Ricoh’s Theta series of 360-degree cameras have been some of the more affordable options for consumers wanting to record immersive videos. Now the company has launched the mid-ranged, Theta SC at $299.95 USD, between the entry level Theta m15 ($249.95) and the top-of-the-range Theta S ($349.95).
Naturally being the middle of the bunch the Ricoh Theta SC is a price compromise over the Theta S, but there’s not a lot in it. The Theta SC features the same level of image quality with a high-performance 14-megapixel CMOS image sensor and large-aperture dual lenses. Large still images come in at 5376×2688 while medium resolution images are 2048×1024. For video the specs are: L 1920 x 1080 / 30 fps / 16Mbps and M – 1280×720 / 15fps / 6Mbps.
They also feature the same internal storage of 8GB, enabling them to capture to same amount of images and video, recording high-definition (HD) video clips up to five minutes in duration. The footage can then be easily uploaded to theta360.com then shared via your favourite social media site such as Facebook, Google+, Google Maps, YouTube, Twitter and Tumblr.
Where the Theta SC and Theta S do differ comes down to one connector and a slightly redesigned body. The Theta SC is smaller and lighter than its bigger brother and comes in four different colours Beige, White, Blue, or Pink. The main change – and why the price difference is $50 – is the Theta SC lacks the HMDI-Micro connector which allows the Theta S to live stream video to services like YouTube.
“Our goal is that the Theta SC will introduce more people to 360-degree spherical imaging,” said Kaz Eguchi, president, Ricoh Imaging Americas Corp. “With the growing popularity of immersive imagery, augmented and virtual reality, we wanted to produce a high-quality camera at an affordable price point that appeals to anyone who is interested in capturing and sharing the world around them in this new, exciting digital imaging format.”
With the launch of Ricoh Theta SC, the company has also updated its Theta S app which supports both iOS and Android. The update is designed to make the app easier to use, from capturing video, to viewing, managing and sharing.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of Ricoh and its Theta series, reporting back with any new announcements.