GoPro MAX vs Kandao QooCam 3
In short: The Kandao QooCam 3 collects light over 51 mm² per lens against 28, which is 1.8× the area; the Kandao QooCam 3 reframes to about 1.3K against 1.2K; the Kandao QooCam 3 goes 10 m deep with no housing against 5 m; the GoPro MAX puts features behind a ~$49.99/yr plan, which makes its first year ~$399; the GoPro MAX claims 1 h 18 min at 1440p30 single-lens, Enduro battery.
| Spec | GoPro MAX | Kandao QooCam 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$349 | ~$349 |
| Year-one cost | ~$399 with the plan | ~$349 |
| Type | 360 | 360 |
| Sensor size | 2 × 1/2.3-inch | 2 × 1/1.55-inch |
| Sensor area | 28 mm² per lens | 51 mm² per lens |
| Max resolution | 5.6K 360 @ 30fps | 5.7K 360 @ 30fps |
| Reframed resolution | ≈1.2K (estimated) | ≈1.3K (estimated) |
| Max fps at 4K | 30 | — |
| Max fps at 1080p | 60 | — |
| Max bitrate | 78 Mbps | 120 Mbps |
| Colour depth | 8-bit | Not published |
| Log profile | None | None |
| Stabilisation | Max HyperSmooth | SuperSteady |
| Horizon lock | 360° (full) | 360° (full) |
| Aperture | Not published | f/1.6 |
| Waterproof | 5 m bare | 10 m bare |
| Claimed runtime | 1 h 18 min at 1440p30 single-lens, Enduro battery | 58 min at 5.7K30 360 recording, standard settings |
| Tested runtime | No third-party test collected | No third-party test collected |
| Battery | 1600 mAh | 1600 mAh |
| Cold rating | 14°F | -4°F |
| Weight | 154 g | 189 g |
| Screens | 1.7-inch rear touch | 1.9-inch rear touch |
| Mount | GoPro folding fingers + 1/4-20 | 1/4-20 |
| Replaceable lenses | No | No |
| GPS | Yes | No |
| Voice control | Yes | No |
| Storage | microSD | microSD |
| Subscription | GoPro Premium, ~$49.99/yr | None |
| Released | 2019 | 2023 |
A highlighted cell is the outright better figure in that row, and only where one direction is unambiguously better. Weight, field of view and battery capacity are left neutral because the better direction depends entirely on what you are shooting.
Strengths and drawbacks
GoPro MAX
- +Max HyperSmooth in single-lens mode is still among the steadiest footage any GoPro produces
- +One body covers both 360 and conventional shooting, which nothing else here does as well
- +PowerPano produces level 270° panoramas without a tripod
- +Often sells well below $349, the cheapest route into 360 from a major brand
- −Lenses are not replaceable, and they are the first thing to scratch on any 360 camera
- −5.6K spherical reframes to well under 2K of usable 16:9
- −8-bit only, with no log profile
- −A 2019 sensor and processor, refreshed only in battery and mount
- −A 2019 processor makes in-camera stitching and the app noticeably slow next to current cameras
Kandao QooCam 3
- +Bigger sensors per lens than the Insta360 X3 or X4 at a similar price
- +F/1.6 lenses and DNG output make it a genuine stills camera
- +IP68 to 10 m with no housing
- +62 MP spherical photos are enough resolution for real-estate tours
- −5.7K video reframes to about 1.3K of usable 16:9
- −58 minutes of recording per charge and no internal storage
- −1.9-inch screen is small and fiddly with cold hands
- −No GPS, no log profile, and no published colour bit depth
- −2.8K single-lens mode is the lowest flat resolution of any 360 camera here