I don’t quite understand what’s being said here? I have an iPhone XR and Macbook Pro that I’d like to use with my Theta Z1. Is there any way to use the DualFisheye Plugin with an iPhone or iOS device controlling it?
The DualFisheye Plug-in remote does not work on iOS. You can run the dual-fisheye plug-in inside the Z1. However, you won’t be able to control it with a mobile phone.
Consider buying a cheap, used Android phone on eBay or similar place if you really like the DualFisheye Plug-in.
You can also trigger the shutter with a bluetooth clicker.
You don’t need the iOS app to use the plug-in, it just makes it easier to use.
You need the plug-in.
To install the plug-in into your camera, you need the desktop app
Without the mobile app, use the buttons on the camera to control the plug-in.
"Mode" button: toggles shooting mode "Wifi" button: toggles number of shots "Wifi" button (long press): toggles 10 sec timer on/off "Fn" button (Z1 only): toggles JPG/DNG* mode*JPG takes ~1sec/shot
*DNG takes more time, ~2.5sec/shot
To speed up the process, the DualFisheye Plug-in keeps the two 180 degree fisheye images unstitched. Afterward, you can send them over to the processing devices (e.g. PC/Android) for batch processing (merging/stitching application is required).
At this point, you have the images on the camera.
You then need to get them onto your Mac computer with a USB cable.
Once it’s on your Mac computer, use Lightroom Classic CC and the stitcher.
Note that if you don’t already have Lightroom Classic, you can run the stitcher standalone on the Mac with a small modification and then use free software like darktable https://www.darktable.org/
Note that I normally don’t use the plug-in. Thus, there may be errors in the workflow I describe. Other people may have more accurate first-hand information.
Suggest you get started with the free plug-in first and possible a one month lightroom subscription for $9.95/month.
It is generally easier to use lightroom with the stitcher.
If you don’t like the workflow/results, then cancel your subscription.
About timeshift
The timeshift is a workflow tool to remove the photographer from the shot automatically. This is good for high-volume real estate or casual shots. It does not improve the quality of a DNG image. If you want the very best single shot, you should look at the DFE. If you want good shots quickly, the timeshift helps speed up the process so that you don’t have to wide behind a wall for every shot.
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Hi. I’ve read every post here.
My problem is that I need to use the camera on a drone, and I have an iphone, so there’s no app to shoot remotely.
You can also trigger the shutter with a bluetooth clicker.
You have to use the android plugin in order to make it work, right? So my only chance is to get an android phone?
Is there any chance to increase the timmer setting to 20 secs instead of 10?
Thanks for the help. This plugin is fantastic.
I find that the plug-in works great for automating the capture of brackets for HDR but the inbuilt HDR function doesn’t handle moving objects like cars reliably so I usually use the plug-in to capture raw brackets and then merge in post using Aurora HDR. Much cleaner result.
First off, thank you so much for this plug-in, it’s exactly what I’m after. It’s very quick to setup and to use, which is always a plus when you’re on-set.
I have one comment/request/suggestion. My use case for this plug-in is to take bracketed DNGs to be later stitched in PTGui to create a HDRI for the 3D team to light with. While I know the sun will never be able to be captured properly, it would appear that the plug-in weights the base exposure to a properly exposed image and then goes -/+ from there.
For me, the most important information to capture are light sources to the point of being able to see the filaments (bear in mind we’re talking about film lights, so up to10K kind of light sources) The shadow areas are far less important. It would be great to have a mode that is for VFX where the bias is towards highlights rather than a properly exposed mid-point.
Many thanks again for this great plug-in.
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Have you looked at Authydra and posted on the Authydra topic as well? Authydra by Kasper is also open source, so maybe someone in the community can modify it? GitHub repo
Thanks for the link Craig. I looked into it, however Hirota’s approach is much more on-set friendly since I don’t need to connect to the Theta to set any values. Having to connect/dis-connect has always been an issue since, often, you’re on a production’s wifi which is always stronger so phones want to jump back on to that one. When you’re holding everyone up so you can get your HDRI you want to be as quick as possible.
He might be add this type of feature to the mobile app, which is pretty cheap. The mobile app is only on Android because there were problems with Apple restrictions in the Apple AppStore. Do you have an Android phone or are you willing to get a cheap one for the purpose of the mobile app?
Otherwise, I think the interface of the actual camera might get difficult to manage.
We can try and contact Ichi after we clarify the requirements.
Yes, I have an android phone. My concern would, again, be having to be connected to the Theta to do anything which isn’t ideal.
If there was simply a new mode called VFX or something along those lines that weighted the exposure towards capturing details in the highlights then that’d be amazing. I imagine you’d enter the mode the same as you do bracket and once in there, you’d have the same options. The only difference is what the mid exposure is.
Hi I have a question.
I am on iOS and have a Z1. I wonder if I would buy the Android app and find a suitable Android phone and set the capture to ± 2EV and the Aperture to 5,6 is there a way I can set this as default so next time I capture with the camera only set to DNG 5 Bracket will it be ± 1 EV Aperture 2,1 or does it remember the last setting? (Aperture 5,6 ± 2 EV)
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Hi @HanEiter!
THETA Z1 can save shooting conditions set with a smartphone or the API. Shooting conditions registered in My Settings can be enabled by pressing and holding the Function (Fn) button on the side of your Z1. The advantage is that you can save your shooting conditions and use them even while not connected to a smartphone.
It does not matter if you use iOS or Android.
If you want to set this through the THETA mobile app, you can. Please experiment with MySetting and let me know how it goes.
Go to Settings —> My Settings
You will need to Register to Camera to save the settings.
If if want to set these settings through the API, here is the main API command:
https://api.ricoh/docs/theta-web-api-v2.1/commands/camera._set_my_setting/
And the Options that you can set for the command:
https://api.ricoh/docs/theta-web-api-v2.1/commands/camera.set_options/
I think the OP was asking if the Dual Fisheye Remote App could save the Aperture to 5.6 as the default setting.
Did you test the Dual Fisheye Remote App to confirm that it reads in the values from MySettings for the aperture?
To answer the question, you likely need to test the dual fisheye plug-in remote app.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hirota41.com.dualfishcontroller&hl=en_US&gl=US
The DFE plugin remote app remembers the last-used settings and opens with that. I always use f5.6, -1EV, 9 shots and it always opens on those settings.
Keep in mind that DFE always shoots in one stop increments and setting the EV value shifts the entire bracketed set in that direction.
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boom! and there it is. wisdom from Grant McBride.
Saved us an hour of testing. 
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I’ve literally spent the last year testing and determining the optimum settings and software for my virtual tour photos so I might as well save others the hassle lol
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Fantastic info, thanks Grant!
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The functionality of the EV setting in DFE isn’t intuitive. I originally believed that I could get the same EV spread with 3 brackets as with 9 by adjusting the EV value to increase the ±EV between brackets but that isn’t the case, and it makes sense when you notice that the setting is labelled EV OFFSET and not ±EV.
So since DFE always shoots in 1 stop increments it’s the number of brackets taken that determines the ±EV of your highest and lowest exposures in relation to the middle bracket:
- 3 Brackets = ±1EV
- 5 Brackets = ±2EV
- 7 Brackets = ±3EV
- 9 Brackets = ±4EV
So to clarify, if you want 3 brackets at ±4EV you’d need to take 9 brackets and discard 2,3,4,6,7,8.
Hi, thank you for the info. But I always will need the app right? Was hoping to use other with the app once and set what I need and if I start it without the app on the camera it remembers the settings as well. Trying to find a way to get around buying an Android phone just for DFE 
The plugin does not remember previous settings without the app and there’s also no way to change EV offset without the app either.
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If I do 5 shot bracket using DFE and offset of -2,
it would go from -2,1,0,1,2
to
-4,-3,-2,-1,0 ???