***DISCLAIMER: Please read this post with Google Chrome otherwise not everything will work as it should ****
This has been my new obsession for the last 6 months and it is growing and growing everyday!
So when I received the Ricoh Theta S last month I have been testing and testing. Here are my first thoughts on 360 pictures and even better 360 videos: The Theata S is one of the best camera to start with 360 pictures and 360 videos. It is relatively easy to use and you can show the result almost immediately. The result is always the same: Wowww!
Below a picture I took at an event of 9 to 10 people where the organiser always takes a selfie with the participants. I was giving a short introduction to Virtual Reality after the picture and used this picture to start my presentation... effect was indeed Woww :-)
After the picture, I made a short introduction Virtual Reality using the Google Cardboard. For most of participants it was a first time testing VR and the reaction was always very enthusiastic.
At the same time I was filming with the Theta S. The video below is my 360 video about Virtual reality. It works on computers but of course it is even better on phones and even even better on a phone using the cardboard.
First take aways after that event are:
-The 'Woww effect' is almost certain with 360 pictures and 360 videos
-360 pictures are working almost immediately on the phone and the stitching is excellent. If uploaded on the Theta server, they can be shared really quick via email or Facebook
-360 videos are more tricky: Apparently it is a big improvement compare to the previous model of Theta but despite that the quality is nor completely satisfying. There might be some settings to play with or use more lights. Sound is not good, I had an external sound recorder for that experiment. Editing is relatively straightforward once you understand and follow the various steps. At least it is much easier than using several Gopros and doing the stitching afterwards.
-Once you have the video, uploading on Youtube is relatively easy, you need to 'inject' a code in the file so Youtube identify the file as being 360. Watching on Youtube is OK on a computer, you can play with the little arrow on the top left corner and move in the image. But the best experience is with the phone and even better with the phone and the cardboard. On that respect, Youtube is incredibly reliable and works fantastically.
-Last but not least, once the picture (or the video) is done, there is a all range of fun stuff to do such as the 'tiny planet' effect below. It is a really cool and funny effect that has also a Woww effect!
In conclusion, it seems like it is only the beginning with 360 pictures and 360 videos and there are plenty of really cool stuff to discover.
Stay tune, I will continue to explore!