18.11.2017

I bought myself an LG 360 Cam well over a year ago when they were first released. I also own a Samsung Gear 360 Cam (2017) that I bought a couple of months back. This new Theta V from Ricoh is by far the most expensive of the three, so I was looking forward to seeing how they all compare.Looks:The LG360 Cam is by far the smallest of the three. It's solid clip on cover makes it a doddle to stick in your pocket and know it won't get damaged. It also attracts less attention when used as it is very unassuming.The Samsung Gear 360 is significantly larger and heavier than the LG 360. It looks like a little one eyed toy robot and is quite cute. It generally attracts comments with people asking what it is and how it works.It comes with a small woven draw string carry pouch.The Ricoh is the most stylish of the three and looks more professional. It is thinner and lighter than the Samsung Gear 360, but still bigger than the tiny LG 360 Cam. It comes with a neoprene style slip on cover.Software:The LG360 Cam software is simple to use. It feels quite intuitive and I have never had any problems with instability or pairing. It has worked perfectly on three different Android phones including my latest Samsung Galaxy S8. Of the three cameras, I like the simplicity of the LG Software the best. There is also a viewer that you can download onto your PC that lets you view the images and videos.The Samsung Gear 360 Camera really needs a high end Samsung phone to work at its best. On my Samsung S8, the software has worked faultlessly. It is slicker and faster and better looking than the software for the LG360 Cam, but a little less intuitive and more complex to use. Although there is software availble for iOS devices, it is very restricted compared to the full version. There is also a very good 360 Degree video editing package that you can download and activate using your Gear 360 serial number. Of the three cameras the Samsung software is the most comprehensive.The Ricoh Theta V software has been the most troublesome for me of the three. To gain full access to the camera you need to connect to it via a wireless connection. This means you have to drop your WiFi connection on your phone and then connect directly to the Theta V which comes up as an available wireless network (no Wireless Direct here!) The advantage of this is that image transfer is lightning fast. However, I found that this connection was extremely unstable and that the software kept crashing. It took multiple attempts to transfer images. After updating the camera's firmware to 1.11, connections were improved, but still nowhere near as good as on either of the other two cameras. Connecting to the camera by Bluetooth only gives you very basic shutter control and no ability to preview or download the photos. There is also no viewing package for the camera for your PC. Of the three, this was by far the least intuitive and the most unstable software package. There is though an App you can download for your phone called Theta+ that you can use on your phone and it can produce small (15 second or so) videos from your 360 photos. This is actually excellent and lets you share a 360 photo without having to publish it onto Facebook or Youtube.Picture Quality:The LG360 Camera really is a first generation device. The images are soft and often blurry and the join line between the two 180 degree cameras is the most obvious of the three devices. It also really struggles in low light.The Samsung Gear 360 is a big step up in image quality to the LG 360 Cam. Images are sharper and much more vibrant. Video quality is a step up as it is true 4K compared to the LG360s 1440p. Low light performance is also significantly better than the LG360 Cam.The Ricoh Theta V also produces images that are significantly better than the LG 360 Cam. I actually found little to choose between the Samsung and the Ricoh. If pushed I would say the Ricoh is marginally better at still photos in good light and the Samsung is marginally better at still photos in low light. Video quality of the two is pretty much identical. In reality you would be hard pushed to tell the difference. On both cameras, the stitching between the two 180 degree cameras is very good. Personally I think the Samsung is very slightly better and that the join area is slighty softer on the Ricoh.Overall:I am fascinated by 360 degree pictures and photos. They are still very much an emerging technology though, especially at consumer level. To fully share a 360 degree photo or video you have to publish it to either YouTube or Facebook so that others can view it in its 360 degree glory. The Theta+ software from Ricoh helps with this, letting you share a short animated video clip of your 360 picture and that I think is a nice step in the right direction.Photos and videos taken in 360 degrees are still very soft and blurry when compared even to pictures tasken on a mid level smartphone. This is because the image is spread around a 360 degree sphere and that 4K video that would look pin sharp in a traditional video has to be spread out over the full 360 degrees. I think that resolution would have to be at least 8K before we begin to see the sort of image quality we have come to expect these days.Saying that though, 360 degree photography and videography is enormous fun and the results under the right circumstances and in the right situation can be incredible. Nothing brings back holiday memories for me in the same way anymore.Of the three cameras, the LG360 Cam is perfect for dipping your toe into the world of 360 degree photography at a bargain price. Its simple to use and has simple software. You will soon though come to want higher quality pictures and videos.The Ricoh Theta V is very similar in image quality to the Samsung, and of the three looks the most professional, however the software needs to be urgently improved in user friendliness and stability. You are are also limited to only the internal memory of the camara (19GB) which may not be a huge problem, but I would much rather have a removable memory card. Also, the Ricoh is significantly the most expensive of the three and im my opinion simply can't justify that difference.The Samsung Gear 360 (2017) is for me the clear winner of this group. It is a big step up from the LG360 Cam in every way, but you do need a newish Samsung phone to get the best from it.I remember how quickly digital photography developed back in the 1990s, and am looking forward to seeing how fast 360 degree photography improves. It is still huge fun and cutting edge, but all three of these cameras are still definitely early parts of this story.

26.11.2017

Being almost completely in the dark as to the world of 360 photography I leaped at the chance to try one of these gadgets as something new.The camera comes in an extremely secure and well packaged box which contains the device itself, a protective pouch, instructions and a charging lead.It comes pretty much charged but I let it fully charge as this is usually best policy. While this was happening I downloaded the app required to use it and then linked it to the camera by WiFi. It essentially creates its own WiFi channel when connected which was a little confusing at first but then connects automatically after the initial set up.The device has only a few buttons so is not exactly tricky to get started with.What the lens sees you see through the app on your phone. When the WifFi is connected the blue WiFi lights and there is another light to tell you when you are videoing.Holding the camera aloft you simply press the shutter button and your photos is taken. You can then manipulate it as you see fit in the app. So you can have a full 360 photo or create a small planet shot which looks pretty cool.Another neat feature is that this has four directional mics for video recording. In practice, after having shot your video, the sound will play back the loudest in the direction you are looking at so, for example, on the beach you would hear the waves when panning to the sea.There is a lot to learn with this sort of photography and you won't find much of use in the supplied instructions. YouTube really IS your best friend when getting to grips with this and you will find a wealth of video tutorials there. For example, you will find your hand features quite prominently in handheld shots so there are tips to minimise this. The only way to remove yourself completely is to set the camera up on a tripod (there is a threaded hole on the underside for this) and take the shot remotely using the app. Being that there is no image stabilization, investing in a tripod or monopod at the same time is probably a good idea.Picture quality is pretty good with lots of detail, not too much grain and no noticeable "stitching" apparent. I'm sure I will be able to improve upon my early efforts with practice. As to be expected, night shooting is rather variable and daylight gives the best results.Storage-wise, you get 19GB on board and that is it, there is no option of an SD card. This should be sufficient for most tasks and, once shot, you will most likely be transferring them to a PC rather than keeping much on the device.At the price, this is hardly a casual purchase, as I say, I was lucky to be offered the chance to play with one so I would say this is meant for those with some existing experience of 360 photography.That said, the learning curve doesn't seem too steep (although it is there) and there are, I'm sure, lots of tricks and tips to master. I look forwards to next being in more exotic climates so I can really test it out.The device is extremely sturdy and durable feeling. Please note it is NOT waterproof but a case can be bought to make it so should you desire.Having read reviews of comparable products it would seem that this is as good as any if you want to go straight in at the high end. It's certainly a superbly designed product and should provide a lot of fun to experiment with for both the amateur and professional!

22.11.2017

... you should get hold of the Ricoh Theta V 360 degree camera. It looks quite different from any other camera I have ever owned. Measuring roughly 1 x 2 x 5 inches, it fits easily into the hand and, with two bulbous lenses back and front, it looks something like a digital dragonfly (another creature sharing a 360 degree view of the World) without any apparent viewfinder. Your phone works as its viewfinder after Bluetooth pairing. Pairing is set up using a relevant App downloaded from your Android or Mac store. The Theta V is the latest evolutionary development from the high rated Theta SC or S versions. Apart from the external casing colouring, they look similar to each other. They do, though,

28.9.2018

Things you need to understand about this camera.1. It takes 360° Spherical images.2. It does not spin around3. You need to use two apps. The Ricoh Theta App and the Ricoh Theta+ app.4. You need to learn how to remove the Nadir. Check YouTube for tutorials on this. The nadir is the image that remains of the tripod mount you use when you take a picture.5. You need to learn about Tiny Planets. These are app made filtered images that are pretty cool. Again check Instagram this time for examples.6. Learn how to take images using the self timer function.7. You will also need a monopod with a tripod base suitable for this camera. The Ricoh one is overpriced. I bought a carbon fibre one and a separate base.

30.9.2017

Have been a big fan of Ricoh Theta cameras for some time and have a good experience with 360 media and equipment.Here are the Pro's of the V in my experience, compared with the S and other cams:- 4k video is really good quality and copes with low lighting well (far far better than the Nikon KeyMission).- 4k video can be streamed to youtube via a PC (a driver, currently in beta, is needed to do this but it does it well).- the transfer speeds over wifi are very fast (a big step up over the Theta S)- The app is still really great.- It can be charged with any charger (Theta S would refuse to charge with a high amp usb charger)- Ability to run apps on it seems promising (edit: This is being rolled

20.12.2017

As a newcomer to 360 photography I was intrigued by the concept of wrap-around photos. After spending some time with this camera, I have concluded that it is fun to play around with and can produce some amazing images and videos. However, it is definitely a niche area of the photography market that I expect will be a bit like 3D tellies - after an initial buzz everyone will realise it is more hassle than it is worth and stick with their regular cameras. 360 photography is destined to remain in the realm of enthusiasts in my view, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.But on to the camera itself, it has been great fun to use, creating some unique images and videos.

20.11.2017

Got to grips with this really easily - without reading instructions ;-)It's basically two fish-eye lenses (and cameras) back to back, and takes photos and videos 360 degrees in all directions - literally. I took it for a spin, and in the resulting images could see the sky above and my hat below, as well as pan round horizontally and zoom in.The still photos are of stunning resolution, allowing zooming in to see fine details. I've already suggested it at work, for taking records (safety and progress) in the construction industry. It really is so simple to use, it's ideal for field use.The app is excellent - it's great to have an app that ties in neatly with the device.

24.2.2019

This is an impressive, small, 4K 360 camera. It is very easy to use after a little bit of preparation linking the unit to your mobile phone. This involves downloading the Ricoh app available for iOS or Android, in my case installing a firmware update, and linking the phone and the camera via bluetooth.The camera takes 360 still frames, 360 video and will stream 360 video live. Without the optional, but very expensive, attachable microphone, it still captures sound at a fair quality level using in built microphones. There is a software update which links the camera directly to an Oculus Go headset so that you can review images immediately after capture in a VR environment which is a big bonus.Less positively the battery life of the camera is quite limited,

2.4.2018

Bought the Theta V for use as an underwater camera, along with the Ricoh TW-1 underwater housing. It seemed to get the best reviews for the price.Very easy to use with minimal buttons for operation - handy when you have thick scuba gloves on! Slightly annoying there is no memory card slot - I've found that it will record ~45 minutes of footage in 4k before it is full. Battery life seems good however. Also fairly time consuming to get the footage into a usable state to upload to YouTube etc but it's worth it.Stitch lines are there in underwater footage but far less noticeable than I saw with other cameras, Ricoh TW-1 underwater housing also has a visible crescent of the housing at the bottom of the shot but no way around this.

18.11.2017

I think this is brilliant! For the size of it it takes both excellent stills and more than good enough videos. Feels nice and solid in the hand, takes about 200 mins to full charge, easy to link to a smart phone to view your efforts. It needs to be linked to something as there is no way to view your photos/videos otherwise. Have tried it in low light, sunset, and the photos were pretty good and even in a poorly lit room they came out useable. It has three, very small, buttons on one side including the on/off button, takes about 18 seconds to 'warm up' after button pressed. Needs to have a password input the first time one links it to their phone but not after that.

7.1.2019

After returning from a recent trip I found that my favourite photos were the 360 degree ones. However the stitching on them was never perfect, it was almost impossible to take them in busy places and they take quite a while to take with a Pixel XL.After reading a number of reviews and looking at the Pros and Cons of cameras which were slightly cheaper/more expensive. This one works for me for low light/normal UK weather mainly just taking photos with this.The main negative for me is that the lenses can't be replaced, so if you drop this camera and it's not insured you will have to buy a new one for £££.

5.12.2017

DOES NOT RECORD 360 SPACIAL AUDIO WITHOUT THE ADDITIONAL MICROPHONE!Even though Amazon's description says it can, or rather, doesn't actually state implicitly that you need the microphone to achieve 360 spacial audio recording.If you don't want the 360 spacial audio then it's a great camera by itself. Converting software is required to get it into an equirectangular format and download times from the camera to a laptop is quite slow, to a phone (I have an iPhone 7) is reeeeeeeeeally slow!As long as you have patience and planning, the footage is great.

3.11.2017

Very easy to set up with my iPhone and iMac (and iPad). You can trigger the camera remotely with the phone app – it creates its own WiFi network. Excellent picture quality. Easy to import images and videos (I used Adobe Lightroom). Haven't spotted any of the stitching issues mentioned in other reviews. In any case, Photoshop can now edit and display 360° images. The tripod hole is too small for regular tripods. The online manual is very simple and straightforward. It's very compact and light. No messing about with SD cards. Very user-friendly.

28.12.2018

The camera is very easy to use and the photos are very clear and sharp. The transfer of photos to a PC via the USB cable is easy and fast. The only minor dislike is the size of the power, wireless, and mode buttons - there are very small and have to use my fingernails to press on them. The camera looks well made and feels solid. I have had the camera for a few days and haven't had a chance to make any videos or tried all the settings. I am very happy with my purchase.

3.12.2018

Best feature: portabilityThe design enables you to carry the device in your pocket.The bulging lenses really have to be protected. So although it would fit in your pocket, please use a nice case.This isn't built for action in waters. It is not water resistant. So be careful. Don't use it like you would use an action camera.Beautiful picture quality. Excellent dynamic range. The editor app on the phone does an excellent job.Videos are great quality too.

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