The difference between a panorama photo and a spherical photo

The difference between a panorama photo and a spherical photo comes down to how much of the scene they capture and how they’re meant to be viewed:

Panorama Photo • Format: Wide, horizontal (sometimes vertical) image. • Coverage: Typically captures a wide field of view horizontally—anywhere from 60° to 180°, sometimes more. • Shape: Flat or slightly curved image. • Viewing: Viewed as a regular photo, either printed or on a screen. Some panoramas can be interactive, but not always. • Example: A wide shot of a mountain range or a city skyline.

Spherical Photo (also called a 360-degree photo) • Format: Full immersive image. • Coverage: Captures a full 360° horizontally and 180° vertically, covering everything around and above/below the camera. • Shape: Viewed as a sphere or globe. • Viewing: Designed to be interactive—you click, drag, or move your phone/VR headset to look around. • Example: Virtual tours where you can look in all directions from a fixed point.

Summary: • Panorama = wide slice of a scene. • Spherical = complete bubble around the camera.

Want examples or tips on how to shoot either one?