I got a RICOH Theta Z1. I researched almost any 360 camera that is out there. OK, I did limit my budget to max 1500.-
The Theta Z1 became my choice mainly because of the 1 inch sensor. As good as the images from an iPhone (or alike) look, this only applies if there’s enough lights. The main 2 reasons for this is the small sensor and the tiny lens.
Here’s a unbiased review of the man himself, Mic Ty, which helped me a lot to make the decision. Mic is the source for all things 360. And his responsiveness is awesome. I encourage you to check out his YouTube channel, like and subscribe, or don’t, it’s up to you.
I will be using the Theta Z1 mainly for photography, so video was not my concern.
And when the 51 GB version landed I hit the «Buy Now» button.
PROs
- Sensor Size
- Shoots in DNG
- Image quality
- Manual modes
- Sturdy Body
- Plugins
- Variable aperture
- Standalone Stitcher (Windows & Mac)
CONs
- Chromatic Aberration
- No removable Battery!
- Fixed Storage
- Video not up to par
- Screen is small (But quite irrelevant, since there’s a good app)