The 360-degree camera market has taken some twists and turns, but lately undisputed king of the mainstream, Insta360, still sits atop the best 360-degree camera table despite facing competition from some established names trying to bring their old models back for one last try!
First there was the almost entirely unchanged GoPro Max 2025 – still a 5.7K 360-degree camera with lenses that don't sit back to back, still with more or less the same internals, but now boasting a USB-C charging socket after six years. Now
Now imageshave circulated online showing both a possible manual and a new battery for a "RICOH360 THETA A1" – a camera which isn't yet on sale in the real world (even though some images are circulating... what can this mean?)
Rumors have been openly circulating about the device since September 2024 when Ricoh registered a "a wireless communication-enabled digital camera with the code name R07010" in Korea.
It appears to use a new TB-1 battery part, but, according to some, will not have a large touch panel, so will potentially be price competitive with other 360-degree cameras.
Could this herald another entrant into a rapidly exploding market? We're also seeing rumors suggesting that DJI (yes, the drone company that also does action cameras) has a 360-degree camera in the works. I only recently reviewed the latest Insta360 X5, too.
The original Ricoh Theta, on the other hand, harks back from 2013 so is more than ten years old and, though it has seen some revisions (like the Theta X in 2016), the brand has not given its 360-degree camera range the same level of love that Insta360 gives to stay top of the market with annual updates.
Ricoh's design features back-to-back fish-eye lenses which work together to capture a full sphere view. The X and Z1 are the existing models, the latter boasting what were relatively large 1-inch sensors, well suited for low light, while the 'X's claim to fame was its 2.25-inch touchscreen. Currently, the company's cheapest offering is the SC2, which is all about simplicity (though comes in a variety of colors).
From what we've seen thus far, it's hard to identify which is the immediate target for replacement, or if this will join the range.
