Just about any modern smartphone can shoot a panoramic photo these days, and some even a 360-degree photo, but it’s a time-consuming process; Ricoh wants to change all that with the Theta, capable of capturing a full spherical image in a single snap. Rather than the ponderous snap-and-stitch that builds up a 360 shot from individual frames, the Theta pairs two 5-megapixel sensors on either side of a slim bar that can collectively grab all the data simultaneously. We grabbed some hands-on time at IFA 2013; read on for our first impressions.
As standalone cameras go, the Ricoh is on the compact side. A white plastic bar wrapped with a silver band, the two bulbous lenses are either side near the top, with a round button underneath one and a row of secondary controls along one side. They control power and the wireless connection with a smartphone, with a WiFi link to hook up the Theta with the mobile app.
The app isn’t actually necessary for use every time, however. When you’re out with just the Theta, you can hold it up and hit the capture button and it’ll save it to the internal 4GB of storage. There’s no preview display, however – though that’s less important since you’re effectively capturing everything – as well as no indication of how much internal capacity is left over. A tripod mount and USB port are on the bottom.
Post a Comment