Ricoh Theta Z1 wows 360 pano fans with large, high-res sensors, variable-aperture lenses and raw capture

 

 

A little over five years ago, Ricoh first took its camera line in a new direction with the launch of the original, VR-friendly Ricoh Theta. At a push of a button (or the prompting of your smartphone) this interesting twin-lensed camera could capture the world around you in its full, 360-degree panoramic glory. Stitching images from its two lenses into a single all-encompassing image, it could put you back in the moment in a way that no flat image could.

Five years down the road, the new flagship of the Theta line -- the Ricoh Theta Z1 -- is almost here, and promises next-level image quality thanks to a completely overhauled imaging pipeline based around dual 20-megapixel, 1-inch format backside-illuminated image sensors, paired with newly-designed, variable-aperture fisheye lenses.

 

 

And that's not it for the new features, either. Ricoh has also added raw capture, improved smartphone-free operation, upgraded connectivity and further honed its creative options. Pricing is set at around US$1,000, and while Ricoh itself has yet to disclose availability, our affiliates are forecasting delivery from April 2019.

For the full story, you'll want to read our in-depth (and just-published) Ricoh Theta Z1 preview.