Ricoh - Theta S 360 Degree Digital Camera - Black

I had the chance to use the camera just before the latest winter storm. I found it easy to use and well packaged. The 360 video features are neat though exposure control must be set in photo mode first. I enjoyed the many settings for the camera and the ability to preview the look it nice. Wireless connectivity worked well. The learning curve to use the camera was about an hour. My one wish was to have better directions in setting it up. I have a few pictures published to the default Theta website and it seemed to work well. I am happy with the quality of the photo and video but you will not write home about it. My expectations were not DSLR quality but rather the form factor and ease to get a unique shot. For that purpose it is perfect. I do wish they would have provided the weatherproof case with it.

This is by no means a professional camera. It is however not bad for what you are able to do with the ease of which to do it (360 VR experience). While it does capture video in HD, keep in mind that resolution (1080) is being wrapped around on a sphere for use as a 360 experience. If you have the capability to upconvert or 'stretch' the video to 4k, YouTube will display the video better than what it would display at 1080p. For a still image camera, it is best to use a tripod and manage your settings with the Theta app. If you know what you're doing you can get a decent image for use with a 360 simulation. The importing process is easier than most 360 cameras on the market and are just as easy to edit with third party software such as the Adobe Suite. It also does a decent job of stitching in the Theta app. If you have the option to wait, the price should go down as 360 cameras with 4k resolution become more common or a newer model is announced. All in all, this is a neat camera that makes 360 image capture a breeze.

We just returned from our first trip with the Theta S. It's extremely easy to use, no viewfinder necessary and one button to press. If you want to get more advanced with framing and operation there's an iOS/Android app for controlling the camera and uploading photos to the Theta360 website for viewing. Friends can view your 360 photos in a browser and manipulate the view. Picture quality is good (think good cell phone quality) and when the camera stitches the two sides together it removes itself from the photo. Neat! I would recommend the Geek Squad damage warranty for this one. There are two bulbous glass lenses that will break if dropped.

This is an awesome little toy for any photography enthusiast to have in their bag! We took it with us on a trip of the southwest USA and got great pictures of the Painted Desert and Grand Canyon and the top of Pike's Peak. So much fun to share 360 degree photos with family and friends who have never been somewhere we have gone.

You know those wonderful views in the great outdoors that you want to capture forever but just know a regular picture will fall short? You can now capture them in a 360 (actually spherical) pictures and video and relieve every detail. No more moving around with your phone to create a badly stitched panorama - Theta S makes it a simple as point-and-click. Get on a leg on the upcoming VR world with this amazing camera.

This is a great starter 360 camera. Very easy to use and shoot with. And the sticking is almost impossible to direct. Only negative is I wish the quality was a bit crisper, but that will come in time as tech improves. For the money, best 360 camera out there.

As a fully time photographer I have pretty high standards. The Theta S works as expected personally after viewing multiple videos on YouTube prior to purchase. The photos are sharp in most lighting situations and I recommend don't use auto to get the proper exposure. Low light situations like a dim home restaurant or event show a little bit of noise. Video wise the GoPro 4 Black is much sharper significantly but at a lower price point you can't rank it the same. Overall it's easy to use and can quickly load photos to your phone then social media. Note: the battery only lasts a couple hours and it only has 8gb of storage so be prepared to either buy two or have a laptop to transfer media to if traveling or covering an event.

The ability to take 360 photos makes the photo so much more alive. Your friends and family will love that you can see in any direction. You can completely relive the memory of the event. The camera takes stunning photos and video.