THETA, a 360-degree camera, is great for interior design work and outdoor fun as well! l RICOH360 Blog

THETA is a 360-degree camera, useful not only for shooting in the great outdoors but also for work.

We interviewed Mami Misawa, a representative of CAMMOC. She uses THETA not only for capturing her outdoor memories, such as camping trips, but also at her job as an interior designer. She shared how she gets the most out of THETA at work.

Working as an interior designer

I coordinate interiors and plan events with the theme of ‘a beautiful life of camping.’

Taken with THETA with tripod on the table

Recording spaces with THETA

Do you also decorate retail spaces at work?

Yes, I took a photo to record the interior I worked on the other day.

Taken remotely with THETA standing on a shelf in the middle of the store

The dry flowers hanging from the ceiling look so pretty!

Thanks! Actually, because I decorated the ceiling in this space, it was difficult to capture and show the whole atmosphere in the venue with a normal camera. But THETA makes it possible and easy!

Previewing on-site with THETA

It seems you also use THETA for interior design at weddings. How did you get the most out of it in that case?

I received an order to decorate an event room for a wedding.

Taken with THETA and edited: Event space after decorating

When I first went to check out the venue, I shot a 360 degree photo with THETA placed on the table in the middle of the space.

The 360 degree images really help me get a solid idea of the space when I’m reviewing them later. It’s as though I’m standing in the actual venue, so it’s very useful when considering my design choices.

Taken with THETA: Previewing the venue

At this particular venue, there was a rail on the ceiling from which curtains and lights could be hung, and I was able to confirm the exact position of the rail later with the 360-degree photo.

THETA allows me to review and confirm things for myself, but it also makes it easy to share my images at meetings with colleagues. It’s a great tool for getting my ideas across clearly.

I measured the size of the window frame and ceiling on site, but it’s difficult to figure out how the whole room fits together even with photos of individual parts. But with the 360-degree image taken with THETA, the whole space can be seen at a glance with one image, so it is very helpful!

Documenting disaster-stricken areas with THETA

Last October, many areas in Japan were hit by severe typhoons. I saw your THETA photo of a damaged campsite.

I’ve been visiting this campsite for a long time. I heard that a typhoon caused a great deal of damage there, so a few days later, my colleagues and I rushed to help out. I took this photo with THETA by holding it above my head

Taken with THETA: The campsite damaged by a typhoon

The location I shot with THETA was a campsite for setting up tents. But due to the typhoon, the campground was completely destroyed by the storm surge .

About half a year passed and it was supposed to re-open this April, but it was postponed because of COVID-19. Still, I’d like to visit the campsite again and shoot the same location with THETA.

Outdoors with THETA

Besides work, you have been using THETA for camping and other outdoor activities. What was the most impressive scene you captured with THETA recently?

When I went to Hakuba for snowboarding with my family, we had a chance to see fireworks while we were eating at a food truck spot called Fireworks Bar. I took a video of the fireworks with THETA.

*For smartphones, click on the video title at the top of the screen, jump to the YouTube app with “open app”, and swipe to look around in 360 degrees.

In 360 degrees, I can really feel the atmosphere of the place, the fireworks in the distance, the people around you, and of course you as well!

What about camping?

I took some photos with THETA in our tent when I went winter camping with my friends. It was taken with THETA in the middle of the table.

Taken with THETA mounted on a tripod on the table

A normal camera can’t take a group photo unless we squeeze together really closely. But THETA can capture the entire space with everyone in their natural poses, which really conveys the real atmosphere of the moment.

Did you shoot any scenes other than camping?

I used THETA while I was doing SUP this winter.

Taken with THETA on a monopod

I shot a beautiful lake view of Mt. Fuji with myself holding a monopod on my shoulder.

About THETA SC2

You were using THETA SC at first and then upgraded to the new model, THETA SC2. What improvements did you find when switching from SC to SC2

Taken remotely with THETA on a tripod

I can tell the images from the SC2 are much clearer, especially in the dark. So I enjoy shooting at night, particularly starry skies, much more with the SC2.