RICOH THETA X

With high-res still images, a 1/2-inch sensor and 5.7K 360-degree video, this spherical camera means business

- Jamie Carter

360 CAMERA TEST EXPERT OPINION ON THE LATEST KIT

https://theta360.com £899/$797

When the Ricoh Theta first hit the shelves back in 2013 it was the very first 360-degree consumer camera. Since then, the likes of Insta360 and even GoPro have got involved in the spherical format. So can Ricoh reach the high standards of its rivals with the latest iteration of the Theta 360?

Absolutely. The Theta X does something that no other 360-degree camera achieves by offering 11K stills resolution. If there’s something that 360-degree cameras have lacked in the last decade, it’s resolution, with spherical images failing to impress when judged purely on detail.

The Theta X attempts to go one better by shooting 5.7K 30fps 360-degree video with image stabilisation. It does that using its twin fisheye lens, whose separate images are stitched together in real time. Add ‘Time Shift’ that can remove a person from 360 photos and videos and we’re looking at a ground breaking product, although there are some significant drawbacks.

Key features

The headline act is undoubtedly the Theta X’s ability to shoot 5.7K 30fps 360 videos with image stabilisation, and purportedly without stitching. More interesting is its ability to shoot still images containing 11,008 x 5,504 pixels – that’s 11K resolution, or 60.5 megapixels. For 360-degree cameras, that’s a game-changer. It does that thanks to twin 48MP Sony IMX586 1/2-inch sensors and a Qualcomm QCS605 chip. However, not being able to capture raw files is a shame for such a high-quality camera.