Theta Z1 not update preview brackets

Theta Z1, fw 2.00.1, android app 2.1.2. PC app 3.15.4 When selecting multibracket settings in the menu the image does not update with the settings (lighter or darker depending on shutter time selected). When executing the set brackets the images do show the different Ev settings. Can anyone help me out please? Is there something I’m missing? Is this a bug? The preview funcion used to work fine.

Cheers
Philip

1 Like

@Philip - I tested with the same setup: Z1 with fw 2.00.1, Android app 2.1.2, PC app 3.15.4.

I get the same results. I tested with a spread of 7 bracketed images. Since you mentioned “shutter time” I just tested with a range of Shutter Speed settings.

Preview does not show the difference.

At Shutter Speed 1/2000

At Shutter Speed 6

The preview looks the same to me.

However, like you said, when I take bracket pictures, it does properly take pictures like it’s supposed to.

I’d like to report this back to RICOH. How critical is having the preview indicate the Shutter Speed setting? What are you using the bracketed images for? Is it for work?

Thank you for your confirmation jcasman, I use the bracketed exposure to create spherical hdr images to light 3d scenes. As every location has different light i need to be able to quickly adjust the exposure set. Hence the need for feedback on screen when i choose my slowest and fastest shutter. Aperature and iso remain fixed naturally.

It would even be better if i RICOH could add a function: just set shutter speed and choose the size of the stop and number of stops and get a range in shutter speeds from there automatically. I used to trick my canon eos into multi bracketed exposure with a Promote usb device. It had this feature amongst others.

Philip

1 Like

Thank you for the extra information, @Philip. We are meeting with RICOH this week, I will report this in. If there is more information, I’ll post again here.

If the preview is not in the brackets, does it show the correct exposure (dark or light)?

Test to Verify if it is a bug in the API or the mobile app

set exposureProgram 4 to enable shutterspeed value to be set

.\theta.exe exposureProgram
Specify program value. Example --value=2 or --value=9
set exposure program 1 (manual), 2 (auto), 3 (aperture Z1 only), 4 (shutter), 9 (iso)

Usage: ./theta exposureProgram [arguments]
-h, --help     Print this usage information.
    --value    1 (manual), 2 (auto), 3 (aperture Z1 only), 4 (shutter), 9 (iso)
               [1, 2, 3, 4, 9]

Run "./theta help" to see global options.
PS C:\Users\craig\Documents\Development\ricoh\webapi\build> .\theta.exe exposureProgram --value=4
{
  "name": "camera.setOptions",
  "state": "done"
}

set shutter speed

.\theta.exe  setShutter  --speed=0.00004

Extract frame

dart .\test_3_1_single_frame.dart
Processing frame 0
skipping first frame
Processing frame 1
saving frame
finished saving frames

Inspect Frame from livePreview

Frame from motionJPEG, livePreview with shutter set to 0.00004.

image


Test with 1 second exposure

.\theta.exe  setShutter  --speed=1

Frame extracted from livePreview

image

test with 6 second exposure

.\theta.exe  setShutter  --speed=6

No difference

image

reduce framerate to 8fps on the livePreview

8fps corresponds to 0.125 seconds per frame

 dart .\set_preview_format.dart preview1024-8
{"name":"camera.setOptions","state":"done"}

adjust shutter speed to max time between frames

.\theta.exe  setShutter  --speed=0.125

looks the same.

image

adjust shutter to 0.0005

slightly darker

image

shutter at 0.0002

now with weird color tinge

image

1 Like

This is a good question. I tested it just using the official RICOH THETA mobile app. In Normal shooting mode, setting the Shutter Speed to a range of different settings, from 6 to 1/2000 (same range that I set up with the Multi bracket shooting).

The live preview does NOT show a difference.

you can replicate the test with the Oppkey Tester for the RICOH WebAPI and the new livePreview tester for single frame extraction.

shutterspeed 0.00008

Extracted from mjpeg frame at 1024 @ 30fps

image

shutterspeed 0.0002

Extracted from mjpeg frame at 1024 @ 30fps

image


appears to be max exposure below for the mjpeg frames

image

Wondering if this problem will be fixed in a (near) future update. Is there any news on this?

Can you explain what the “Promote USB device” is?

There’s no information on adjusting the firmware for this, but maybe there is another technique you can use to set the shutter speed and stops?

Can you explain why these plug-ins do not meet your requirements? As your primary objective is to capture the light data for the HDR files, maybe there’s another technique to use instead of the brackets?

Community member @Pixel also has this on the site on the App Store

1 Like