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                                            When this image is in Tour It, it looks really cool!

What is a Panorama?

In a generic sense, a panorama is a wide, unbroken view of an entire surrounding area, typically captured in a photograph or painting that spans a broad field of vision.

However, virtual tours use a specific type of panorama - a 360 panorama (also called a 360 pano). A 360 panorama is a comprehensive view that covers a full 360-degree angle, encapsulating the entire surroundings in all directions, unlike a generic panorama which typically only covers a wide but limited field of view. 360 Panoramas are often multiple images stitched together by specialized software.

How Can You Identify a 360 Panorama Compared to a Traditional Panorama?

To identify a 360-degree panorama, look for these key aspects:

• Format: The flat version of a 360 pano appears in a 2:1 equirectangular format, often looking stretched or distorted at the top or bottom because it is intended for viewing with specialized software (like Tour It!).
• Field of View: A 360 pano includes a complete vertical view from top to bottom, capturing both the sky and the ground, in addition to a full 360-degree horizontal rotation around the viewer.
• Examples:

360 Panorama

• Equirectangular with 2:1 dimensions
• Stretched and distorted at the top and bottom
• View reaches to top of sky and immediate ground (where feet often are!)

Traditional Panorama

• Often much longer than a 360 pano
• No distortion
• Top of sky and immediate ground not often included

<aside> 👉 Because a 360 pano captures all 360 degrees, if someone is holding the camera, you might see parts of them like feet or a shadow as seen in the image below. Those are called artifacts.

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How Do I Add a Panorama to My Tour?

Visit Adding and Editing Panoramas!

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This is a living reference guide, and we want it to be as helpful as possible! Is there a question or an element that we should add/clarify? Do steps seem wrong or out of date? 📩 Please email Melanie ([email protected]) with your suggestions!