[froeschle]

I imagine that in this case it had to do with geometry

I agree: 4π camera
For about 200€ this really would be an interesting concept!

[LaurenOE]

A few years ago when Canon took Océ over there was a first siteseeing from some Canon bigshots and prior to that there was a preparationteam to inspect Océ. Lot's off media offcourse that day. The housephotographer used Nikon progear wich was almost brandnew. It was removed from the premises and a new set off Canon progear was moved in that morning.

I would love to do that job for Ricoh, since you have to see every little detail.

Yep. It's called attention to detail.
If it was me, I would have removed that image IMMEDIATELY and sent a nasty letter to the guy. How does a Ricoh/Pentax employee NOT recognize other cameras or our own?

Unbelievable.

[Cannikin]

What is this about "Theta" and death or whatever mythology?

Anyone who has ever taken a geometry or trigonometry class would know that θ (theta) is very commonly the default symbol for the variable of angle.

[gazonk]

Yep. It's called attention to detail.
If it was me, I would have removed that image IMMEDIATELY and sent a nasty letter to the guy. How does a Ricoh/Pentax employee NOT recognize other cameras or our own?

Unbelievable.

What's wrong with showing a Canon owner taking a picture of a Ricoh product? A user of a competitor's product showing interest?

[Aristophanes]

The Ricoh Theta appears to be a case of a hardware company wanting to charge $399 for a device that does something a bit of imagination, a smartphone, and a free app can do.

The Japanese electronics makers have totally lost perspective. They still think hard engineering is the key to product development and is so unique it can drive sales a high margins and high volumes.

[Painter]

Really it's a non issue either they missed it or they don't think we are idiots. I don't think in an age where we have access to so much info that companies pretend any longer that they are the only ones with a product in the universe.

P.S did anyone else see the product placement of a K-01 in a Nationwide Insurance commercial?

[mecrox]

The Ricoh Theta appears to be a case of a hardware company wanting to charge $399 for a device that does something a bit of imagination, a smartphone, and a free app can do.

The Japanese electronics makers have totally lost perspective. They still think hard engineering is the key to product development and is so unique it can drive sales a high margins and high volumes.

Maybe, but the Theta cam-o'-death could simply be a consumer version of something which is actually going to pay its way in the business and security fields. A few sales to well-heeled hipsters would be nice but they are really icing on a B2B cake. Don't know but jus' saying. Either way Ricoh will likely learn quite a lot from this. TBH, I'd normally expect to see a consumer version of something like this from Logitech, advertised as Skype / Instagram / FB ready, built-in mike, 1080p blah blah and on sale among the webcams, wifi dongles et all for well under 100 bucks, maybe 60-70 or so. Overall, to me, it's only another gadget. Think what else $399 buys, quite a lot in fact. But for a business like a real estate office, property developers, landscape architects, etc, well, different story perhaps; they could buy them ten at a time and maybe the capital cost can be written down against tax.

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Last edited by mecrox; 09-05-2013 at 03:30 PM.

[D1N0]

It's basically a niche product and a interesting concept. (a pocket able Google streetview cam). It's going to need an endorsement from some 'happening' people to show it's up hereto unknown potential. It would be übercool when it could shoot video and you could browse through it controlling your pov and zoom level.

[Uluru]

Ricoh's baptism in big consumer affairs. They need this, watch at what Sony's doing and how eloquent is Sony's CEO, gain more experience with consumers. Because in case of Pentax acquisition, they show they are dilettantes.

[Aristophanes]

Real estate photography is wide or FE lenses stitched already. I've seen them do with an iPhone!

This device has no security provisions because it is handheld and the distorted perspective and iOS only tie ins is hardly forensic.

No, this is a case of an isolated Japanese company basically ignoring the software driven trends of the last 5 years and doing what Sony tried to do when the iPod came out: make some novelty hardware with a very narrow appeal and try and charge and arm and a leg for it.

[deadwolfbones]

You guys are hilarious.

[RobA_Oz]

Ricoh's baptism in big consumer affairs. They need this, watch at what Sony's doing and how eloquent is Sony's CEO, gain more experience with consumers. Because in case of Pentax acquisition, they show they are dilettantes.

"dilettantes"? That's a bit rich, really. Dilatory, perhaps, but what phrase or word would we use if they brought something to market before they got it right? We all realise that, if they are to benefit from their investment in Pentax, that some follow-up to the incremental improvement in the K-5 series is required, so, unless they're throwing up their collective hands in frustration, a little forebearance is all that's required.

[Uluru]

"dilettantes"? That's a bit rich, really. Dilatory, perhaps, but what phrase or word would we use if they brought something to market before they got it right? We all realise that, if they are to benefit from their investment in Pentax, that some follow-up to the incremental improvement in the K-5 series is required, so, unless they're throwing up their collective hands in frustration, a little forebearance is all that's required.

So far they have shown no capacity to excite.
Remember the lens sales fiasco?
The GR launch and distribution problems.
Such things don't happen to Sony. Ricoh's CEO is excited about the new line of business document machines. Sony's CEO personally ignited the RX1 project and is supervising it. Answers users emails himself, shows he cares.
Ricoh is not a consumer brand, that shows, their HQ are two walls behind the consumer.

[LaurenOE]

What's wrong with showing a Canon owner taking a picture of a Ricoh product? A user of a competitor's product showing interest?

When you pay for advertising, everything that is part of the message should focus on the message of the product and the company that makes it.

Showcasing any competitor's product or logo that doesn't have a tie in to the product you are selling, shows a lack of attention to detail and a waste of money and opportunity.

If Ricoh is loaning a brand new product as part of a launch campaign, to an artist, then it makes sense to only show Ricoh/Pentax products.

The artist could just have easily shown a K5 or 645D and completed the "Pentax/Ricoh" message, but no, they ganked Ricoh.

What is astounding is that you think it's ok and I guess Ricoh does too.

[pghwarrior23]

I also don't understand why the MAIN PHOTO on this page https://theta360.com/en/concept/ is not even an image taken with the camera you are trying to sell people. Look at the fine print in the upper right hand corner... "this photo was not taken with the Ricoh Theta". Then why in the world would you use it to make it look like that is what you get from the camera???!!!