New Theta Z1 App problems connecting to WIFI

Ricoh Hardware and Software
1

Received 2 Theta Z1s in the mail recently and both cannot connect to wifi.

This is what I’ve done:
Theta 1
Recharge battery to 100%
Power on, turn wifi signal on, now flashes
Launch Theta 360 IOS app V2.8.0
Click shutter button at bottom which prompts me to register camera
Enter full serial number YN_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Tick box is checked “use default password”
phone in use is iPhone 7, IOS 13
Iphone auto-join wifi settings on known networks are turned off
Upon entering password, wheel spin symbols goes on, abd always reports error cannot connect to wifi
Router in use is 2.4ghz and 5 ghz, have tested for interference turning one and the other off and vice versa and trying to connect to one only but Theta Z1 still does not connect

I proceeded to firmware troubleshooting
Downloaded desktop app version 3.0
Connect the Z1 to the desktop, followed instructions found under File>Update Firmware,
Firmware 1.20.1 is downloaded and is actively updating, the camera battery level is @70%
Upon finishing, the desktop app reports an error, says encountered error in trying to complete firmware, re-attempt.
Upon re-attempting camera now registers updated firmware 1.20.1 and cannot refresh

Contact Ricoh technical support, they report everything I’ve done is everything they would have had me do and recommend sending camera back perhaps firmware error ruined software of camera. (but the problem was prior to firmware error ???)

I explain I have a second unit coming in 2 days and ask what I should do. They recommend not to do the firmware, to try and connect through phone app by clicking shutter and following instructions to register with serial number and that if it works, not to attempt the firmware until a week or so later in case there are unknown bugs in the firmware using IOS 13 which will later be resolved.

Second camera comes in, I attempt to connect BUT I experience the SAME PROBLEM!!!

I feel like giving up on this now, I feel like I’m back in the 90s trying to connect to wifi.

I see there are two current reviews on the Apple App store reporting same problems using IOS 13 with iphone 11 Pros.

I would really like this camera to work. I plan on using it for Virtual Tours but I cannot imagine having these kinds of troubles on site, it would be embarrassing and would not want any part of it.

Should I just return both cameras until there’s a verified firmware update to correct this?

2

I just got a Theta Z1 and the WiFi won’t turn on at all on the camera for me even to start trying to connect. Did they ever get this resolved.

3

If you wifi won’t turn on, that’s different. My problem was connecting to the wifi. I Had no problem with the wifi signal turning on in the camera.

Just troubleshoot everything you can and if not call support, they’ll help for sure.

2 Likes
4

I presume when you enter the password you use just the numbers of the serial (as shown in the manual) and not the full serial YN…

1 Like
5

Similar problem as you…

Yesterday I successfully used my Ricoh Theta to produce a 3D tour. Today, however, I am unable to connect the Theta wifi network to my iPhone to be able to use a 3rd party capture app.

My phone shows it is connected to the Theta network, but my iPhone is not switching over from cellular to the wifi.

Any idea what is going on?

6

Do you have both the mobile app and the THETA firmware upgraded to the newest version?

Do you need the mobile data on your iPhone? Can you turn it off while you use the camera?

7

Hi there, I recently purchased a Theta Z1 and out of the box it connected to wifi without issues. But after plugging it into my Apple laptop for charging and updating the firmware, it has been terrible at connecting! This is super frustrating and not something I could take to a job site. The firmware is updated to the newest version 1.60.1
Ever since, it’s had problems. The next day it eventually connected, after lots of back and forth. Now, I can’t even get the wifi symbol to show up on the screen. Only the bluetooth symbol shows up on the tiny camera screen, but even that will not connect.
I’m using an iPhoneXR with iOS14.3, if that helps to clarify anything, and my laptop is running macOS Sierra, version 10.12.6
I’m shocked that Ricoh does not have better tutorials available, especially for this specific problem which I’m seeing people have been posting about. Any guidance in resolving this would be much appreciated.
Thanks!
-Stephen

8

I found that my Z1 had to initialize the wireless password for the wireless to reconnect. You do this by pressing and holding the wireless button and mode button simultaneously while the power is on.

2 Likes
9

hi guys, i had the same issue since a month and left the camera aside until yesterday. i have theta z1 and did the framework update awhile ago. though i tried and tried but didnt work on until i read the last comment here by Damien, and thought to try similar solution. i pressed and hold both wifi and mode button for few seconds until the light became red and camera went off. then i pressed and hold the power on button with the wifi button for few seconds. then turned the camera on and tried to connect the wifi then it worked. hope it works with you. good luck

2 Likes
10

thanks for this report. I just tested it myself and made a video to help other people understand this tip.

1 Like
11

I’ve watched this video along with many others. Unfortunately when I press and hold down the wifi and mode buttons my camera does not shut down. I have gone as long as 60 seconds and still nothing. The camera did connect one time but now it will not connect to the wifi. It is very disappointing. If I knew I was going to have these problems I would have bought a insta pro 360.

12

Did you update both the mobile app and the firmware inside the Z1?

13

I am having the same issue.
I just received a brand new Theta Z1 yesterday annd had a bit of a play with it last night.
The wifi took quite a while to turn on but it did so eventually.
Today I installed the Authydra plugin and was just testing it when ehe camera shut down on it’s own during shooting a bracket. Now it won’t start up the wifi anymore, the wifi symbol on the camera keeps animating but never finishes.
I have uninstalled th eplugin and turned the camera off and back on etc, but I cannot get teh wifi to work anymore.
What can I do to get this going again?

Thanks,
frank

14

Please include:

  • firmware version of the Z1 you are using
  • mobile app OS (Android or iOS) and version
  • version of mobile app you are using

State of the following on your mobile phone

  • is mobile data on or off
  • is bluetooth on or off
  • is battery saver on or off

Is there a CL next to the Wi-Fi icon on the camera?

15

Hi @craig ,

sorry for the missing info.

I have had so many issues by now that I am returning the cameras as it must be a faulty unit.
The wifi takes ages to connect, then drops out, the battery lis down to 80% after ten minutes of looking through the settings (not even shooting anything), the preview on the app lags and freezes constantly. The icon that I believe to be the “searching for bluetooth connection” animates all the time and never goes away, even with bluetooth disabled, the Theat360 tab in the app only yields a connection error etc.

The mobile data plan was turned off, I tried with and without bluetooth, no battery saver was active.

The camera was brand new and the firmware was updated to the latest v2.00.1. I tried on both iOS and Android (both latest versions).

Hopefully the replacement will perform better.

Cheers,
frank

16

This is unusual behavior. hopefully, the new camera will be better.

The Z1 has both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi which can be adjusted by mobile app. If there is strong Wi-Fi interference, you can try locking the Wi-Fi to 2.4GHz for a test. It will be slower. I’ve only seen this problem at a meetup or co-working space.

Hopefully, there will be no problems with the new camera.

17

Just a heads up that the new camera arrived and seems to be behaving, even though battery consumption still seems crazy. By the time I had tested connecting three different deviced (without shooting anything, just testing the wifi), the battery was down to nearly 80% again. I guess this is normal then and I will have to make sure to carry a portal power supply when needing the camera onset.
Looking forward to start testing this again…

1 Like
18

If you’re new to the camera, here are some power tips:

  • there is both sleep and power-off mode
  • power-off requires a button press of longer than 2 seconds
  • camera takes longer to boot from power off
  • sleep is activated when button press is shorter than 2 seconds
  • when the camera is in sleep, a button press of shorter than 2 seconds will wake it up
  • when the camera is powered off, the USB cable can power the camera on in a number of circumstances, including plugging the USB cable into USB port of your PC or Mac. This can be surprising if the camera is in the black case and you don’t realize it is turned on
19

Thank you very much @craig and so sorry for the tary reply. I was stuck in a deadline but am hoping to have a proper play with the new unit today.
Can’t wait to be able to leave my bulky camera gear and just pocket the Theta instead for the next inset gig.

Cheers,
frank

20

Hi Craig!
Thanks for all the answers you have been giving.

I’m actually having troubles with my THETA Z1 while connecting to the Wi-Fi connection on 5GHz band.
I’ve been trying to set the camera settings to 5GHz from the THETA mobile app. But somehow that setting is not being set in the camera even after restarting it. I’m using my laptops (Windows 11) hotspot for the camera to be connected and it’s set to 5GHz. After restarting the camera WiFi (CL) blinks for sometime looking for the network and then shifts to the WiFi signal. But it connects instantly when I change the hotspot setting to 2.4GHz band.

Do let me know if you need any more information regarding my method.
Thanks!