Trisio Lite 2 360 Camera - Kuula Review
Trisio Lite 2 is a unique 360 camera because, unlike most other models, it has only one lens. How does it shoot 360 photos then? Read the review to find out!
Typically, 360 cameras have 2 or sometimes 4 lenses. When such camera shoots a 360 image, it takes simultaneous shots in multiple directions. Those shots, when put together, cover the entire 360 degree field of view.
How does the Trisio camera work?
Trisio, on the other hand, has only one lens and a rotator mechanism called NodeRotate. The camera rotates around and takes the shots one by one using the single lens.
This feature allows to shoot high quality photos while significantly lowering the cost of the device. Trisio can shoot photos at the same quality as Ricoh Theta Z1, but costs less than half the price!
We made this short video to show how exactly Trisio shoots a panorama. You will notice that it starts by rotating 270 degrees and then goes back, capturing an image by 90 degree increments.
The whole process takes about 30 seconds and in this time Trisio captures 4 shots. The shots are then stitched into a single panoramic image on the mobile or desktop app (see below).
Sample Virtual Tour
Trisio shoots images at a resolution of 8000 x 4000 pixels (8K) which is on the higher end when compared to other devices. The panoramas are sharp and have lively colors thanks to its adaptive imaging system called Anyscene. You can judge for yourself by exploring the tour below:
For those shots, in the Kuula editor, we applied the sharpness function (about 10%) and added a slight Bloom filter to bring the color saturation up a bit. Finally, we added some lens flare effects to make the shots look more dramatic.
As you can see, the amount of details is very high, the images are sharp and the colors are radiant. There are also no visible stitching errors. On the downside, in some shots there is a noticable sun glare.
The hardware
Trisio Lite is made of plastic. For this reason, it may not appear as solid as a Ricoh Theta or Insta360 devices, but it is still a high quality and well made camera. On the other hand it is pretty lightweight (150g), so it is easy to carry in your pocket. It has the same oblong shape as Rioch cameras, but it is a litle bit larger than those devices.
Trisio doesn't have any touch screen on which you can preview the shot or access the camera settings. This is all done via the Trisio app on your mobile phone. The device itself has only a power and a shutter button. You will probably not use the shutter often - it's easier to use the mobile app for that.
Thanks to the simplicity, the camera has a very long battery live. The official website says that when fully charged, the camera can be used for up to 200 minutes and it appears to be the case. For when the battery finally runs out though, the device is equipped with a USB-C charging port and a cable is included in the box.
There is no protective bag or pouch that comes with the camera. It comes however with a solid case which is great for securing the camera when you travel.
Since it needs to rotate in order to shoot a panorama (see video above), it is highy recommended to use a tripod. So remember to get one before shooting. Trisio comes with a small tripod adapter. It is a very neat device that allows to easily plug in and out the camera without having to unscrew it.
One extra advantage of the rotator
The clear downside of the rotating mechanism is that is takes a short while to snap a panorama and you can only shoot using a tripod (or have a very steady hand!) It is also difficult to shoot that way when there is movement around. But it has a few upsides as well.
One that I did not expect - but liked a lot - is that you do not have to run away and hide before taking the picture. Instead you can slowly walk around the tripod as the camera rotates. This is especially useful for shooting panoramas in public spaces, where you may not want to leave the camera on its own. If you do that however, remember to check where your shadow is. If you are not careful, it can end up in the shot.
The mobile app
The camera comes with a mobile app that you can get for both iOS and Android devices. There is also a desktop app if you prefer to stitch the photos on your computer.
The mobile app is pretty minimal. It allows basic control of the camera and the shutter. It also has a few other minor features like nadir logo settings and a live preview when connected to the camera.
For more information about the camera functions and its setup, we recommed checking the company's official YouTube channel.
Conclusion
Trisio Lite 2 is a very good camera for shooting virtual tours. It performs very well under different light conditions and delivers high quality 8K panoramas. At a relatively low price point, it is a very reasonable choice for all panoramic photographers, especially those who shoot property & real estate virtual tours.