Dec 23, 2018

Ricoh Theta V

Introduction

Welcome to our in-depth review of the Ricoh Theta V— a tiny, pocketable 360-degree stills and video camera which can be used on its own, with a smartphone (for live view, manual settings, and transfers), or with a PC (for live streaming or editing).  As one of the pioneers in hand-held spherical photography, Ricoh builds on a very strong foundation with the Theta V.  The biggest improvement in this new flagship model is the addition of 4K/30p video recording and streaming, at up to 120Mbps and with spatial audio support.

The Theta V in video streaming mode

The Theta V succeeds the Theta S, the previous flagship model.  It is also available alongside the Theta SC, which is a more affordable entry-level model.  We have reviewed both of these other models previously.

Theta cameras produce regular JPEG photos and MOV video clips, which when displayed using the proper software, turn into interactive spheres which support panning and zooming.  In other words, a single button press can capture your entire surroundings in great detail!  We've previously used the Theta to capture Pentax booths at photo trade shows:

360-degree view of the Pentax booth taken with the Theta S (click to pan and zoom)

If you have yet to try out a Theta, we invite you to explore the world of possibilities that this innovative photography platform opens up. Our forum supports spherical image sharing: any link to a photo on theta360.com will automatically be converted into a widget similar to the one below.  Be sure to stop by the Theta forum after reading the review.

Without further ado, let's take a look at what the Theta V brings to the table.


facebook.com/PentaxForums PentaxForums @PentaxForums News | Reviews | Forum

Support Pentax Forums Donate to Pentax Forums Support Pentax Forums