Ricoh whose products are distributed in Australia by CR Kennedy is set to launch a unique spherical-image-capture camera that shoots 180 degree images at both the front and back of the device and then stitches them together.
The RicohTheta spherical-image-capture camera is set to go on sale in the USA this week for $399 it is not known when it will go on sale in Australia.
The Theta, which was first announced last month at the IFA show in Berlin, captures a roughly 180-degree view of the scene in front of the camera and a second view of the area in the rear. The two scenes are then combined edge to edge in the camera to produce a single image.
Images can be viewed on smartphone apps as well as Windows and Mac desktops, offering a fully spherical view of the area surrounding the camera. Images can be rotated and panned to view everything around the photographer, including the sky above and the ground below.
Apps for the Ricoh Theta are available for iPhone 4S and 5 running iOS 6.0. Android compatibility is expected before the end of the year, the company said.
The camera includes built-in Wi-Fi to wirelessly connect to devices to send images for viewing.
The app also allows images to be pinched, swiped or rotated to edit size, shape and composition.
Ricoh said images can be uploaded to Theta360.com for sharing on social networks, such as Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr, as well as Microsoft’s Photosynth.
