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 sensors | 2x 12-megapixel 1/2.3" CMOS sensors |
| Effective resolution | 14-megapixels |
| ISO range | ISO64-1600 (Auto) / ISO64-3200 (ISO priority/Manual) / ISO 64-6400 (Auto video) |
| Lens construction | 7 elements in 6 groups |
| Lens aperture | f/2.0 |
| Shooting distance | ~10cm to Infinity |
| Video resolution | 4K UHD @ 29.97fps (54/32Mbps), 2K @ 29.97fps (16/8Mbps) |
| Per clip recording time | Up to 3 minutes |
| Total recording time | 4K ~32 minutes, 2K ~115 minutes |
| Still image resolution | 5376 x 2688 pixels |
| Storage | Built-in 14GB |
| Interface | microUSB 2.0 |
| Audio | Mono internal microphone |
| Display | 0.5" 60x32 pixel OLED |
| Dimensions | 45.2 x 130.6 x 22.9mm |
| Weight | 104g |
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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