once you've used a 360 cam regularly you'll never want a car without it.

 

Your assumption is part right and part wrong. Yes. Its true. I don't own a vehicle with a 360 Camera. But I have used it in my friend's car. Maybe I have just not used it regularly? I do see some sense-able uses for it in specific situations. I just never found it to be all that important during my short time with the feature.

I do like the front facing camera, which allows you to see the curb in front.
I do like the side cameras for trying to get into a cramp drive-way.
Other than that - I personally feel the other benefits are okay, for my personal taste.

 

Agreed. I don't know why people would not want one. Makes no sense.

 

The strange thing about life these days, is everyone else knows what you want lol

I've always wanted a Martin guitar since being a kid. I played them side by side, for a couple of hours at a store, equivalent Taylor and Martins, in the 4-7k range. In each case, I liked the Taylor better. So what I am saying is we all do know what we like for ourselves.

 

For the most of you, you probably think I'm crazy for not finding any importance to the 360 Camera (but I'll admit its useful in some situations IE: checking front of the curb to make sure you don't scratch the front of your car). I also personally don't find any importance in lane keep assist either.

What I'm saying is: this is all very subjective. Everyone has their on taste and needs.

 

 

There's also a difference in seeking out the 360 camera and not caring if it's installed or not. For me it wouldn't be a deal-breaker, but I would be more inclined to get a vehicle that comes with it.

 

They cut the IS-F for cost reasons right? If that's the official reason then they need to cut the GS-F out of the line up and go back to the IS-F. The GS-F is Waaaaay Overpriced.

 

Money is always the reason. Clearly it would have cost them money to create an IS F for the third gen, but I highly doubt that they couldn't afford to do both. I suspect they felt that a GS F would be more profitable than another IS F, and that a GS F was easier to build (more room for the V8). So I think they took the easy route, then the less than stellar sales of the GS F may have then discouraged them from creating another IS F.

 

Alternatives to 360 Camera (in my point of view):
Front Camera: Pull into the spot - get out of the car and check to see how far you are from the curb. (I personally would still get out and check even with a 360 camera.)
Side Camera: Most cars have tilt on reverse for you to see the curb and parking lines. (I also personally stick my head out of the window - habit)

From my short experiences with the 360 Camera in my friends car - that's what I did. Maybe I didn't use it long enough? Can you please explain to me further functions that can be used with the 360 Camera? (Besides the ones I have listed and using it to get into a garage?)

Agreed. There is a difference between actively trying to find a car with the 360 camera feature and not caring if they have or not.

I 100% wouldn't mind it if it came with it as standard because they are giving it to me. I can find small usage for it. However - I would not spend 1K dollars to install this option because I know I probably wouldn't get the value out of it.

 

If you don't understand the usefulness of a 360 degree camera you've never had one, bottom line.

I have one car with it and one car without it, I really miss It on the LS. The #1 reason we didnt get a Honda Odyssey is it doesn't have a 360 degree camera, my wife refuses to drive a car without one.

 

Jesus Christ. Don't have to get too aggressive. Like I said earlier, and I quote myself:
I have already admitted the fact that I don't own a car with a 360 Camera. I have also clearly stated that I used my friend's car, temporary, and it had 360 Camera. During my, detailed but brief, use of the feature - I found the 360 Camera was not too important to me. I gave my account about 2-3 times already to my reasoning why I don't seem to feel the need to have this feature.

What I'm asking now is - is can someone, who owned a 360 camera for a long period of time, describe to me how useful it is? Strangely - no one is describing it to me. Its only blank statements of "Its good and if you never used it, you don't understand."

 

 

Nobody's being aggressive, you're just dismissing a feature that you've never had. Lots of features on cars I thought were silly until I had a car with them. Heated seats, cooled seats, heated steering wheels, blind spot monitoring, sonar backup sensors, backup camera, rear cross traffic alert just to name a few things that at one time I thought were silly, but after having had them I wouldn't want a car without them again.

Bottom line is, this feature is rapidly becoming a de facto requirement in a premium car.

The usefulness is obvious. Its much easier to maneuver the car around tight things, poles, curbs, its easier to see people/children/animals/shopping cats/etc around you before you back up or move. Its much easier to get your car positioned within the lines of a parking space.

When you drive big cars like we do especially, its a hugely useful feature.

 

I don't have the 360 degree camera but can definitely think of when it would be useful.

I have the backup camera, the front and rear obstacle sensors, and the rear cross-traffic alert on my car but I have not learned to judge distance with the beeping sensors; only the visual cues that the backup camera gives me gives me distance information. Because of this, I have come incredibly close -- and have scraped the corners of my front and rear bumpers -- in tight situations.

With the 360 degree camera giving me the ability to see all 4 corners of the car and see low-level obstacles (like parking kerbs), I should be better able to navigate in those tight situations (or avoid them altogether if I see how tight they really are before trying some turning maneuver).