Introduction

The Ricoh Theta V is an older generation 360 camera, yet it still offers high quality 360 videos and pictures. The nice part about these cameras is that if you have operated one 360 camera, you should be able to operate them all since they share a common app and have the same base settings and buttons.

Physical Characteristics

The camera is compact and can snugly fit into your hand or your pockets. This form factor also means that you should be careful and ideally use the camera cover before storing it anywhere since there is a chance that you could scratch the lens if you place it with hard objects (for instance, in your pocket with your keys).

The spherical lens is on the top part of the camera, while the screw/USB slots are at the base of the camera. The power, Wifi, and the Mode buttons are on the right-hand side while the microphone is on the opposite side.

At the base of the camera, you will notice an alphanumeric code with a small QR code. It is important that you do not scratch or cover this up since you will need it to connect the camera to the Theta application on your phone (image from the Theta Support Guide).

Connecting to the Camera

The Theta camera can be connected using both Bluetooth and Wireless LAN (a Wifi connection). The camera itself is equipped with a wireless adapter and creates a network that usually displays in your phone as an alphanumeric key with the extension .OSC at the end. The Bluetooth connection requires that your phone connect via wireless first, so we recommend using the camera directly through wireless after downloading the Theta app.

To download the application, go to the official download page or the Apple/Play Store. The camera has a Windows/desktop application but the desktop version cannot be used to film anything.

Recording with the Camera

The camera can record with or without the app. This section will cover both aspects:

Without the App:

1. Press the Power button once. A blue light will appear at the front.
2. Press the large, circular button at the front while choosing the appropriate mode (press the Mode button to cycle through modes) to record video, take still pictures, or livestream (three modes, images below).

Note: The default video recording length is 5 minutes which can be changed to a longer duration with the app.

Theta V Live Streaming Mode

With the App:

1. Download the Theta application from the Play/Apple store depending on your phone.
2. Click on the Theta icon at the bottom right . This action will open a page with a list of all previous and current cameras.
3. Click on your camera model. If your model is not listed, click on “Other Models.”
4. If your model is listed: the app will automatically try to connect to it. Ensure to give the application the necessary permissions that it asks for.
5. If your model is not listed and you went through the “Other Models” option: Turn on your camera, and make sure that the wireless blue light is lit up in the front. If you cannot see it, hold the Wifi button down for more than 7 seconds or until you see it. Next, type the alphanumeric key from the base of the camera (see image in section: Physical Characteristics). Ensure the “default password” box is checked and click on Register.
6. Wait for the registration to finish (the app will say “Communicating” and some other messages while it finishes setup)
7. The app will directly open into the “Device Images” folder. From there, click on the Theta icon again at the bottom right.
8. Next, click on the Access point mode option in blue (it will say “Communicating” for a few seconds).
9. This will open up a Camera mode where you can see all that the camera sees. Click on Record (red button in the middle) to start filming.
10. To change the maximum recordable time (default is 5 minutes), click on the gear icon. Then, click on “Max recordable time (1 time)” and select 25 minutes.