RICOH THETA Disable Auto-Level topBottomCorrection for Interval Shooting

People often want to disable auto-level for interval shooting. There is no way to do this through the official mobile app or the LCD screen.

The API provides several options.

RICOH THETA API: https://github.com/ricohapi/theta-api-specs/blob/main/theta-web-api-v2.1/options/_top_bottom_correction.md

_topBottomCorrection

Overview

Sets the top/bottom correction.
For RICOH THETA V and RICOH THETA Z1, the top/bottom correction can be set only for still images.
For RICOH THETA X, the top/bottom correction can be set for both still images and videos.

Can be acquired by camera.getOptions and set by camera.setOptions.

Support model

X Z1 V SC S
All All v3.00.1 or later

Support value

Key Description
Apply Top/bottom correction is performed.
ApplyAuto Refer to top/bottom correction when shooting with “ApplyAuto”
ApplySemiAuto Top/bottom correction is performed. The parameters used for top/bottom correction for the first image are saved and used for the 2nd and subsequent images.(RICOH THETA X or later)
ApplySave Performs top/bottom correction and then saves the parameters.
ApplyLoad Performs top/bottom correction using the saved parameters.
Disapply Does not perform top/bottom correction.
Manual*1 Performs the top/bottom correction with the specified front position. The front position can be specified with _topBottomCorrectionRotation.

*1 RICOH THETA X firmware v1.20.0 or later

Restrictions based on the shooting method

Model Shooting method Description
V, Z1 Move interval shooting
Interval composite shooting
Time shift shooting
Shoots with "Apply" regardless of the specified Key
Fixed interval shooting
Multi-bracketing shooting
Shoots with "ApplyAuto" regardless of the specified Key

Top/bottom correction when shooting with “ApplyAuto”

Model Shooting method Description
V, Z1 Interval shooting
Fixed interval shooting
Multi-bracketing shooting
The parameters used for top/bottom correction for the first image are saved and used for the 2nd and subsequent images.
Normal shooting Top/bottom correction is performed.
X Multi-bracketing shooting The parameters used for top/bottom correction for the first image are saved and used for the 2nd and subsequent images.
Except for Multi-bracketing shooting Top/bottom correction is performed.

Insomnia API Tester

Insomnia provides a desktop GUI to configure and save different API commands.

This is the header for the same request.

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Android API Tester

There are many free Android apps that you can use to save and run API commands on your mobile phone. This is a good option if you’re in the field and want to disapply and apply the auto-level.

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endpoint and header

post data

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curl command

You can also use curl from the command line.

curl --request POST \
  --url http://192.168.1.1/osc/commands/execute \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json;charset=utf-8' \
  --data '{
        "name": "camera.setOptions",
        "parameters": {
                "options": {
                        "_topBottomCorrection": "Disapply"
                }
        }
}'

Take Picture

When taking the picture with the RICOH THETA official mobile app, the _topBottomCorrection is set to Disapply

To test _topButtonCorrection Disapply, you can use the API to take pictures

https://github.com/ricohapi/theta-api-specs/blob/main/theta-web-api-v2.1/commands/camera.take_picture.md

In the examples below, I use the free mobile app API Tester.

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Interval Shoot - start capture

https://github.com/ricohapi/theta-api-specs/blob/main/theta-web-api-v2.1/commands/camera.start_capture.md

Post Data

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Response

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stop capture

https://github.com/ricohapi/theta-api-specs/blob/main/theta-web-api-v2.1/commands/camera.stop_capture.md

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post data

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response

Images

with camera on side

Shown on body of camera.

Viewed in equirectangular mode

Note that the RICOH desktop app will automatically reorient the image

Tip - Use Vysor to Type in Commands

Use Vysor with your mobile phone input the JSON with your laptop keyboard. You can also copy and paste the JSON body into the mobile phone app.

Summary

  • the official RICOH mobile app sets the _topBottomCorrection to Apply in my tests

  • to test _topBottomCorrection set to Disapply, I used a free mobile app

  • to test interval shooting, I used startCapture to start the shooting sequence and stopCapture to stop the sequence

  • I set_topBottomCorrection to Disapply prior to every interval shoot