i'm referring to like a matrix room or a discord or something like that as here seems to be quite inactive unfortunately, because i want to know more about panoramax and what people think, etc

Although it's possible just to use a smartphone for image capture, 360 images (photospheres) are the best way to take in the totality of a scene.

The GoPro Max is the current standard recommendation but it's also quite pricey for the individual. Has anyone tried any alternatives? How did it go?

Contributing to Panoramax means participating in the development of a geo-common, a sovereign, free and reusable digital resource. Each geolocalized photo published on Panoramax can be used by anyone for a variety of purposes, for example by a local authority needing to observe the status of its roads, or by a telecoms operator to prepare an intervention. Each contributor can send their image sequences, modify them and consult them, as well as all the views - 360° or not - contributed by the community. The compulsory blurring of faces and license plates is automated on the platform.