Ricoh Releases Firmware Update v1.07 For GXR System

Ricoh Releases Firmware Update v1.07 For GXR System

The new firmware update ‘version 1.07′ for Ricoh GXR system has been released today. It covers both A12 50mm equiv. macro and S10 24-72mm equiv. zoom lens units. The update ‘fixes minor bugs and brings in a few improvements, including additional AF modes for the A12 module that offer faster autofocus.’ Get your update here! [dpreview]

Ricoh CX3

Ricoh CX3

In the next 2-3 weeks Ricoh is expected to announce their new CX3 model.

The Ricox CX3 camera will be the replacement of the Ricoh CX2 and it will add HD video capabilities. The price of the CX3 is expected to be around 350€.

This is a picture of the current Ricoh CX2 mode - the new model should look very similar:

Ricoh CX2

(Via Photo Rumors.)

Ricoh GXR now official, generates sample images and early impressions

Ricoh GXR now official, generates sample images and early impressions

That Ricoh GXR camera system we saw yesterday has today become official, and dpreview have gotten on the case to provide an early preview and a set of sample images taken with the shooter. The novelty to this new setup is in the so-called lens units, which contain both a lens and an appropriately matched sensor inside a sealed casing. This precludes dust from getting in where it doesn't belong and provides a tailored pairing of optics and electronics. The body, in spite of not doing much -- zoom motors plus aperture and shutter mechanisms are all handled within the lens unit -- is built out of a magnesium alloy, and its major attraction will be a good control scheme allied to excellent ergonomics, according to dpreview. What you're getting then, is a competitor to Micro Four Thirds that's smaller in size, but larger in price. Sounds about right.

(Via Engadget Digital Cameras.)

Ricoh GXR camera system swaps out the sensor along with the lens

Ricoh GXR camera system swaps out the sensor along with the lens

Ricoh's been getting some love on its spendy GR series of late, but this new direction for what's apparently slated to debut as a new 'GXR' system is a wild one indeed. Basically, the camera comes in two parts, a body with an LCD, storage and accessory shoe (which works with an electronic viewfinder), and different lens / sensor combos which can be slotted into the body. Interestingly (and perhaps to prove the point), the first two lenses and sensors that Ricoh is announcing are widely different, with a 24-70mm lens on top of a 10 megapixel CCD sensor that can shoot VGA video retailing for £300 (about $500 USD), while a 50mm macro lens with a CMOS sensor that can do HD video goes for £600 (about $1,000 USD). Pluses to this system include the fact that there's nowhere for dirt to get on the sensor or inside the lens, size advantages over micro four thirds counterparts, and of course the glass and electronics can theoretically be optimally paired. The body itself will go for £420 (about $700 USD), which puts an entire setup rather up there price-wise, even without that wild British Pounds-to-dollars conversion rate. The system is supposed to be available in December. Video explaining the system was pulled by review site Which.co.uk, who seems to have broken the official release date, but hopefully we'll have more official word on this from Ricoh soon.

(Via Engadget Digital Cameras.)

Ricoh GR Digital III hits the review bench, collects plaudits

Ricoh GR Digital III hits the review bench, collects plaudits

The dudes and dudettes at Photography Blog are nothing if not thorough, and their latest review is no exception. The GR Digital III and its peculiar 28mm wide-angle fixed focal length lens (i.e. no optical zoom) have been subjected to an inspection and the verdict is an exuberant thumbs up. The aluminum alloy body impressed them right from the off, and the reviewers also liked the customizable menus, improved shutter speed, Dynamic Range double shot, and Adobe DNG RAW output. Those were all mere cherries, however, to the cake of 'excellent' image quality and 'stand-out' Macro performance. The sole blemishes found were the price (£529 / $699) and noise issues beyond ISO 800, but then the latter is a well known weakness of compact cameras. Check out the read link for sample images and the (very) full review.

(Via Engadget.)

Ricoh CX2 has 10.7x optical zoom, CX1 pedigree

Ricoh CX2 has 10.7x optical zoom, CX1 pedigree

Ah, the cruelty of rapid refresh cycles. It was only six months ago that the well reviewed CX1 hit the scene, but already Ricoh is trotting out its replacement in the form of the CX2. You needn't fret though, as the new shooter retains its predecessor's winning features while adding a few goodies of its own. The zoom has gone from 7.1x to 10.7x, taking it comfortably into the superzoom category, continuous shooting gets upgraded from 4 to 5 fps, and face detection and AF have been enhanced. The latter features should make the new cam easier to use for novices, but when you add up the whole package -- including the already competent 9 megapixel CMOS sensor and HDR imaging capabilities inherited from the CX1 -- you have to wonder if this camera isn't too good for the point and shoot moniker. Suggested UK price is £299.99 ($495), and it should be available in early September.

Gallery: Ricoh CX2 has 10.7x optical zoom, CX1 pedigree

[Via Akihabara News]

Ricoh GR Digital III continues 28mm-equivalent, high-priced lineage

Ricoh GR Digital III continues 28mm-equivalent, high-priced lineage

Having given its GR Digital II camera more than a year on the market, Ricoh has seen fit to now upgrade that model by latching on another digit and what it claims to be the 'greatest ever GR image quality.' It wouldn't be much of a step forward if that wasn't the case, but let's see what else the Japanese company hopes to tempt us with. The wide-angle 28 mm/F1.9 GR Lens is all new, while the high-sensitivity 10-megapixel CCD and the GR Engine III image processor are likely evolutionary steps from the previous generation. Collectively, they promise improvements in all the areas you'd expect: faster focus, less noise and better low light images. There's also a 3-inch 920,000-dot VGA display, video recording at 640 x 480 / 30 fps, SDHC expandability and a complete lack of optical zoom. The veracity of Ricoh's claims can be tested from mid-August in the UK in exchange for £530 ($870), while the full press release and specs are already available at the read link below.

Continue reading Ricoh GR Digital III continues 28mm-equivalent, high-priced lineage

(Via Engadget.)

Ricoh's CX1 camera gets reviewed

Ricoh's CX1 camera gets reviewed

The kids at Photography Blog have finally got their hands on that Ricoh CX1 that won our respect not too long ago, and they've been cool enough to post a review online. The camera, the reviewer said, begins where the ol' R10 left off, throwing features like multi-pattern auto white balance, multi-target auto focus, and 4fps continuous shooting speed into the mix, making this 'the best Ricoh point-and-shoot yet.' That said, it can't all be groovy -- the review goes on to cite the camera's 'bog-standard' 640 x 480 / 30fps video and rudimentary face detection as 'nothing to write home about.' Image quality -- often a deal-breaker for this company -- has greatly improved, with a new 9 megapixel CMOS sensor sporting 'a now usable ISO range of 80-800.' Of course, the big news is the camera's high dynamic range. DR mode is, for the most part, 'radical and very effective.' But there's much more to it -- hit that read link for all the gory details.

(Via Engadget.)

Ricoh's CX1 point and shoot combines two shots for greater dynamic range, glory

Ricoh's CX1 point and shoot combines two shots for greater dynamic range, glory

While high dynamic range is only recently getting some attention in the gaming and display worlds, for decades it's been a tool of serious photographers wanting eye-popping exposures. Now Ricoh's gone and offered it to the masses with its latest consumer digi cam, the CX1, creating a 'dynamic range double shot' mode that takes two images nearly simultaneously with different exposures, then combines them automatically to present the best bits of both. It features a 9 megapixel CMOS sensor fronted by a 7.1x (28-200mm) lens and backed by a 3-inch LCD. VGA videos are a bit disappointing these days, but 120 frames per second can be captured at that resolution, which is good news for slow-mo junkies. UK release is mid-March for £299, about $430, and we expect/hope it'll be lighting up dim photos Stateside around the same time.

Gallery: Ricoh CX1

[Via PhotographyBLOG]

Ricoh Announced The New R10

Ricoh Announced The New R10

Ricoh has announced a sequel to previous R8 model. R10 will offer 10 megapixel, 7.1x optical zoom, 28-200mm wide-angle zoom lens, 3 inch LCD, and image stabilization. The notable enhancements on the earlier R8 model include a larger LCD screen, four-person face recognition, easy presets for newbies, and auto level compensation of contrast and sharpness. It also has an acceleration sensor that lets you know when you’re tilting, so you can straighten out before you click the shutter. It will be available in black, brown and silver. Price and availability are still TBD, although the rumor has it R10 will be available around $450.

(Via The Digital Camera Blog.)

Ricoh's 12 megapixel GX200 for the undecided

Ricoh's 12 megapixel GX200 for the undecided

So long GX100, hello GX200 and your new 1/1.7-inch 12 megapixel CCD sensor. Ricoh's bridge between point-and-shoot cameras and DSLRs also features new Smooth Image Engine III processing to better control noise, a larger 2.7-inch LCD, and a 5fps continuous RAW shooting mode. The 24 to 72-mm (35mm equiv) wide-angle lens, SDHC slot, RAW image support, thin 25-mm chassis, and removable tilting electronic viewfinder all carry over from the predecessor. Available next month for £350 (about $689) or £400 (about $788) if you find that viewfinder a must.

(Via Engadget.)

Ricoh G600 Point-and-Shoot Gets Tough on Dust

Ricoh G600 Point-and-Shoot Gets Tough on Dust

Ricoh will be dropping a rough and tough digital camera this May called the G600 Point-and-Shoot. The G600 Point and Shoot 10-megapiel camera features a 2.7-inch LCD, 28-140mm wide-zoom lens, 5x optical zoom, USB connectivity, ISO 3200 capability and a shock-resistant feature that also repels dust and water. Look for the G600 this May as we said for about £349.99 ($693).

(Via TechFresh.net - Cell Phones, Laptops, Video Games, iPods, Cameras.)

Ricoh's 10 megapixel R8 and R50 are ready to dance

Ricoh's 10 megapixel R8 and R50 are ready to dance

Meet Ricoh's latest compact shooters. The aluminum R8 -- Ricoh's R7 followup -- drops the Caplio moniker while bumping the specs with a 10 megapixel, 1/2.3-inch CCD covered with a 7.1x optical zoom lens. Around back you'll find a 2.7-inch LCD with CCD-shift image stabilization and Smooth Imaging Engine III processing on the inside. Expected to roll in Japan for ¥50,000 or about $460 in backs of green. The ¥30,000 (about $280) R50 maintains that 10 megapixel sensor, processing engine, and stabilization but rolls back the zoom to 5x. Both should pop in March. Oodles of R8 pics in the gallery.

Gallery: Ricoh's 10 megapixel R8 and R50 are ready to dance

(Via Engadget.)

Ricoh 500SE Digital Camera

Ricoh 500SE Digital Camera

Ricoh Americas corporation recently introduced their new 500SE Digital Camera. The camera has been optimized for barcode-based workflows and integrates barcode scanning capabilities. It supports major 1D barcodes and uses its lens to scan barcodes optically. The SE-4 laser scanning module can be incorporated for enhanced laser workflows.

'Ricoh recognizes the importance of image quality when photographing bar-coded assets or objects. By taking a 'camera-first' approach in designing the 500SE, we have developed a superior solution for relating images to barcodes,' said Jeff Lengyel, manager of Ricoh Americas Digital Camera Division.

The 500SE provides JPEG images of the scanned data and helps the user to define information which gets transferred as ‘meta-data' along with the file to any computing device. The camera includes 802.11b/g port and Bluetooth capabilities for convenient wireless transfers to handheld devices or servers.

This shockproof and water resistant system is available for the suggested retail price of $899.00. The additional SE-4 laser-scanning module can be purchased for $349.00.

(Via Image-Acquire.com.)

Ricoh Caplio R7: 8.1 megapixel with 7.1x wide zoom

Ricoh Caplio R7: 8.1 megapixel with 7.1x wide zoom

Ricoh keeps on keepin' on with another bump in specs for their R-series shooters. The R7 takes the R6 into 8.1 megapixel territory while maintaining the 7.1x wide zoom lens while tossing in their new Smooth Engine III image processing which should help quiet the noise at higher ISOs. Available in silver, black, and orange next month for a tax inclusive price of £230 in the UK.

(Via Engadget.)