Practical answers to the common technical questions estate agents and photographers ask.
What is an equirectangular 360 image?
An equirectangular image is a panoramic photograph flattened onto a 2:1 rectangle—meaning the width is exactly twice the height (e.g. 5376 × 2688). When viewed in an ordinary image viewer, the ceiling and floor appear stretched and distorted like a map of the globe. A 360 viewer wraps that 2:1 rectangle back into a sphere around you so you can look in any direction naturally.
Why must 360 photos have a 2:1 aspect ratio?
Because geometry requires it: a full horizontal rotation covers 360 degrees, while vertical elevation covers 180 degrees (from straight down at your feet to straight up at the ceiling). 360° / 180° = 2.0. If an image has any other ratio (such as 16:9 or 4:3), the viewer will stretch or distort the room.
Which cameras export compatible files?
All dedicated dual-lens 360 cameras export equirectangular files suitable for property tours:
- Insta360 (X2, X3, X4, ONE RS): Export from the Insta360 phone app or Insta360 Studio desktop software as a stitched equirectangular JPG.
- Ricoh Theta (SC2, X, Z1): Stitches in-camera automatically into an equirectangular JPG.
- Trisio Lite2 & GoPro Max: Export standard 2:1 JPG panoramas.
Are my property photographs private?
Yes, completely. This viewer uses standard HTML5 and WebGL running inside your computer's browser. The file you select never touches our servers, is never stored anywhere, and disappears from memory the moment you close or refresh this tab.
How do I put virtual tours on Rightmove and Zoopla?
Property portals do not accept raw image files for 360 tours; they require an external hosted URL. With Redfield360, you upload your panoramas, connect them with hotspots, and generate one stable public link that pastes directly into your portal listing feed. Read our Rightmove and Zoopla virtual tour guide for exact portal field steps.