Ricoh Theta V 4K 360-degree spherical camera

Description

Why photograph only a small part of a scene when you can photograph absolutely everything?
Never miss the action ever again!

Introducing the Ricoh Theta V 360-degree spherical camera.

Click and move your mouse on the photo below to change the view. Zoom in and out with the slider in the lower-left corner, or go full-screen with the button in the lower-right corner.

[sphere 1437 width=”100%” min_fov=”60″ title=”Mountain-top Observatory spherical photograph” autoload]

Don’t forget to look up at the Milky Way!

 

Here’s a time-lapse of the Aurora Australis as seen from northern Tasmania, photographed by Daniel Lam, 7th November 2017. Best viewed in 4K:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=018hbzv9lnw]

 

This camera uses two 12MP CMOS sensors and two 1.3mm focal-length lenses (at f2.0) pointing in opposite directions. Sophisticated built-in software automatically stitches the footage from both cameras together to form a complete omnidirectional photograph. A built-in four-channel microphone allows you to capture directional audio, giving your videos a feel to them like nothing you’ve seen before.

This allows you to create immersive 360° still images and videos, including surround sound.

The camera is controllable via Ricoh’s Theta S iOS and Android apps:

• The Ricoh Theta S iPad/iPhone app is available here.
• The Ricoh Theta S Android app is available here.

Simply connect to the Theta V via its ad-hoc WiFi network, open the app, and start imaging!

Tap or click the black bar below to load it.

[sphere 1438 width=”100%” min_fov=”60″ title=”The Summit spherical photograph”]

The camera can be used in automatic mode, shutter priority mode, ISO priority mode, or full manual mode. The full manual mode allows for capturing of nightscape photographs, including those of the Aurora Australis and Aurora Borealis (when it’s visible, of course).

There is a standard tripod adapter thread on the base of the camera.

 

It’s quite small – only 13cm tall, 4.5cm wide, and 2.3cm thick (including the bulbous lenses) (or 1.8cm thick, excluding the lenses).

Optional accessories (coming late 2017) will include a three-dimensional external microphone and a waterproof housing, allowing use of the Theta V underwater.

Importantly, this system supports High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging, which improves image detail over non-HDR images. HDR works by merging bracketed photographs into one image, providing more detail in darker areas within photographs, while not over-exposing brighter areas.

 

Image gallery

Tap or click on the black bars below to load each image:

[sphere 1439 width=”100%” min_fov=”60″ title=”Anglesea Beach spherical photograph”]

[sphere 1434 width=”100%” min_fov=”60″ title=”Laneway and car park spherical photograph”]

[sphere 1438 width=”100%” min_fov=”60″ title=”The Summit spherical photograph”]

[sphere 1437 width=”100%” min_fov=”60″ title=”Mountain-top Observatory spherical photograph”]

A full gallery of images created with the Ricoh Theta V is available here.

 

Camera specifications

Further information about the Ricoh Theta V is available on the Theta360 website.

• Focus distance

  Approximately 10cm – ∞ (from front of lens)

• Shooting mode

  Still image: Auto, shutter priority, ISO priority, manual^*1
  Video: Auto

• Exposure control mode

  Program AE, Shutter speed priority AE, ISO sensitivity AE, Manual exposure

• Exposure compensation

  Still image: Manual compensation (-2.0 – +2.0EV, 1/3EV step) ^*1

• ISO sensitivity (standard output sensitivity)

  Still image: (Automatic) ISO64 – 1600
  (ISO priority mode) ISO64 – 3200 ^*1
  (Manual mode)ISO64 – 3200 ^*1
  Video: ISO64 – 6400

• White balance mode

  Still image: Auto, Outdoor, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent light 1, Incandescent light 2, Daylight colour fluorescent light, Natural white fluorescent light, White fluorescent light, Light bulb colour fluorescent light, Color Temperature (2500 K to 10000K)^*1,
  Video: Auto,

• Shutter speed

  Still image: (Automatic) 1/25000 – 1/8 seconds,
  (Shutter priority mode) 1/25000 – 1/8 seconds ^*1
  (Manual mode) 1/25000 – 60 seconds ^*1
  Video: 1/25000 – 1/30 seconds

• Shooting functions^*8

  Noise reduction
  DR correction
  HDR rendering
  Interval shooting
  Shooting with self-timer
  shooting with multi brackets

• Recording medium

  Internal memory: Approx. 19GB

• Number of photos that can be recorded, time ^*2

  Still image: Approx. 4,800 photos
  Video (time per recording): Max. 5 minutes/25 minutes ^*1 *6
  Video (total recording time): Approx. 40 minutes (4K, H.264)
  approx. 130 minutes (2K, H.264)

• Power source

  Lithium ion battery (built in) ^*2

• Battery life

  Still image: Approx. 300 photos ^*4
  Video: Approx. 80 minutes ^*4

• Compression method

  Still image: JPEG (Exif Ver2.3)
  Video: MP4 (Video: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, H.265^*7, Audio: AAC-LC (mono) + Linear PCM (4ch spatial audio))

• External interface

  Micro-USB: USB 2.0, microphone terminal

• Remote release

  CA-3-compatible

• Exterior/external dimensions

  45.2 mm (W) x 130.6 mm (H) x 22.9 mm (17.9 mm ^*5) (D)

• Weight

  Approx. 121 g

• Usage temperature range

  0°C – 40°C

• Usage humidity range

  90% or less

• Storage temperature range

  -20°C – 60°C

• Lens configuration

  7 elements in 6 groups

• Lens_F value

  F2.0

• Image sensor_size

  1/2.3 CMOS (x2)

• Effective pixels

  Approx. 12 megapixels (x2)

• Still image resolution

  5376×2688

• Video resolution/frame rate/bit rate

  4K, H264: 3840×1920/29.97fps/56Mbps
  4K, H265: 3840×1920/29.97fps/32Mbps^*7
  2K, H264: 1920×960/29.97fps/16Mbps
  2K, H265: 1920×960/29.97fps/8Mbps^*7

• Wireless compliance standard

  IEEE802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz/5GHz)^*9
  IEEE802.11 b/g/n (2.4GHz only)

• Wireless supported channels

  2.4GHz: 1 to 11ch
  5GHz: W52 (36/40/44/48ch)^*9

• Wireless communication protocol (WLAN)

  HTTP (Open Spherical Camera API compatible)

• Wireless communication protocol （Bluetooth）

  GATT (Generic Attribute Profile)

• *1 A smartphone is required to change modes or configure manual settings.
• *2 The number of photos and time are guides only. The actual number differs according to the photography conditions.
• *3 Charge the battery by connecting it to a PC using the supplied USB cable.
• *4 The number of photos that can be taken is a guide based on RICOH’s measurement method. The actual number differs according to usage conditions.
• *5 Excluding lens section.
• *6 Automatic shut down if the internal temperature increases.
• *7 Dedicated app is for H.264 only. H.265 is a specification for future application due to publication of API.
• *8 My Settings and Interval composite functions are scheduled to be added with firmware update in the future.
• *9 RICOH THETA V OTHER COUNTRIES
  (L85412/EDP CODE: 910727/RIM CODE: S0910727/JAN CODE: 4961311921599/UPC CODE: 026649107276) does not support 5GHz
• A complete list of the system’s specifications can be found here.