Ricoh Theta V 360

To borrow any of the following equipment please contact inmediad@lehigh.edu.

Digital Media Studios have a  variety of instructional technologies, such as our new 360° cameras, that can help foster a positive and stimulating learning environment. The Ricoh Theta 360° uses dual lenses to capture a full spherical image or video of the surrounding area. Much like most handheld devices the Theta is portable and easy to use. It is designed for pre-recorded content that you could later upload to YouTube to maintain the 360 degree rotation.

Download the accompanying app to your mobile device (the app's name is Ricoh Theta V) which enables you to control the camera or save images and videos directly. 

Video can be edited a number of different ways. For full control over the edit the video can be imported into Final Cut Pro X or Adobe Premiere Pro. In the Ricoh Theta phone/tablet app you can trim sections off the beginning or the end of the recording. The edits you can make in the app are limited. There is also a crop feature in the app and some image correction options for exposure, contrast, color temperature, highlight, brightness, shadow, and saturation.

To capture images you can either use the controls directly on the camera or you can download the accompanying app (free) as a wireless remote to capture images or record video. The biggest advantage when using the app to control the camera is that you can capture an unobtrusive image. For instance, if you were to hold the camera in your hand when capturing an image it will also capture you as it is recording a full 360° view of the area. It works best with small to medium sized meetings.

Below are all of the terminals, buttons, and lamp indicators to show status.

This video was from a round table conversation using the 360° Theta V camera at Lehigh University.

This is an example of a laboratory tour by The Open University 360.

To view the image in true 360° you will need software that supports 360° images. Both Android and iOS devices support 360° images which is especially useful as you can create a virtual reality immersive experience by inserting the device in Google Cardboard. You can also post 360 videos you YouTube for universal viewing. For desktops, there are many free software programs that support 360° images; additionally, Ricoh Theta has its own 360° image viewer. 

If no editing is required, you can simply download your footage and upload directly to a website that supports 360 video such as YouTube or Facebook.

Here are instructions how to edit 360 video in Final Cut.

Here are instructions how to edit 360 video in Adobe Premiere.

To learn more about 360° cameras and how to integrate them in your teaching, please contact us directly.