Ricoh's Vecnos company announces new pen-shaped 360-degree camera

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Vecnos' first product is an ultra-compact pen-sized 360-degree camera that aims to reinvent the selfie

Ricoh's Vecnos company creates new pen-shaped 360-degree camera
(Image credit: Vecnos)

Vecnos, a new startup venture spun out of and funded by Ricoh, has unveiled its first product today – an ultra-compact 360-degree camera. This intriguing Vecnos product is a proprietary four-lens optical system, with three lenses on the side and one on the top. This enables the camera to be ultra-slim and pen-shaped. 

Vecnos has also announced that users will be able to use the Vecnos app to easy enhance and share their images and videos on social media platforms including TikTok and Instagram. 

• Read more: Best 360 cameras

Vecnos CEO Hidenao "Shu" Ubukata says: "Enabled by advances in technology, combined with new social networking platforms, we are building a new generation of cameras, with our first product designed to reinvent the selfie for a younger consumer. Our objectives are to combine ease of use with advanced capabilities for shooting, enhancing and sharing images, in beautifully and elegantly designed products that people will want to use. We aim to inspire a new generation." 

This is a prototype of the 360-degree camera that will be the first product from Vecnos

This is a prototype of the 360-degree camera that will be the first product from Vecnos (Image credit: Vecnos)

Apparently both the 360-degree camera and app will be available in 2020, but there aren't any further details available on when exactly they will appear. There doesn't even seem to have been an official name released either.

We're certainly intrigued at the design of this product. It's reminiscent of the DJI Osmo Pocket in its shape, but has the added ability to shoot 360-degree footage. This Vecnos camera certainly seems like it could be a significant step forward in the design of compact camera technology.

While details on specs, pricing and a potential release date are yet to be confirmed, we'll be eagerly awaiting to see just how this new 360-degree camera measures up.

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Louise Carey
Louise Carey

With over a decade of photographic experience, Louise arms Digital Camera World with a wealth of knowledge on photographic technique and know-how – something at which she is so adept that she's delivered workshops for the likes of ITV and Sue Ryder. Louise also brings years of experience as both a web and print journalist, having served as features editor for Practical Photography magazine and contributing photography tutorials and camera analysis to titles including Digital Camera Magazine and  Digital Photographer. Louise currently shoots with the Fujifilm X-T200 and the Nikon D800, capturing self-portraits and still life images, and is DCW's ecommerce editor, meaning that she knows good camera, lens and laptop deals when she sees them.