Ricoh announces Theta X 360º camera

Ricoh has announced the details of its newest 360-degree camera, the Theta X, which features a 2.25” touchscreen display, an interchangeable battery and a Micro SD card slot.

The new action cam is due to be released in March, and looks to be less reliant on needing a link to a smartphone or tablet like previous models. The inclusion of a 2.25” color touchscreen display that’s used to both navigate the camera’s menu and compose shots should help its usability as a standalone camera.

Like the other Theta devices, the X works with a pair of back-to-back cameras with 180-degree fisheye lenses to capture everything around the device in a single shot. The X is capable of capturing 11K images for “high-resolution bright-light indoor photography” or at 5.5K “to capture images easily and efficiently in other scenarios.”

Video can also be captured at up to 5.7K resolutions (5760 × 2880) at 30 frames per second, or up to 60 frames per second when dropping down to 4K (3840 × 1920).

The Theta X also runs an Android-based OS, which Ricoh says will allow developers to create their own programmes for it, and also includes a swappable rechargeable battery and microSD card slot, which can work alongside the device’s 46GB of internal memory.

No local pricing has been confirmed yet, but the Theta X is expected to retail for $799 USD ($1,141 AUD). we'll keep you updated closer to launch.