Best Ricoh Theta S Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020:

Ricoh is the pioneer of the 360 ​​° format. Remember, the first version of the Theta was the first camera capable of 360 ° photography. Since then, JK Imaging has been able to impose its little Kodak SP360. It was therefore necessary to work twice as hard to propose a serious competitor capable of filming. After a second Theta m15 version limited to 3 min sequences, the Theta S finally appeared at IFA 2015. Video recording is now limited to 25 min. She offers much more convincing arguments to compete with Kodak.

Best Ricoh Theta S Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020

1. Ricoh Theta S Digital Camera (Black)

2. RICOH Theta SC2 White 360°Camera 4K Video with Image stabilization High Image Quality High-Speed Data. Transfer Beautiful Night View Shooting with Low Noise Thin & Lightweight for iPhone, Android

3. RICOH Theta SC2 Beige 360°Camera 4K Video with Image stabilization High Image Quality High-Speed Data Transfer. Beautiful Portrait Shooting with face Detection Thin & Lightweight for iPhone, Android

4. RICOH THETA SC2 BLUE 360°Camera 4K Video with image stabilization High image quality. High-speed data transfer Beautiful night view shooting with low noise Thin and Lightweight For iPhone, Android

Getting started

No doubt, the course of action of the Theta S is minimalism. The design is also the same as that of the first and second Theta version: thin and elongated. Its look and handling are furiously reminiscent of the iconic memory flash-eraser in the Men In Black film series. The camera has only four function keys. On the side there are a button for switching on, one for Wi-Fi and another for switching from photo mode to video mode. Finally, the trigger, placed on one of its faces, falls perfectly under the thumb. 

In hand, the Theta S is maintained like a small remote control and we particularly appreciate the grip and the smooth and soft coating that covers it. However, be careful to replace it in its protective case (supplied), since the material is easily scratched. The small LED-backlit icons light up to indicate the mode used, triggering or if Wi-Fi is connected. It is ideal for simple and efficient use, even without a screen and without connecting the device to the application. 

If we admit to having a soft spot for this atypical object, we had a little more difficult to tame the applications necessary for the use of the camera via Wi-Fi. For an optimal use of the camera, it is necessary to download 3 different applications: one for remote triggering, configuration of settings and viewing, another for editing photos, and a last for editing videos (this is only available on iOS). Why not have combined shooting and editing in one and the same application? Suffice to say that Ricoh does not simplify our task and that it is quite tedious to use

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In addition to excluding Android and Windows Phone users from video editing. To edit a photo or video, you need all first transfer the original file to the smartphone from the basic application, close the application, open the editing application, load the same file and re-save it on the smartphone. Many manipulations that could have been avoided by switching directly from one application to another or by grouping everything into a single entity.

The Ricoh Theta S application is the basic application necessary for remote triggering, configuration and file transfer. In terms of configuration, only two definitions are offered in video (Full HD and HD). In the photo, the settings are slightly more advanced since it is possible to manage the camera manually (ISO, Speed, White balance), to leave it in automatic or to program it in priority speed or sensitivity. There is however no way to manage the opening. If overall the application is fluid, we do not understand why it is impossible to view the framing in video mode, as is the case for the Kodak SP360  ; framing yet accessible in photo mode.

Photo editing

Photographing in 360 is good, but ultimately the most interesting thing about this type of product is editing the image. Once the images have been transferred to the smartphone, it is therefore possible to apply a filter to them, to change the display as desired (modes: ball, small planet, rectilinear, rectangular), modify the background and framing and then share it directly on social networks – phew, you don’t need yet another app for that. The original file is of course kept.

Video

The principle for editing videos is the same as for photos. You can crop, apply a filter, or add additional music to a movie. The application does not offer any cutting mode, apart from displaying two screens, as does the Kodak Pixpro SP360 (fisheye, spherical, dichotomy, etc.). We regret, however, that this application is only available on iOS. For the others, you will have to be satisfied with a raw video, to be viewed on Youtube or on suitable software.

A software version available on PC or Mac computer exists, but it does not allow any retouching since it is only dedicated to viewing. We are disappointed and we would have liked to be able to push further the edition and the use of this particular 360 format. The sympathetic and fun side is therefore mainly limited to shooting. For the next version, we very much hope that Ricoh will focus its attention on a more advanced application, but above all that brings together all the shooting and editing settings. 

The Ricoh Theta S does not have a slot for a memory card, even micro SD, but only an internal memory of 8 GB only. This is particularly frustrating, especially if you decide to backpack for a long time with and without the possibility of unloading. We are far from a Kodak SP360 which accepts 32 GB cards. Remember that the internal memory limits filming time. It is no longer 3 minutes like the 360 ​​m15, but 25 minutes. Again, it’s a little frustrating, but much more consistent.

Image quality

While the SP360 and 360 Fly film hemispherically, the only direct competitors (pending the release of the Nikon KeyMission ), the Ricoh Theta S has the advantage of filming a complete 360 ​​° spherical turn. Indeed, it has two 1 / 2.3 “CMOS sensors with a definition of 12 Mpx each and two bright lenses opening at f / 2. It does not film in 4K yet, but in Full HD 1920 x 1080 or in HD at a rate of only 30 fps. The main disadvantage of the Theta S 360 ° is the prominent presence of the thumb that triggers. As we said above, to avoid this, the only solution is to use time mode -lapse and place the camera on the ground or on another support.  

Manual setting in photos is a real advantage, especially in low light. In video, the sensors manage the global exposure rather well. The image is not noisy, the white balance rather well controlled, despite a small yellowish cast. We also advise to avoid filming too far from the subject, because there is no possibility of zooming in the image, except for viewing, which significantly degrades the quality

On the sound side, this is not exceptional, but it remains perceptible, unlike most cameras. So do not hesitate to raise your voice a little to make sure you distinguish the dialogs correctly.

STRONG POINTS

  • Product design and minimalism.
  • Manual photo settings.
  • Video quality.
  • 360 ° spherical.

WEAK POINTS

  • Filming time limited to 25 minutes.
  • No memory card slot.
  • No 4K.
  • Three applications that could be grouped into one.

CONCLUSION

The Ricoh Theta S is a particularly attractive camera. Playful, it thrills us with its sensors that achieve an authentic 360 ° spherical. Too bad the applications are not combined for more convenience and that the filming time cannot be infinite. A nice atypical product, which nevertheless deserves to be more successful.

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