360-degree video is So Hot Right Now. Between the launch of Daydream, expanded support in apps like YouTube, and a continuing interest in headsets like Gear VR and the Oculus Rift, video creators wouldn't be unwise to dip a toe into this particular pool. (If only wearables had stayed so hot.) Samsung's consumer-grade 360-degree camera, creatively called the Gear 360, is currently on sale for $50 off at Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo. That brings the price down to $299.99.

If the Gear VR isn't the most high-powered 360-degree camera around, then at least it's the prettiest. The little snowball uses two camera modules and fisheye lenses to record omnidirectional video, then stitch it back together into a single file. The combined resolution is 3840x1920 at 30 frames per second, so it's not going to be quite good enough for pro-level photography, but as a relatively cheap way to check out the format it'll work just fine. Users can transfer photos or still images to the smartphone app or store them on a MicroSD card slot. A small battery allows the gadget to double as a GoPro-style "action cam," and there are plenty of available accessories for that purpose.

If $300 is still too rich for your blood, there's another alternative. DailySteals has the LG 360 Cam, a similar but less capable (and stylish) device, for just .99 for the next three days.

Source: Amazon, Best Buy, B&H Photo