- The A1 is the third Ricoh Theta mannequin, after the Z1 and X variations
- It guarantees the greatest construct high quality of the three, and 8K timelapse recording
- Accessible for preorder in June 2025, worth TBC
Ricoh says it has accomplished its 360 camera lineup after saying the new Ricoh360 Theta A1, which is the premium decide of three fashions, following the Z1 and X iterations.
Whereas it might probably report 360-degree photographs, it is best not to think about the Theta A1 as a direct Insta360 X5 / GoPro Max rival, however extra as an honest different to a few of the greatest timelapse cameras, primarily designed for skilled use circumstances, however with full 360-degree protection.
For one, the Theta A1 is waterproof, rustproof, and is housed in an excessive temperature-resistant casing. It additionally has a long-lasting battery life and is supplied with a variety of video codecs designed for long-term recording, minimizing file sizes and energy consumption.
Its image-making abilities embody 60MP stills, 8K video at a most 10fps and right down to 2fps with information charges as little as 8Mbps, plus 2K and 4K dwell streaming.
In contrast to different Theta fashions, the Theta A1 would not have a contact show, which makes it trickier to deal with for on-the-move recording. Coupled with its modest body charges, it is firmly planted in the skilled discipline; basically, the Theta A1 is designed to hold out long-term recording on location, together with timelapses on development websites.
In the product announcement, Ricoh has outlined three skilled setting use circumstances for the Theta A1’s 360-degree abilities: promotion and communication, progress monitoring and distant inspection, and documentation and auditing.
In plain converse, these purposes cowl all the pieces from visible excursions, interactive floorplans, common seize of development websites or industrial services for plan compliance checks, plus insurance coverage, high quality management, and upkeep with full 360-degree protection.
Like different Theta fashions, the A1 is suitable with the Ricoh360 app, which presents capabilities resembling distant capturing, cloud storage, plus footage edits and sharing.
What’s not clear yet is the Theta A1’s worth or availability. Ricoh touts pre-orders for later this month, with pricing to comply with. For context, the Theta Z1 prices $1,150 / £1,150, whereas the Theta X for shoppers is $600 / £750. Anticipate the Theta A1 to return in north of the Z1.
