RICOH announced today the launch of the RICOH THETA Z1 51GB, the latest model to be added to the RICOH family of cutting-edge 360-degree cameras. RICOH has enhanced its high-end model, which can shoot high-res spherical images in a single shot, by significantly increasing the internal storage capacity from 19GB to 51GB and support the approximately 23-megapixels resolution (6720 x 3360 pixels) 360-degree still images.

Since RICOH launched the world’s first 360-degree consumer camera in 2013, the company has stayed at the forefront of this emerging technology as it continues to evolve and become an integral tool for the burgeoning industries of virtual reality (VR), social media, business, real estate, and more. Recently, with the need to balance health safety practices with economic activities, the use of 360-degree content is expected to further expand into new areas, such as viewing real estate properties remotely and monitoring and managing progress at construction sites.

The RICOH THETA Z1 51GB is the flagship model of this series. RICOH employs superior optical and image processing technologies, cultivated through years of high-performance camera development, to pursue its highest resolution and quality to-date. While maintaining the outstanding performance of the RICOH THETA Z1, the internal storage capacity has been significantly increased from 19GB to 51GB. The compact main body is equipped with a 1.0-inch back-illuminated CMOS image sensor, enabling approx. 23MP resolution 360-degree still images. It supports a diverse range of shooting modes, such as aperture priority, allowing users to take high-quality images regardless of the setting—outdoors, nighttime, indoors, tropical beaches, or snowy mountain views—nothing is off-limits. Moreover, it is possible to shoot considerably smooth and immersive 360-degree videos in 4K (3840×1920 pixels) and 30 frames per second (fps) thanks to exceptional 3-axis rotational stabilization to compensate for rotational shake.

With a 0.93-inch organic EL monitor and a Function (Fn) button, the main body of the camera grants users access to a multitude of information at a glance, including the number of possible shots, exposure settings, and more, thus greatly improving the operability of the camera itself. In addition to JPEG, RICOH THETA Z1 now supports Adobe DNG format (RAW) so that users can enjoy professional image editing as with a typical digital SLR camera. The Android-based operating system now offers performance improvements by providing flexibility in the number of expansion plug-ins a user can install on the Z1. The overall functionality of the latest model from RICOH meets the high demands of serious photographers and offers optimal performance for both professionals and amateurs alike.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

• 23MP resolution using a 1.0-inch back-illuminated CMOS image sensor, one of the largest for consumer 360-degree cameras. And a multi-level aperture mechanism allows users to set the F-number to one of the three levels of F2.1, F3.5, and F5.6.
• A high-performance image processing algorithm achieves low- and high-sensitivity, low-noise, and high-resolution images. Dynamic Range (DR) compensation is automatically made for normal shooting, effectively reducing blown out and pitch-black shadows for outdoor locations with brightness contrasts.
• High-quality 4K 360-degree videos using the latest 3-axis rotational stabilization while shooting videos to show superior image stabilization.
• Intuitive main body user interface (UI) has a 0.93-inch organic EL (OLED) monitor that displays shooting information in the lower part of the main body.
• JPEG format, RAW (Adobe DNG) and JPEG files can be saved in the camera. RICOH THETA Stitcher, an application that enables image stitching in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic, will be provided free.
• Users can directly post 360-degree spherical images shot using the camera to Facebook or upload them to the theta360.com dedicated website and share them on social networks such as Twitter and Tumblr. Unique cropped images can also be shared with Instagram. It is also possible to submit captured spherical videos to 360-degree channels and images to Google Maps.
• The camera employs a lightweight and robust magnesium alloy for body materials. It ensures robustness that can withstand severe use, but texture casting on the surface gives a luxurious texture suitable for a high-end model.
• The camera uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon and an Android-based operating system. Firmware updates facilitate continuous functional expansions and performance improvements. Users can access a variety of expanded functions by installing Ricoh genuine plug-ins as well as plug-ins released by general developers through the RICOH THETA Plug-in Partner Program.

More info on RICOH’s website.