's battery like the $130 Insta360 Air Android add-on.

The iO doesn't have its own memory card. It saves images and video to your phone, and is controlled by the free Giroptic iO app. The app doesn't offer any real controls; you can switch between Photo, Video, and Live modes, but you can't adjust exposure or change quality settings. You can stream to Facebook, Periscope, or YouTube.

Video and Image Quality

Video is saved in MP4 format and stitched automatically. The resolution is limited, 1,920 by 960 pixels at an 18.9Mbps bit rate. Close to HD quality is fine for flat video, but when you stretch those pixels out across a virtual sphere you end up with footage that's soft, without any real definition. Video quality is very similar to the Insta360 Air, which you can get for half the price, but is only available for Android phones.

The closest competing model for iPhones, the Insta360 Nano, records better video, 2,880 by 1,440, but at a lower bit rate (13Mbps). Even though the data rate is lower, you get sharper footage from the Nano, which is priced $50 less.

Audio is also an issue with the Giroptic. When speaking directly into the direction of the camera with it just a couple feet from my face, audio sounds very hollow and distant. That brings up another issue with the design of the iO itself—it's really only good for selfie videos. It clamps on to your phone, which is a handheld device unless you buy a cumbersome tripod clip. Good luck if you want to record video that doesn't show off your face. A standalone camera, like the Gear 360, lets you get more varied shots.

The iO shoots still images in JPG format at 7.3MP resolution, about twice the pixels as you get from each video frame. Image quality is on par with a smartphone camera, but the ultra-wide nature of the lenses limits the detail you see in distant objects. I can see the painted constellations on the ceiling of the Grand Central Terminal waiting room above more clearly in an image than in a video, but the photo is not without issues.

There's a noticeable difference in exposure between the two lenses, with half the ceiling appearing slightly darker. Bright light coming in from the huge windows is blown out, a product of the limited dynamic range you get with a small image sensor. Stitching is also imperfect. We expect seam lines at close distances, it's just the nature of a dual-lens camera. But the skylights and stonework high above me in Grand Central are mismatched along the seam line, which is a real shame.

Conclusions

The Giroptic iO costs more than one of the better standalone 360 degree cameras we've tested, the $230 Sasmung Gear 360. The iO is smaller, and plugs right into your phone rather than connecting wirelessly, but that's where the advantages end. Its video and image quality are subpar, and you still have to remember to charge it separately as it isn't powered by your phone. If you prefer an add-on camera for your phone, Android users will get similar video quality from the $130 Insta360 Air, and iPhone owners can opt for the Insta360 Nano, priced at $200. Skip the iO, as there are better values out there.

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