27.12.2016

Normally I end my reviews with stating why I have given the item a star rating, this time, I felt that this item is so unusual that I should justify 5 stars straight away. This camera is very much a niche item (some might say marmite) and you will love it (I do) or hate it. It isn't cheap to purchase, costing £249.00 as at the 27th December 2016, but as a keen photographer for over 40 years, this camera delivers images which no other camera I have owned can. It is very quirky, in that it provides a complete surround image, not just left and right but up and down as well. I have used it whilst it inside and outside as well as in challenging areas with low light. The camera has produced stunning images,which whilst of a fixed format are incredibly unusual as they encapsulate every detail. The optics are basic, however, the lenses are relatively high quality and whilst they produce a distorted image, it reduces as you pan round to view the image from a different angle. For examples visit [...]; I would post some of my own, but these reflect the true versatility of the item.I was a little concerned about the cost, then I considered the cost of my SLR and lenses, all of which cost more than this item. As I have said it is a niche player, but it is so unusual and embraces a culture of sharing digitally, via uploading the images to the Ricoh Theta website and sharing a link via social media or email. We have today been to a party and I was able to obtain images of the whole room and everyone in it; again an acquired taste, but this type of image, even taken using traditional cameras is hardly something you would put in a frame, it is just friends in a natural setting.Setup is easy, as is operation. Out of the box it is a matter of taking photos straight away, yes you can pair it with dedicated wi-fi to an android or ios device (I used my ipad) but you can also hold the camera up and press the button and download the items later to an android/ios device or use the device to control the shutter release. I have used it both ways, holding the camera above my head and pressing the shutter to take a panoramic view on a walk [...] (difficult conditions with low sun) or fixing the camera to a tripod and using the android/ios device to compose and trigger the exposure - I have tried this at home, but will post a decent image after I have visited Wimborne Minster later in the week and obtain some pictures from there.Sharing with social media is easy after setting up a connection. I have found my tablet a bit slow to upload images (ipad 2) and prefer to use my imac as it is far faster to upload (you can also use a PC), effectively every platform to upload is catered for except Blackberry and Windows phone.I am experimenting with video, but as I rarely take video footage, it is just an add on for me. I will post some video footage when I get the right setting.The item itself is well made, has a very good lens and comes with a protective case and lead for charging/uploading to my imac; I could use the wifi to upload to ios or imac, but I prefer the cable as it uploads the data quicker and uses less power. All around this is a quality item. Instructions are hard copy set up guide, with detailed and comprehensive instructions available on-line or as a download in the supplied software. Is there anything which I don't like? Yes there is. Using for a prolonged period will require the camera to be charged and I would like the option of purchasing a charger rather than carry a laptop with me, particularly say on holiday - I have emailed Ricoh to see if there is an optional accessory to purchase, or for advice about a compatible charge.I started with is it worth 5 stars? For many it may not be, for me as a photo enthusiast for many years, it has introduced a different perspective for my hobby and will allow me to share images, the likes of which I have never thought of before, whether it be internally or externally, bright days or low light, this item is a gem to carry around in a photo bag or a pocket, crowded environments or open spaces, if you want to share an event or simply a stunning panorama, this item is brilliant.UPDATE=======I have used this item on a number of occasions now both indoors at social events and outdoors. I realise that this is very much a gadget, however, it does take fantastic panoramic stills and videos and I only wished that I could take it underwater as I feel that in this environment, the distortion would be far less evident (that is the case with fish eye lenses underwater) and the panoramic views would be brilliant. Suffice to say having compared this closely with the Samsung offering, the Ricoh is far better.

23.12.2016

I've seen a lot written about 360° cameras but they've not really interested me other than as a curiosity.When this cane up on Vine to review, though, I thought it must be worth a look...Wow, am I pleased I went for it!Usually I would wait until I'd really given something like this a really good road test before writing a review but in this case the camera is so simple to use I just had to write straight away.To be honest, I can't wait to get out and put this through its paces properly so I may well update this review very soon - from first impressions I can only imagine I'll be updating with more praise and detail.Taking the camera out of the box the only slight disappointment was the datedlooking beige colour - first bit of advice is to buy one of the other colours.Powered up the camera; installed the 'Theta S' Android app on my phone; clicked the button in the app to connect to the camera and found instructions on how to connect; turned Wi-Fi on on both the camera and the phone; connected the phone to the camera's Wi-Fi (password is the numeric part of the code printed on the bottom of the camera) and away we go.The app is very simple but also very powerful. It lets you select either photo or video mode and access a whole bunch of manual settings for exposure etc.(You can take simple photos or videos direct from the button on the camera, but using the app, which is available for iOS as well, will allow you to get the best out of the camera).Probably the most useful photo mode is the self timer mode which lets you hit the button in the app and then stash your phone before the photo is taken.As well as the normal mode there's also a time lapse mode which I'm looking forward to playing about with.The video mode on this model is limited to 5mins of recording and as in reviews I've seen you should note that this is not the an action camera! Where this camera works for both stills and videos is when it's on a tripod.Low light performance seems pretty good and the detail is very good. (See update below - stills are far better than videos in this respect)As I say, I'm looking forward to getting deeper into the settings but so far, with default settings results are very encouraging.The camera also performs a bit of magic...The camera is self-aware, and I think this is absolutely genius. The camera removes itself from any pictures you take. You can see what the camera is standing on (or being held by) but by removing itself from the picture you get a full uninterrupted sphere. Brilliant!These are only first impressions but if I find problems with other features I can only say that what I have found so far means that if you are looking for a 360° camera this should definitely be considered.NOTE: The Theta cameras ONLY have onboard storage, there is no slot for an SD card of any type to extend the storage. That said, the app reports that the SC has space for some 8000+ 360 images, so that should keep you going a while.-- UPDATE --After playing around with this camera some more I have a couple of additional observations:- Still images are very sharp- Videos are less sharp and suffer from some graininess and blurriness.- Low light conditions result in some noise in the pictures but stills are still usable - videos suffer from more noise in low light probably related to the initial graininess in the Theta video recordings anyway. Playing with the manual exposure settings etc may improve this, though.

28.12.2016

I had considered purchasing the Samsung Gear 360 - but I didn't for two reasons. Samsung currently do not have an app for iOS,and I I did take some sample images with the Samsung at the Leeds Samsung store, and I thought the stitching was pretty useless.. stitching is what these cameras do to the two images they take.. The stitching in the Samsung was obvious and pretty poor IMHO -I have to admit that I chose the Ricoh because I had seen some sample images and was impressed..The SC is the little brother of the S - it is newer, but has no hdmi socket, and you cant stream.. the main two differences.. other than that its cheaper,

12.11.2016

If you don't need live streaming (no hdmi out) or capture longer videos then this is perfect version of Theta.Features this SC version has are suited specially if you want to capture and share 360 environment with easy one to few clicks workflow.Free to download Ricoh made Theta apps (Theta S, Theta+ and Theta+ Video + Desktop application) cover basic use cases for average user. You can view the pictures with theta apps on your mobile device, share scenery with friends or let them view those places with browser or if you are planning to use cardboard VR there is built in mode in theta app to experience the captured location.For vfx professionals and game developers this device can be used to capture hdr images (with 3rd party apps)

6.1.2017

Wow! This is one very cool gizmo.Some while ago I was a little peeved that, unlike some pals with newer iPhones, I couldn't find anything for my old 3GS that'd take decent panoramic pics. The newer iPhones appeared to have this functionality built-in. I had to download numerous apps, none of which were up to snuff. So when this came up on Vine I thought I'd check it out. It's great!You need a smartphone or tablet to run the associated app and get the pics off the device. The device itself also has no screen. You can take pics with or without your smartphone or tablet to hand; in the former mode you can see what you're shooting onscreen, plus the app allows one to photograph (or film)

2.1.2017

The only thing I don't like about this camera is its colour. Who would choose to show off a beige piece of leading edge technological wizardry? The colour aside, Ricoh's Theta SC is a brilliant piece of kit. It's niche, so you would need to be a photography enthusiast and add it to your collection of cameras and software. In the wrong hands, it could be just gimicky.My 16 year old son set it up for me and I have had great difficulty getting the camera back - he was so excited and enthralled. He powered up the camera; installed the 'Theta S' iOS app on my iPhone phone and connected the phone to the camera’s Wi-Fi. The app is simple and powerful,

30.8.2017

Wow. I bought this camera as a gadget on a whim. How wrong was I? I used this on holiday to great effect - producing some of my best holiday photos. I thought that the video would not be good but I was also wrong.The video length is not a limitation as I expected it to be. as short videos clips work better. The device pairs with my phone to allow good remote pictures, but also works directlyThe quality is more than good enough for most purposes. If you want any better then a significantly larger sum of money is needed. For a toe in the water to try and play with 360 this is an ideal product at a very good price.The battery life is good enough for a holiday and the camera can store more than enough photos for a summer holiday.

12.6.2017

If you like looking at street view on Google Maps you will enjoy this too. The picture quality is much the same, with a tad of chromatic aberration near the stitching line, but not enough to spoil the picture. This is a fun camera to play with, best for landscapes and also, unexpectedly, good for pictures of models because, having a very short focal length , it makes them look like the real thing. Charges the battery by attaching to the USB port of a computer, and delivers pictures through the same port. WiFi connection to an iphone is easy (the password is on the base of the camera) and the iphone display shows the scene as you compose the shot and trigger the shutter.I strongly recommend an inexpensive lightweight tripod.

26.1.2020

If you can get a Theta SC between £50 and £100, then this is good vaklue, and the perfect introduction to 360 photography.Any price over £100 in 2020 is overpriced.With the latest 360 cameras offering better image quality at a slightly higher price, this camera allows you to find out if you will get much use out of 360 photography.The video feature is pretty rubbish.. not HD in the slightest, but even in 2020, the SC shoots perfectly acceptable images that you can post to Google Street View....The best things about the Ricoh Theta family of cameras is the in camera stitching - it is excellent. But i must warn you , there is a bit of a learning curve with this type of photography. Fortunately,

26.9.2017

I did some research and settled on this model. Very simple to use and has a self timer function that is very useful for standalone use. Connected to a smartphone it has some impressive options - shutter priority, ISO priority and full manual modes allow for some truely impressive shots with very little experience. Downloading to your phone is very easy and from there you can share to social media quite easily. I found that it's best for taking landscape type pictures rather than faces and people. The video setting is also very good but to get the most out of it, your videos need to be around 20 seconds or longer so as to give the viewer time to pan around within the video.

17.7.2017

This is a really easy to use camera for taking fantastic 360 degree images. You use the device in conjunction with the Ricoh Theta apps (free to download and available for both android and iOs.) The app allows you to view your images and you can share them via social. You can also use the images you create with VR headsets - they look really cool.Fantastic camera for creating impactful 360 images.

18.10.2019

I am trying a 360° camera for the first time. My initial impression is that it is very easy to set up and use. The images are good. I am still trying to figure out how to do certain things! I was annoyed that every photo had my hands in it. I have therefore had to order a stick, which is arriving tomorrow.

17.3.2019

I was very pleased with the results of this inexpensive gadget - it gives reasonable image quality considering the device and lens size, is small enough to keep in your pocket and fast to use. Ideal when you need to survey with limited time available. Best gadget I've bought for some time!

28.7.2018

easy to setup and use, however, be careful it is not stable as I would like and therefore I would recommend you always leave it on a tripod. if it falls over the first thing it will land on is one of the lenses a very expensive mistake....

21.9.2018

I bought this because I needed a 360 camera for my business and it’s been absolutely perfect easy to use easy to set up (If you have a Masters degree in technology LOL) but once it’s set up very easy to use

Ricoh Theta SC - Reviews

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