Ricoh Theta V - Street View video mode. How-to for new users

[StephenAbraham]

@Osaka78forTRUMP @PaulPavlinovich Thanks for sharing all the notes. 🙂 

As Paul mentioned already, Street View video mode does not add roads. 

Theta V best resolution and quality is in the middle of each lens. Whichever direction gives best benefit of the higher quality, then the lens should point in that direction.

Also, the latest SV app and latest Theta V firmware will turn on 5.4K video (instead of 4K), albeit at 5fps, which is good for smaller uploads with higher quality output. Read more about it here.

https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/Street-View-Camera-Lab/Tips-and-tricks-improve-your-360-photos...

Also regarding quality, my observation is video mode always has less quality vs static photos, which is understandable since frames are extracted from video which goes through frame and motion compression vs a static photo. Video mode is a super easy way to create public road Street View with sufficient quality for use. (but best in good lighting)

[PaulPavlinovich]

Thanks @StephenAbraham I missed that article. Great to know about the update to the firmware and changes to how it is processed. I'm updating my camera right now and will go map some no blue line streets today and see what happens. I look forward to smaller files as it will make doing this for longer runs much more practical.

[MoniDi]

Hey @StephenAbraham,

I am moving your post in the How-tos board. 

[Osaka78forTRUMP]

@PaulPavlinovich, thank you. Your tutorial on YouTube has sparked our passion for adding new roads to Maps.

In case you decide to go ahead mapping a town with Theta V, please document and share your experiences. We're very interested.

Getting new roads onto Maps has been hit and miss for us lately. Using Theta V to quickly create Street View looks like a huge step forward for getting local knowledge published on Maps.

Thanks Paul. Kindest regards from Osaka78 😃 

Ps Please link us to Street View from Theta V video with street signs. We'd love to see an example of picture resolution for reading street names 👍

[Osaka78forTRUMP]

Thanks for the update @StephenAbraham. Can you please tell us, is it possible to improve the picture quality? In the sample you shared, street signs were unreadable. Is there a way to improve the resolution? Kindest regards from Osaka78 🙂 Ps @DavidTito have you tried mapping new roads with Street View created with ThetaV yet??

[DavidTito]

@Osaka78forTRUMP yes I have done it  actually and I'm targeting  new developed roads and I'm doing them in sections  

[StephenAbraham]

@Osaka78forTRUMP Most of the information have been shared in the replies. It's an automated process, so, we don't get to tweak the output before uploading. Here are few things we could do to help ensure better quality.

Others can share their tips also, here are my thoughts and opinions.

1. Shoot in good lighting and where possible prefer not in super high contrast (for example too bright sunlight with lots of shadow).

2. Make sure the center of each lens faces the direction you want the best quality for. Ie, if we want to capture stores along the road, then both lenses should face sideways and let the stitchlines be front and back direction.

3. Have the latest firmware and app versions, and try to use the highest bitrate for video, such as the updated 5.4K video.

4. Drive consistently at a slow to medium speed to reduce shake, vibration, sudden direction changes, and control of motion blur

5. Hold the camera straight upright and keep it steady without rocking front and back when the car is moving.

6. Clean the lens occassionally to ensure no smudges etc.

These are the notes that come to my mind.

*Possible reason you could not read the road sign in my example because my lens were facing back and front and the stitchlines on the side. 

[Osaka78forTRUMP]

DavidTito said: "@Osaka78 yes I have done it  actually and I'm targeting  new developed roads and I'm doing them in sections"

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You champion @DavidTito. Congratulations for your initiative. Please keep us updated how you go.

Please link us to any of your ThetaV Street View where there's street signs with road names. We're trying to figure out if ThetaV is a fast way to map places and new roads. Is the camera resolution recording place names, street numbers and street names?

Let us know in case you want to meet-up over Christmas. We're always back and forth with family during December and January. Kindest regards from Osaka78 🙂

[Osaka78forTRUMP]

Ok @StephenAbraham. We would be very glad to see any Street View from ThetaV with street names and numbers. Please share if you know any. Thank you for all your advice and findings here, it's very encouraging to see new ways to contribute to Maps. Kindest regards from Osaka78 🙂

[PaulPavlinovich]

Hi @Osaka78forTRUMP are you one person or many? You use "we" a lot where I expected "I".

Remember missing roads won't automatically get created just because someone puts a blue line there. You still have to submit the missing road report.

You can read the street signs in this shot