And what if we don't need all this motorized equipment anymore? I found this interesting camera from ricoh https://theta360.com/en/about/theta/ It looks to be an interesting solution.

Andy

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Fuji Finepix S2. Fuji Finepix S5, Nikon D700, Pro Nikon D800, Novoflex Panohead VR System Pro, Samyang Fisheye 8mm shaved, Sigma 12-24mm, Nikkor 14-24 1:2,8 G ED, Nikon 35-70mm, Nikon 20 mm 1:2,8
Nikon 180mm 1:2,8, Nikon Macro 60 mm 1:2,8, Zeiss Hasselblad Tele Tessar 8/500 with adapter for Nikon, MK-PanoMachine 5.0 HS, GigaPan Epic Pro

Yes, very interesting... RICOH had another prototype which I have been watching for quite some time... http://photorumors.com/2013/01/15/ricohs-360-degree-panoramic-camera-prototype/

I did not know they have come up with a working model... This model must be very new.. No examples from what I can see.. That's a concern.. I would love to road test it.. No specs and no price either https://theta360.com/en/concept/ ...

Tommago is another I have been keeping an eye on but I am not so sure that it will even take off.. There was a lot of hype about it when it was first released but even their own web sight has not examples anymore... I have a feeling it did not live up to their claims...

Destiny...

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Primary School Teacher - Hobby Virtual Tours and 3D/360 Object/Product Photographer - Our aim is to create a 3D/360 Virtual Tour Shop/Store with links to 3D/360 degree products. My gear, VR Drive II - D90 - Nikon 10.5 fisheye - Nikon D800 with Nikon-Nikkor 14-24 - NOVOFLEX Magic Balance - Acratech GP Ball-head - Nodal Ninja 4 + RD-16 Rotor - Manfrotto 190CXPRO4 Carbon Fiber Tripod

Detiny

there's a test in German with some examples here http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/gadgets/ricoh-theta-im-test-das-kann-die-360-grad-kamera-a-919501.html and some interactive stuff here https://theta360.com/spheres/130# https://theta360.com/spheres/129 and the last one https://theta360.com/spheres/129

The quality looks basic. If you don't watch them full screen they look quite ok. I will order one at amazon. The price I' ve heard so far will be around 400 euros.

Andy

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Fuji Finepix S2. Fuji Finepix S5, Nikon D700, Pro Nikon D800, Novoflex Panohead VR System Pro, Samyang Fisheye 8mm shaved, Sigma 12-24mm, Nikkor 14-24 1:2,8 G ED, Nikon 35-70mm, Nikon 20 mm 1:2,8
Nikon 180mm 1:2,8, Nikon Macro 60 mm 1:2,8, Zeiss Hasselblad Tele Tessar 8/500 with adapter for Nikon, MK-PanoMachine 5.0 HS, GigaPan Epic Pro

Destiny,

just found this test http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/digital-cameras/1302124/ricoh-theta-360-degree-camera-review-hands-on

Andy

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Fuji Finepix S2. Fuji Finepix S5, Nikon D700, Pro Nikon D800, Novoflex Panohead VR System Pro, Samyang Fisheye 8mm shaved, Sigma 12-24mm, Nikkor 14-24 1:2,8 G ED, Nikon 35-70mm, Nikon 20 mm 1:2,8
Nikon 180mm 1:2,8, Nikon Macro 60 mm 1:2,8, Zeiss Hasselblad Tele Tessar 8/500 with adapter for Nikon, MK-PanoMachine 5.0 HS, GigaPan Epic Pro

Well Andy.. It is basic but its a heap better than some other useless thing that claimed to be able to do this, costing $$$... The nadir footprint is excellent. I think if mounted up higher it would be reduced even more.. emmm... 400 euros is a bit too much. The Tammago will be about 200.. I will wait.. I think it might be better for use indoors.... Outside has light issues.... I would love to play with one.. I knew cameras like this would begin to be announced.... I am sure there would be others coming soon too...

Destiny...

_________________
Primary School Teacher - Hobby Virtual Tours and 3D/360 Object/Product Photographer - Our aim is to create a 3D/360 Virtual Tour Shop/Store with links to 3D/360 degree products. My gear, VR Drive II - D90 - Nikon 10.5 fisheye - Nikon D800 with Nikon-Nikkor 14-24 - NOVOFLEX Magic Balance - Acratech GP Ball-head - Nodal Ninja 4 + RD-16 Rotor - Manfrotto 190CXPRO4 Carbon Fiber Tripod

Yes.. It certainly looks well made and very cool... I look forward in hearing more about it....

Destiny...

_________________
Primary School Teacher - Hobby Virtual Tours and 3D/360 Object/Product Photographer - Our aim is to create a 3D/360 Virtual Tour Shop/Store with links to 3D/360 degree products. My gear, VR Drive II - D90 - Nikon 10.5 fisheye - Nikon D800 with Nikon-Nikkor 14-24 - NOVOFLEX Magic Balance - Acratech GP Ball-head - Nodal Ninja 4 + RD-16 Rotor - Manfrotto 190CXPRO4 Carbon Fiber Tripod

Cute..

The form factor is very attractive and the design commendably simple.

With the longest exposure apparently being 1/7.5 sec. I doubt it's going to work well indoors, even at 1600 ISO? Otherwise I think it would take the real estate market by storm. But I haven't seen any indoor examples yet.

The projection seems 'odd' in the viewer?

The link to iPhone is clever for GPS geolocation, image transfer, uploading and so on, and for remote triggering of the camera?

They promise an Android app later; until then only Apple fanboys (and girls) need apply.

The review talks of 6 megapixels, is that for the two hemispehrical images stitched togather or for each hemi image?

The online examples cited above appear to use a Flash viewer, but I imagine there's also an HTML5 viewer?

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Andrew Stephens
Nikon D40, Nikkor 10.5mm fisheye, Sigma 8mm f3.5 fisheye, Nikkor 18-55/50/35mm lenses, Nodal Ninja 5 Lite, Nodal Ninja 4 with R-D16, Agno's MrotatorTCS short.
Nikon P5100, CP5000, CP995, FC-E8, WC-E63,WC-E68, TC-E2, Kaidan Kiwi 995, Bophoto pano bracket, Agno's MrotatorA.
Merlin/Orion robotic pano head + Papywizard on Nokia 770/N800/N810 and Windows 8/XP/2K.

The Theta is an interesting device and maybe it even deserves its own forum thread

It lacks any kind of manual exposure controls
It produces perfectly stitched, 3584 x 1792 equirectangular images
The fisheye lenses are 0.75mm (6mm equivalent)
Quality varies wildly depending on lighting. The samples I've seen ranged from descent to very bad
Here's a sample of a descent quality pano:

According to EXIF was F2.1 and 1/500 at 100 ISO.

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Andrew Stephens
Nikon D40, Nikkor 10.5mm fisheye, Sigma 8mm f3.5 fisheye, Nikkor 18-55/50/35mm lenses, Nodal Ninja 5 Lite, Nodal Ninja 4 with R-D16, Agno's MrotatorTCS short.
Nikon P5100, CP5000, CP995, FC-E8, WC-E63,WC-E68, TC-E2, Kaidan Kiwi 995, Bophoto pano bracket, Agno's MrotatorA.
Merlin/Orion robotic pano head + Papywizard on Nokia 770/N800/N810 and Windows 8/XP/2K.

What about the realistically achievable resolution?

Klaus

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Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance. Coco Chanel

It produces 3584 x 1792 equirectangular images.

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Andrew Stephens
Nikon D40, Nikkor 10.5mm fisheye, Sigma 8mm f3.5 fisheye, Nikkor 18-55/50/35mm lenses, Nodal Ninja 5 Lite, Nodal Ninja 4 with R-D16, Agno's MrotatorTCS short.
Nikon P5100, CP5000, CP995, FC-E8, WC-E63,WC-E68, TC-E2, Kaidan Kiwi 995, Bophoto pano bracket, Agno's MrotatorA.
Merlin/Orion robotic pano head + Papywizard on Nokia 770/N800/N810 and Windows 8/XP/2K.

Sorry - i oversaw it.

best, Klaus

Nice toy, nevertheless!

_________________
Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance. Coco Chanel

These posts have been moved to this new post about the RICOH 360 Camera..

Destiny

_________________
Primary School Teacher - Hobby Virtual Tours and 3D/360 Object/Product Photographer - Our aim is to create a 3D/360 Virtual Tour Shop/Store with links to 3D/360 degree products. My gear, VR Drive II - D90 - Nikon 10.5 fisheye - Nikon D800 with Nikon-Nikkor 14-24 - NOVOFLEX Magic Balance - Acratech GP Ball-head - Nodal Ninja 4 + RD-16 Rotor - Manfrotto 190CXPRO4 Carbon Fiber Tripod

My Ricoh Theta arrived today. Right now it's being charged. So stay tuned. I'll give it a test and post the results here. The first test-shot could be transferred easily to my iMac. I'll test it out under different lighting conditions and post the files here.

Andy

Funny gadget!

best, Klaus

It is quite easy to access the files in the camera with lightroom. The first thing you notice is that the images are quite noisy especially indoor. But it is amazing how quick you get a full sphere. The shots outdoor seem to be a little better.

More later

Andy

emm... I just dropped your indoor pano test into PTP... Noise is an understatement, sharpness too is sadly lacking..... Even though there is a stitch error, at least it doesn't have a huge Bermuda Triangle Nadir like some so called one shot cameras.. and its much cheaper too.. So thats a positive.. Sadly though, going by the image quality I have seen, I think I will pass on buying one... At about $570 Aus.. its a bit too much for this quality of image... but I guess going by the size of the lens, its as much as can be expected..

Destiny...

Well Destiny I'm still looking for the right workflow. Anyway by the End of the week I know if I'll keep it or send it back to Amazon. Certainly it depends for what purpose you would use the Theta. If it's only for a small interactive pano on a website it could be OK. Mostly my clients are not willing to pay a fair amount for the intensive work if you do indoors with your dslr equipment and a fisheye lens. The App to control the Theta via the iPad is quite basic. Using the slider to control the exposure should offer the possibility to do HDR. The stitching error is quite common with a camera like the Theta at for objects quite close to the camera's position. I'll post a detailed review later this week.

I think if you make panos just for Phones and Tablets it might be ok.. The stitch error is easy fixed.. I just exported the cube faces from your pano. It will be easier to fix than a normal footprint... Thats not really an issue.. To be honest, I am pleasantly surprised how small an impact the footprint has made on the nadir... They have succeeded very well with this.. Perhaps a pano indoors with better lighting might be better.. Anyway, I would like to see more of your test..

Destiny...

I think it would be fine for, say, illustrating a travel blog, where the light weight and small size would be an asset for travellers. Take regular photos with your iPhone and panos with the Theta.

Probably quite good enough for many 'mass market' real estate applications too where there is no need/desire to view in a larger size and low cost is key. Of course the real estate agents would shoot the panos themselves, it's cheap enough and sufficiently easy to use for every agent to have one; so at that end of the market there'll be no room for specialist pano photographers, but then that's true already.

I just made this test-shot. It is a real poor result. So much noise in plain sunlight. The Theta will definitely go back to Ricoh. Just look at the massive noise in the sky.

Andy

Well if you work a little bit wit LR 5 it's like having a new camera. I called Ricoh tonight to ask them about the poor quality of the theta pictures. They said that I wasn't the first person to call. I get a call back from one of their engineers.

I attached the files develloped in LR 5. I saved the whole development as a rule to be applied during the next import.

I'll keep you informed...

Andy

I thought the idea of having a one shot camera/lens was for a quick capture of a pano.. Those that buy the Ricoh are not going to want to buy an expensive software app and then learn the skills to fix an image that in all honestly should be a lot better than it is... Post Editing for this should only be a personal choice not a necessary fix to achieve acceptable image results.. It seems that the Ricoh camera is relying on a very high ISO perhaps, resulting in high noise in the images.. For the money, I would expect a lot more.. Personally, I would have sent it back... But I am not testing it so I can only go by the images I have seen.. The point I am making.. this camera is NOT cheap.. The Tomaggo is a cheap cameras and I am really hanging out to see more results from that.. But I already know, it does not cover the full sphere.. Which is a bit of a let down.. But going by what I have seen of their test images, they are far more superior to that of the Ricoh camera... But only time will tell...

Destiny...

Destiny you're right 100%. Ricoh wants to create a panorama community to share interactive panoramas worldwide. For this purpos the Theta simply costs too much. The App to control the Theta is very basic. There could be a lot more functions implemented, e. g. automatic HDR. Basic HDR is possible by using built in slider in the App. Anyway I got an agreement with Ricoh that I have two more weeks to return the camera.The technician from Ricoh told me that they plan to release a new firmware update soon. It's a pity that they lose a great potential. I mean the stitch of the two half spheres is very good and the footprint of the device is very small. It has much better results than the French tree-lens-camera that had Autopano built in.

Andy ..

Well, silly on Ricoh's part.. They should asked keen pano photographers to road test their new product long before it was released onto the market.. People have a long memory when it comes to a dud.. Its a real shame. First impressions for me were, wow what a nice looking product.. Thats a positive.. Another positive is the Nadir. But none of this matters if the camera produces a terrible result, which it seems to. They need to look at the lenses and the software. As far as I am concerned Ricoh missed a really great opportunity.. The market is calling out for a well made, high performing one shot lens/camera combination... I would love to test one out but not at that prices with that quality of image... I look forward to seeing the New Improved Ricoh MK2... Hopefully with HDR/LDR options too... It also needs to output in RAW and JPG..

Destiny..