When comparing Ricoh Theta M15 vs LG 360 CAM, the Slant community recommends LG 360 CAM for most people. In the question“What are the best 360-degree cameras?” LG 360 CAM is ranked 6th while Ricoh Theta M15 is ranked 16th. The most important reason people chose LG 360 CAM is:
The LG 360 camera has a small rectangular frame with a plastic sheath that slides over its lenses to protect them from scratches. It's rather short and a little thick, which may make it feel a bit bulky. But even then, it's small enough to be carried around and fits comfortably in a pocket.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Easy to use
Theta has a button in the middle of the camera body that takes 360-degree images when pressed. This makes using the device very straightforward, if not self explanatory.
Pro Excellent portability
Theta is lightweight at just 95 g and small at 42 mm (W) x 129 mm (H) x 22.8 mm. This means that it can be easily carried around in a pocket or bag with practically no additional weight. Theta is therefore very flexible thanks to its size.
Pro Currently available, unlike other options
The Ricoh Theta is already shipping and has an established ecosystem of web apps, mobile apps, and strong user communities on Facebook and Google+. Most other options aren't available yet for purchase.
Pro Good value for money
This 360 cam is one of the cheapest of its kind, it's a perfect size , and it can be connected to the user's smartphone. All of this, plus the ability to capture the world at 360°, for a very reasonable price.
Pro Good accompanying software
Theta comes with Windows and Mac applications for managing captured footage, as well as iOS and Android companion apps that allow images to be taken remotely. Together these render the device extremely useful.
Pro Highly portable
The LG 360 camera has a small rectangular frame with a plastic sheath that slides over its lenses to protect them from scratches. It's rather short and a little thick, which may make it feel a bit bulky. But even then, it's small enough to be carried around and fits comfortably in a pocket.
Pro Good bang for the buck
Most good 360 degree cameras cost upward fo $300. LG 360 is one of the few (if not only) 360-degree cameras that costs $200 and has great specs.
Pro Easy to use
The camera on its own is very simple to use. It only has two buttons: a power button and a shutter button.
Most of the time though it will be used in tandem with a smartphone which again, is pretty easy to do. Connecting a phone to the camera consists of selecting it from the phone's Wi-Fi settings like any other wireless network.
Pro Storage capacity can be increased
The micro SD card can be quickly removed and replaced with another if the user requires more storage. In this sense, the user is not limited to the built-in storage capacity of some other options.
Pro Comes with a protective lens cover for carrying and storage
The camera is easy to damage due to the protruding lens. However, it comes with a hard shell cover which keeps it protected when in your pocket/bag.
Pro Clear stills in good lighting
The LG 360 has one of the higher MP specs at 16MP, and the images have good clarity in well-lit areas.
Pro Allows manually tuning ISO, white balance, shutter speed and aperture
Gives you the option of tweaking the camera settings for capturing images in difficult situations and/or adding an artistic effect.
Pro Multi-purpose lens cover
The lens cover not only provides protection, but it also doubles as a small stand.
Pro Sharp videos in bright locations
When taken in good lighting, the higher resolution results in a fairly clear and sharp video.
Pro Real-time live preview via a smartphone app
The smartphone app allows previewing the footage that the camera is capturing. It can also adjust settings such as exposure and white balance.
Cons
Con Poor image quality for the asking price
While there's no official word on sensors and image processors, expert reviews suggest that it's within the 5-6.5MP range. Theta produces reasonable images, but better images should be expected, given its price range.
Con Lack of expandable memory
Theta comes with 4 GB built-in memory which can only take videos of 4-5 minutes. Sadly there is no way to expand this memory as there is no external card slot.
Con Cannot view photos or videos directly on the camera
Since there's no screen on the camera, the only way to view what you captured is to transfer them to your phone or PC. For most photos this is not an issue as the process is very fast, but unfortunately it's quite slow for videos that are large in size.
Con Stitching quality is poor
Con Third-party software is required to edit video
Neither the mobile app, nor the desktop program that the camera comes with can edit the captured footage.
Con Poor video quality
The stitching in videos is much more evident than in the photos. The video loses a fair amount of clarity in low light settings.
Con It's easy to accidentally damage the device
You have to be extra careful in how you store the device due to its protruding lens design which makes it quite easy to damage.
Con Indicator lights are difficult to see in the daylight
When outdoors on a sunny day, the indicator lights can be very difficult to make out. For example, it can be difficult for the user clearly see whether the camera is recording or not.
Con Photos are out of focus
Only a small area at the center of each lens is capture properly in focus. Everything else is blurry to some degree with nearby areas being especially poor. Plus, the stitching quality is not that great either.