What Is The Best 360 Camera?

Curious about which camera is the best to buy for zInspector’s 360 feature? Look no further! We’ve put together a product comparison for you to easily see the pros and cons of three of the best panoramic cameras on the market: The Ricoh Theta SC, Theta S, and Theta V.

The Cameras

The three cameras that will be discussed in this article are all from Ricoh. Any of these three options can work perfectly well for our z360 feature, but take a look to see the differences and decide which camera will work best for you.

Option 1: Ricoh Theta SC

The Theta SC camera is the most affordable of the three camera options at $179. Take 360 degree images with this lightweight option, which is easily portable and perfect for traveling and on-the-go inspections. It also has the widest range of color options (sand, blue, white and coral).

A picture example of the quality of the SC camera when zoomed out in a lit room.

A picture taken with the SC of a darkened room when the camera is zoomed in completely.

Option 2: Ricoh Theta S

The Theta S is the middle option in terms of price ($296) and can take higher quality photos than the Theta SC, though it is slightly heavier. WiFi speed is slightly faster than the SC and this model also includes a new LED screen which allows the user to see different camera modes.

Taken with the S in a lit room. The quality is noticeably better than the SC.

A zoomed in picture in a darkened room. The lighting quality is also improved from the SC model.

Option 3: Ricoh Theta V

It is easy to see why the Theta V is the most expensive option at $396. Some of the technological advances from the Theta S is the increased battery life and storage (19 GB). The highest quality camera of the three, the Theta V also includes a faster shutter speed and better data transfer.

This picture is both a higher quality and a better lit example. The quality is the best of the three options.

The Theta V is easily the best option for photos taken in a darkened room. The coloring and lighting is much better than the other cameras.

Zoom Comparison

The closest zoom in darkened rooms: Theta SC (top), Theta S (middle), Theta V (bottom).

To view an example PDF Inspection Report from zInspector, click HERE (or copy and paste this link: https://portfolio.zinspector.com/report/openSharedReport/0noAvdlJPW5qczGWYrOwZpjq). By choosing the ‘360 Viewer’ option on the report, you can further explore the quality of the three cameras.

Conclusion

Though the Theta V is the pricier option, it is clearly the best of the three Ricoh cameras. It’s quality, storage memory, and battery are all superior to the others. In addition, the streaming and sharing capabilities are significant for quick data transfer, which is especially handy when working with other owners, tenants or inspectors. zInspector’s 360 feature works at its best with the Theta V, and it is easy to see its benefits when exploring the 360 viewer on the website. However, if you’re looking for a 360 option that won’t break the bank, both the Theta S and SC models are perfectly compatible with zInspector’s 360 Viewer.