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

£900/$797

https://theta360.com

Specifications

Aperture: f/ 2.4

35mm equiv. focal length: 7.2mm

Photo resolution: 11008 x 5504

Video resolution: 5760 x 2880@30fps,

3840 x 1920@60fps

ISO: 50-3200

Weight: 170g

Dimensions: 136.2 x 51.7 x 29mm

Run time: 30 minutes

When the Ricoh Theta first hit the shelves in 2013, it was the very first 360° 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 360º camera achieves by offering 11K stills resolution, which is 60.5 megapixels. If there’s something that 360° 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 360º 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 360º photos and videos and we are looking at a ground-breaking product, although there are some significant drawbacks.