Stanford Introductory Studies

Stanford University

Ricoh Theta S 360

camera
What?
Students can contribute to virtual reality and create their own student-produced content.
Finished images can be shared on Googles Street View app, while videos can be uploaded to
YouTube and experienced immersively through a Google Cardboard viewer.

Preparation
Check the bag
When opening the bag, check that the following items are included:
Ricoh Theta S
USB cable (also the charger)
Soft case
Theta S Quick Start Guide

Commands

Shooting still images

.
1. Turn on the camera by pressing the
power button1

2. Press the
capture mode button2
to switch to
still image capture

(
capture mode lamp3
will be lit blue).

3. Position the camera as upright as possible.

4. Press the
shutter button4
.

mode

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Notes:
Still images are saved in the internal memory of the camera and can be viewed on a

computer using the

Ricoh Theta basic app
(for Mac or Windows).

The camera automatically enters the sleep mode if no operations are performed for a

set period of time (default setting 5 minutes - camera status lamp5

flashing blue).

Shooting is not possible in the sleep mode. Press the shutter button4
to enable

shooting and then press the shutter button again to take a photo.

Shooting videos

1. Turn on the camera by pressing the

power button1
.

2. Press the
capture mode button2
to switch to
video capture mode

(
capture

mode lamp3
will be lit blue).

3. Position the camera as upright as possible.

4. Press the
shutter button4
to begin recording. The
video recording lamp6
will begin

flashing red to indicate that recording is in progress.

5. Press the
shutter button4
again to stop recording.

Notes:
Maximum recording time per video is 25 minutes.
Videos are saved in the internal memory of the camera and can be viewed on a

computer using the

Ricoh Theta basic app
(for Mac or Windows).

Uploading and editing still images/videos

Install the computer application

4
Access the following site and download the computer application (select the appropriate
OS type).
https://theta360.com/en/support/download/

Import images or videos to your computer

1. Connect the camera to your computer using the

provided USB cable and built-in

USB terminal7
.

2. Import photos/videos.
a. Windows: Select [open device to view
files].
b. Mac: Use the Photos app.
3. Remove USB cable after transfer is completed.
Note:
To delete images or videos from the cameras internal memory, select the option

delete after import before importing.

Prepare videos for uploading

1. Download the
Ricoh Theta basic app
(for Mac or Windows).

2. After downloading the software, open the app by right-clicking the .dmg file and
clicking
Open
.

3. Select
[File] [Open]
in the top menu bar.

4. Locate your file in your Movies folder

(the file name is "R***.MP4").

5. Begin the conversion by choosing an

output directory
(folder to which to save the

converted video). We recommend specifying an easy location such as the

desktop
.

6. Click [
Start].

7. The data file name after conversion is

"R***_er.MP4"
. Videos do not need to be
converted more than once.

5
Notes:
The drag and drop method may not work for some Mac users. Use the top menu bar

method to open files instead.

Multiple files can be converted at the same time by selecting more than one file at the

same time (for Mac/PC users press and hold down the shift button).
Conversion may take some time depending on conditions such as the length of the

video.

Edit Videos using Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere (optional)

1. Take the converted file (MP4) and drop it in either Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere.
2. After editing, export the file as a MP4 file.
3. Go to Sharing 360 Videos on YouTube and follow the next steps.
Computer stations around campus (with Final Cut Pro)
Lathrop Tech Lounge
(look for the computers with a 8-Core Mac Pro tower)

Edit Videos using the Theta+ video app (optional for iOS only)
In order to edit videos on your device, you must first transfer the files from the camera to your phone using
the Theta basic app. Edit using the Theta+ video app.

Download the Theta basic app

1. Download the latest version of the
Theta basic app
for your smartphone ( iOS).

2. Turn on the camera and press the

wireless button8
to turn on the wifi (

wireless

lamp9
will be lit blue).

3. Open the
Settings app
on your mobile device.

4. From your device "Settings," connect to your spherical cameras wifi network
(named
"THETA...OSC"
).

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Note:
if this is your first time connecting the camera to your device,

the
default password
is the set of 8 numbers after "XS" on the
bottom of the camera (00).

5. Select
[Camera]
from the top menu bar.

6. Tap
[Select]
. The screen switches to the album editing screen.
7. Select the still images/videos to be transferred.

Note:
multiple still images/videos can be selected. A check mark

appears for selected still images/videos.

8. Tap
[Transfer]
.

Note:
It takes a long time to transfer long videos, and the battery may

run low during the transfer. Make sure the camera is fully charged
before transferring files.

Download the Theta+ video app

1. Download the latest version of the
Theta+ video app
.

2. You can trim, add filters, choose from different view formats, and add
background music.
3. Share your edited video directly to YouTube.

Sharing 360 images on Google Street Views

Get the Street View app
1. Download the latest version of the
Street View app
.
Android
iOS

2. Turn on the camera and press the

wireless button8
to turn on the wifi (

wireless lamp9

will be lit blue).

3. Open the
Settings app
on your mobile device.

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4. From your device "Settings," connect to your spherical cameras wifi network
(named
"THETA...OSC"
).

5. The
default password
is the set of 8 numbers after "XS" on the bottom of the camera
(00).

Import your photos

1. Open the

Street View app.

To import existing photos:

follow the prompt that pops up and transfer your

selected files.

To take new photos:

hold the camera high above your head, or place it on a

tripod and step out of the way. Touch the blue camera button
on the screen to take a photo.

Notes:
All photos will remain private until you publish them.
The wireless button on the camera must be turned on for the entire import process.

Share privately or publicly

1. Under the "Private" tab, scroll through your photo gallery and select a photo.
2. Touch the

upload icon.

3. You have the option to publish to Google Maps (public) or continue to share privately.
If you share your photo
publicly,
youll see your photo under "Profile". Others

can access your photo by searching for the name of your location.

If you share your photo

privately
, youll see your photo under "Private".

View your photos

Android/iOS + Google Cardboard
1. Select your photo from your private gallery or the Street View app gallery.

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2. Tap the Google Cardboard icon

(in the upper right), then insert your phone

into your Cardboard as instructed by the app.

3. Now enjoy your immersive experience!

Sharing 360 videos on YouTube

Create a 360-enabled file with an app
1. Download the
360 Video Metadata app

for
Mac
or
Windows
.

2. Unzip the file, then open the 360 Video Metadata app. If you're using a Mac, you may
need to right-click the app and then click
Open
.

3. Select the previously converted MP4 video file.

4. Select the checkbox for

Spherical
and click
Save as
. Do not select the "3D
Top-bottom" checkbox.

5. Enter a name for the file that will be created.

6. Save the file. A new file will be created automatically in the same location as the
original file.

Upload to YouTube
1. Upload the new file to YouTube.
2. Wait for the 360 effect to process. This may take up to an hour.

Watch your videos

Computer browser + YouTube
1. YouTube supports uploading and playback of 360 spherical videos on computers in
Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Opera browsers.
2. Use the mouse to drag the video and see new angles.
Android + YouTube app + Google Cardboard
1. Get Google Cardboard
and assemble it.

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2. Install and open the YouTube Android app.
3. Find and open your 360 video

and tap the cardboard icon . You'll notice that

the screen splits into two smaller screens.

4. Insert your phone into Cardboard
5. Using a split screen, look around to view the video in 360 degrees.
iOS + YouTube app
1. Install and open the YouTube iOS app.
2. Find and open your 360 video.
3. Using a single screen, look around to view the video in 360 degrees.

Deleting still images/videos from internal memory

If the memory warning lamp begins flashing, the internal memory of the camera is almost full.

Delete files from a computer

1. Connect the camera to your computer using the provided USB cable and built-in USB

terminal7
.

a. Mac:
Import and check delete after import for any undesired files (theres no
other way to empty space on the camera).

b. Windows
: Click [open device to view files] and delete any undesired files
manually.

Delete files using the Theta app

9. Download the latest version of the
Theta basic app
for your smartphone (either

Andrioid or iOS).

10. Turn on the camera and press the

wireless button8
to turn on the wifi (

wireless lamp9

will be lit blue).

11. Open the
Settings app
on your mobile device.

10
12. From your device "Settings," connect to your spherical cameras wifi network
(named
"THETA...OSC"
).

Note:
if this is your first time connecting the camera to your device, the
default

password
is the set of 8 numbers after "XS" on the bottom of the camera
(00).

13. Select
[Camera]
from the top menu bar.

14. Tap the

icon. The screen switches to the album editing screen.

15. Select the photo(s) to be deleted.

Note:
multiple photos can be selected. A check mark appears for each selected

photo.

16. Tap
[Delete]
. A confirmation screen is displayed. Tap
[Yes]
.