POV Camera News

Ricoh is the creator of the original Theta camera, a fully 360-degree, spherical imaging device that allows users to capture everything around them at the push of a button. The company just introduced a new version of the odd-shaped camera that features video capability and four fun new colors: pink, blue, yellow and white. Theta is lightweight (just 3.3 ounces), portable and this model includes video capture technology with the ability to capture spherical video footage with clips up to three minutes long (an app is required to view the videos).

Ricoh also opened their API (Application Programming Interface) and provided a Software Development Kit —available at theta360.com— so users can create their own original Theta apps with a variety of settings that perform various operations with the device. The 
new Theta automatically adjusts the image orientation. You can use Remote Shooting and Manual Shooting with the aid of an app or use a smartphone to shoot images without even holding the camera.

Transfer the images to your smartphone via WiFi and use the free app to easily change the size, shape and composition of the images and you can also change the Theta’s shooting setup with your smartphone. Images can be uploaded to theta360.com and can be shared on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Microsoft’s Photosynth, Google Maps and Google+. Powered by a Lithium ion battery with a USB2.0 port, the features include:

• Photos: ISO 100 to 1600

• Video: ISO 100 to 400

• WB modes for indoors, outdoors, cloudy, incandescent lamp (1 and 2), daylight, flourescent and more.

• Shutter Speed for photos 1/8000 sec to 1/7.5 sec and video 1/8000 sec to 1/15 sec.

• 4GB of internal recording memory.

• File Formats, JPEG photo files and MOV video files (with audio).

The Ricoh Theta goes on sale in November 2014 for a suggested retail price of $299.95.

More information on the Ricoh Theta here.