When comparing Panono Camera vs Ricoh Theta SC, the Slant community recommends Ricoh Theta SC for most people. In the question“What are the best 360-degree cameras?” Ricoh Theta SC is ranked 11th while Panono Camera is ranked 25th. The most important reason people chose Ricoh Theta SC is:
This device is very easy to use. Simply switch between photo or video capture by pressing a toggle on the side of the camera and then press the button on the front of the camera.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Takes completely spherical, high quality 108 MP photos
Panono uses 36 camera modules to take 108 MP photos with zero blind spots. Because Panono avoids using wide angle lenses, instead opting for a large amount of camera modules with normal lenses, the device can avoid much of the distortion that's commonly found in 360-degree cameras.
Pro Google Photosphere compatibility
Images taken with the Panono are Google Photosphere compatible. As such, they can be even used on Google Street View.
Pro You can take photos by throwing the camera in the air
This can be achieved by the accelerometer which will trigger the camera at the highest point.
Pro Fully automated stitching
Once the image files are uploaded to the cloud, they are automatically stitched within minutes. Panono provides high quality stitching and is therefore convenient for users who want to save time.
Pro Offers HDR mode
Panono Camera can capture high dynamic range photos due to HDR mode. Its settings can be enabled via the iOS or Android app.
Pro Panono apps offer a range of services
Panono has apps for Android and iOS mobile devices which allow camera settings to be changed (exposure time, ISO, White Balance). The camera can also be triggered remotely, previews can be viewed, images can be transferred to the cloud for stitching, and the user's own and other public panoramas can be viewed by pointing the mobile device in the desired viewing direction. Additional features include HDR and Anti Shake mode, while there are direct sharing options too (website embedding via iFrame, Facebook, Twitter).
Pro Water-resistant
The camera is resistant to light rain.
Pro Highly durable
This device has two shells to secure its interior while the green rubber stripes help make it more flexible in case it drops.
Pro Can be used with standard tripod screws
With the Panono tripod adapter, the camera can be mounted on a tripod and charged while it is still in use.
Pro Viewing images on a mobile device is done by pointing the device in the desired direction
Panono images can be accessed via apps for Android and iOS mobile devices and via browsers. Viewing images is achieved by pointing the mobile device in the desired viewing direction. This approach is easy to grasp by any user and no additional software is needed.
Pro Straightforward to use
This device is very easy to use. Simply switch between photo or video capture by pressing a toggle on the side of the camera and then press the button on the front of the camera.
Pro Comes with a protective sleeve for carrying and storage
The protective sleeve is not only highly practical, but it also looks very sleek and doesn't add much bulk.
Pro Reasonable stitching quality
The Ricoh Theta app is reasonably successful at stitching. While artifacts and splicing issues can occur, they will usually not be noticeable during a casual viewing, only revealing themselves upon closer inspection.
Pro Highly portable
The camera is small, making it easy to carry around. It can easily fit into a trouser pocket.
Pro Offers good degree of manual control over image capture
Allows manually tuning ISO, white balance, shutter speed, noise compression, and exposure compensation.
Pro Perfectly placed shutter button
The shutter button is placed far from the power button in order to avoid accidentally turning off the camera instead of pressing the shutter button.
Cons
Con Battery life
Between 12 - 15 images per charge (which takes 10 hours) on HDR mode.
Con Only for stills (no video)
Panono Camera is only able to capture photos, and not video footage.
Con Inefficient workflow
Connecting to the panoramic ball camera via WiFi, having to enter a password and download the preview to one's phone, then connect to a router with internet access so to upload to the cloud service (into which the user must login on their phone) to get the final stitch, is all too much work.
Con Final stitching requires an internet connection
After images are taken by Panono, an instant low-resolution and unstitched preview is sent to the companion app over WiFi. For stitching, the images must be downloaded from the camera and sent to the cloud via WiFi (USB transfer is planned). If no internet connection is available, or the service is down for whatever reason, no final stitching on images can be done.
Con Pre order only
Con Non-removable battery
The device's battery cannot be replaced.
Con No expandable storage
The camera is limited to the 8 GB of storage that it comes with.
Con Doesn't support live streaming
Con Short recording time
One charge can only record for 5 minutes.
Con Low resolution video
Videos are recorded at 1080p and 30fps, which is relatively low as far as 360-degree cameras go.
Con The device can be easily damaged
You have to be extra careful in how you store the device due to its protruding lens design and the fact that it can easily fall over.