One of the most popular 360-degree cameras now has a cheaper sibling
Capturing 360-degree video and photos is still very much a thing for geeks, but Ricoh, one of the first companies to release a consumer 360 camera, wants to change that.
The company's new $300 Theta SC 360 camera is less expensive than the company's flagship Theta S, but more feature-packed than the entry-level Theta m15. All of these devices let you shoot "spherical" footage that you can interact with later.
Instead of 360 enthusiasts, the new Theta SC camera is aimed at the general consumer -- teens, millennials and moms, according to the company. The four different color options should help with that to a certain degree.
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The Theta SC offers the same 360-degree imaging as the Theta S: You'll get 14-megapixel still photos and high-definition 360-degree videos.
But it's missing a couple of features compared to the Theta S. It lacks an HDMI port for livestreaming, and video capture is limited to five minutes rather than 25 minutes.
Otherwise, the two cameras are pretty similar. Both come with 8GB of internal storage for saving footage.
Launching with the new 360 camera is a redesigned Theta app for iOS and Android. The company says the app will make it easier to shoot, view and share 360-degree content to supported platforms like Facebook and YouTube. The new app will also work the Theta S and Theta m15.
The new camera gives Ricoh a trio of 360 cameras to choose from, but the differences between the new Theta SC and Theta S are so minor, we can't help but suggest just springing for the flagship camera. It's only another $50, and you never know when you might want to livestream in 360 degrees.
Consumer 360 cameras are more popular than before. Samsung's Gear 360 is one of the best out there, and everyone from LG to Kodak to Nikon seem to have one now.
Whether teens and moms will take to the Theta SC will depend on whether it really is easier to operate via the app.
Topics Cameras
Raymond Wong is Mashable's Senior Tech Correspondent. He reviews gadgets and tech toys and analyzes the tech industry. Raymond's also a bit of a camera geek, gamer, and fine chocolate lover. Before arriving at Mashable, he was the Deputy Editor of NBC Universal's tech publication DVICE. His writing has appeared on G4TV, BGR, Yahoo and Ubergizmo, to name a few. You can follow Raymond on Twitter @raywongy or Instagram @sourlemons.
