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Ricoh has announced the new Theta SC2 entry-level enthusiast 4K 360° camera

Nov 19, 2019 by John Aldred Add Comment

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Well, the specs appear to be as disappointing as the leak suggested but the Ricoh Theta SC2 has now been officially announced. It’s a 4K entry-level 360° camera with 14GB of internal memory and no microSD card slot. But, the price actually seems to reflect the specs, coming in at only $299. The shipping date is a little sooner than previously rumoured, with units expected to go out on December 2nd instead of Friday the 13th.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyfKJ1__HEo

The specs are essentially identical to those that were recently leaked. The lack of 5.7K is disappointing, as it does make quite a significant difference to video over 4K when it comes to 360° footage. But for photos, you do get around 5.4K, which isn’t too bad, particularly if you’re only posting them to social media – which is where most 360° photos end up.

Image sensors2x 12-megapixel 1/2.3" CMOS sensors
Effective resolution 14-megapixels
ISO rangeISO64-1600 (Auto) / ISO64-3200 (ISO priority/Manual) / ISO 64-6400 (Auto video)
Lens construction7 elements in 6 groups
Lens aperturef/2.0
Shooting distance~10cm to Infinity
Video resolution4K UHD @ 29.97fps (54/32Mbps), 2K @ 29.97fps (16/8Mbps)
Per clip recording timeUp to 3 minutes
Total recording time4K ~32 minutes, 2K ~115 minutes
Still image resolution5376 x 2688 pixels
StorageBuilt-in 14GB
InterfacemicroUSB 2.0
AudioMono internal microphone
Display0.5" 60x32 pixel OLED
Dimensions45.2 x 130.6 x 22.9mm
Weight104g

The micro USB 2.0 socket is also somewhat disappointing. While only used for charging and basic file transfer communications, it would’ve been nice to see this come with a Type-C USB socket. It’s just a more substantial and mechanically stronger connection. Even if it couldn’t satisfy full USB 3.1 Gen 2 speeds, it would’ve still been nice to get the socket.

To be fair, though, most 360° cameras still seem to bear the micro USB socket, and it’s been one of my biggest complaints about all of them. Most of my devices have migrated over to Type-C sockets now. My phone, memory card readers, some battery chargers and other devices. 360° cameras are one of only two devices I use now that still use micro USB and require me to carry those extra cables with me.

When it comes to storage, though, other 360° cameras on the market do have the edge, offering a microSD card slot, or massive internal storage. A lowly 14GB isn’t going to last very long. Of course, this camera is aimed at the entry-level enthusiasts who probably aren’t going to be shooting a whole lot. But when it does get full, it’s probably going to make things a little more frustrating for those entry-level users to clear out. And if it fills up while you’re using it, you can’t just swap it out for fresh empty storage.

For $299.95, though, it doesn’t look like a terrible option. It’s certainly cheaper than similar form-factor cameras like the Insta360 ONE X. But, I think, personally, for the extra $100, it would be worth going up to something like that instead.

But if the Ricoh Theta SC2 looks right up your street, they’re available to pre-order now for $299 in Beige, Blue, Pink and White. Shipping is expected to begin on December 2nd.

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Filed Under: news Tagged With: 360 camera, 360 video, Gear Announcement, ricoh, Ricoh Theta SC2, rumor, Theta, vr

John Aldred: from diyphotography.net

About John Aldred

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

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