Ricoh Caplio GX100: a tool for photograph enthusiasts preferring compactness

Truly compact but really functional cameras can be counted today on the fingers of one hand. So the more pleasant news is that Ricoh Company has introduced a new “advanced” model Caplio GX100. It is a very interesting symbiosis “creative” camera Ricoh GR Digital and Caplio GX8. Enlarged to 1 / 1,75 inches CCD-sensor has a definition of 10 Mp. The range of equivalent focal distances of threefold zoom-objective lens has “move” to a wider-angle area and amounted now 24 (!) - 72 mm (the predecessor 28-85 mm) at f/2,5 - f/4,4. It seems that this is a record for such compact cameras. Another feature is Vibration Correction, and in other words, the full image stabilization system, realized on the principle of the shift of photosensitive matrix. More than modest dimensions of the camera have not prevented the manufacturer to keep “a hot shoe” and a built-in electronic viewfinder. Be the way, as an additional accessory, the more high-grade outer viewfinder is proposed. In addition to numerous manual settings and shoot regimes for photo enthusiasts they provided the availability of shooting in RAW format (Adobe DNG). Furthermore, the design of the lens allows you to use various converters and blends. Ricoh Caplio GX100 will be sold in April. The camera will be cost about $700. I wonder who will buy this expensive but functional “ultracompact” - opponents of Slr-cameras or on the contrary “glassers” choosing a second compact but reliable camera? Features: Sensor 1/1.8 Type CCD Lens: 28 - 85mm (35 mm equiv) 3 x optical zoom F 2.5 - 4.3 Digital zoom: Up to 4x Image sizes â€¢ 3264 x 2448 â€¢ 2592 x 1944 â€¢ 2048 x 1536 â€¢ 1280 x 960 â€¢ 640 x 480 Exposure: 1 / 2000-180 s. ISO sensitivity: ISO 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, Auto, Auto-Hi Exposure compensation: +/-2.0 EV in 1/3 EV steps Exposure bracketing: -0.5EV, +-0, +0.5EV Focus distance: Normal: 30 cm Macro: 1 cm Video: 640x480 pixels, 30 shots per second, AVI Self timer 10 or 2 secs Shoot timer at intervals: from 5 seconds to 3 hours (in increment of 5 seconds) Memory: SD/MMC/SDHC + 26 MB built-in card Display: TFT, 2.5 diagonally, 230 thousand pixels Connectivity: USB 2.0 Power Rechargeable DC-43 x 1/ AA x 2 AC adapter included Weight: 220 g (7.2 oz) (no battery) Dimensions 114 x 29 x 58 mm (4.4 x 1.1 x 2.3 in)