Ricoh Theta S 360 Degrees Camera, Black

Product Information

Videos shot with all RICOH THETA models are supported (excluding videos shot with the file size “1280 × 720”). Videos may not be converted depending on the shooting environment and conditions. The headline act on the Ricoh Theta X is undoubtedly its ability to shoot 5.7K 30fps 360° videos with image stabilization, and purportedly without stitching (more on that below). Samsung was one of the first companies to make a truly useful 360 camera, and though it's been several years since it released anything new, its Gear 360 camera from 2017 still remains a fairly useful and functional device. The Gear 360 has a fun, lollipop-like shape that makes it easy to hold in one hand, and can even withstand a few splashes. It also has a tripod mount, if you want to attach it to your bike or something else. The Z1 was able to eliminate almost all the movement and keep the horizon fairly level. However, the footage still looked a bit wobbly. Similar videos shot with the GoPro Max and the Insta360 One X were much stabler. Whether the Ricoh Theta X is going to appeal to you will depend on what kind of content creator you are. If you're looking at this 360° camera as an alternative to a GoPro action camera, then bear in mind that its image stabilization – despite working on higher resolutions than on a GoPro – just isn’t as good. Vloggers should also look at the Theta X with suspicion purely because you can’t use an external microphone with it.

One small external upgrade from its predecessor is the addition of a small OLED display. Although smaller than the screen on the Theta Z1, the OLED display can be used to keep tabs on settings and battery life. There’s also a new self-timer button. This 360-degree action camera is a great piece of hardware. The image and video quality of the GoPro Max are good enough that they could get it here by themselves, but the GoPro Max also offers a swathe of intuitive features that mean pretty much anyone gets loads out of it, even if they have little interest in 360-degree imaging. The following functions can be used with the RICOH THETA V firmware update scheduled for release soon. We did list some negative points in our review, most notably that it does have an audible fan, however, the battery life isn't great and it's not waterproof without a housing. It was also pretty expensive.

Thumbnails of spherical images set as "Unlisted" are not displayed in the Profile screen for users other than the user who posted the image. Although the headline act for the Theta X is hi-res 360° videos with image stabilization, the two top resolutions – 5.7K 30fps and 4K 60fps, both with IS – cannot be controlled from the app at all. To use either of those you’re effectively app-less, needing to operate the Theta X solely from the device itself. It’s also not possible to shoot either of those top resolutions while the WiFi is switched-on.

For the THETA V and THETA Z1, this function is available only for videos recorded while “Stitching during shooting” is OFF. Ricoh also has several apps for laptops, including its Basic app (Windows and Mac) which is only for photos, a File Transfer app (Mac), a Movie Converter app (Windows and Mac), and an Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic CC plugin. The Basic app and Movie Converter apps are just that, and don’t allow you to edit the photos or videos in any way. One of the other major issues with 360° cameras is that the content creator struggles to themselves get out of the image. Cue ‘Time Shift’ on the Theta X, which works when you put the camera on a tripod (there’s a 1/4-inch tripod thread on its underside) or on a flat surface and let it take two photos.When THETA is not used for a certain period of time (Z1 defaults to 3 minutes, SC2 to 5 minutes), it automatically goes into sleep mode. Press the power button to make it ready for shooting, and then try connecting again. Cause #5: The Wi-Fi signal is being interrupted by radio interference Ricoh has confirmed compatibility for the following devices. However, they are not covered by the warranty, so use them at your own risk. You get a lot of weird stares and comments when you test 360 cameras. By now, people are used to seeing action cams like the GoPro, but both the shape and way you mount 360 cameras immediately draws attention. However, as with any other camera, megapixels aren't everything. The larger size of the Z1's sensors mean it can capture better images, which was most evident in low-light situations.

The Z1's magnesium body also feels solid, though the camera is not water-resistant, as is the case with the GoPro Max. The bug that caused the software to freeze in the "Decompressing file" state when reading spherical images because a file that does not have an extension exists in the same folder has been fixed

Insta360 X3

Added a function for converting and playing videos shot with the RICOHTHETA (model: RICOHTHETA m15). We test cameras both in real-world shooting scenarios and in carefully controlled lab conditions. Our lab tests measure resolution, dynamic range, and signal-to-noise ratio. Resolution is measured using ISO resolution charts and quoted in line widths/picture height, which is independent of sensor size. Dynamic range is measured using DxO Analyzer test equipment and the results are expressed as EV values. DxO Analyzer is also used for noise analysis across the camera's ISO range, with results quoted as a signal-to-noise ratio. We typically choose three competing cameras to offer a performance comparison and some context.