Ricoh has announced the new R50 point and shoot digital camera alongside the R8. The R50 has the same 10 megapixel sensor and processor; however, it is limited to a 5x optical zoom rather than the 7.1x optical zoom found in the R8. [Read more…]
Ricoh R8 Reviews and Resources
My first SLR was a Ricoh KR Super II fully manual camera. It was basically a redux of the Pentax K1000 with a couple of extra features. Whenever I see Ricoh in the news, I always think back to the fun and sometimes painful learning experiences that my Ricoh KR Super II gave me. I’ve still got that old K-mount SLR along with my 50mm manual focus (and manual aperture) lens. Yep, those were the days. It was so exciting to pick up my film 3 days after I dropped it off at the drug store and see what kind of photos that I had made that week. Autofocus? What’s that?
Ok, enough nostalgia already. The Ricoh R8 is a 10MP, 7.1x optical zoom point and shoot digital camera. The 7.1x zoom is the equivalent of a 28-200mm zoom on a 35mm format camera. Further specs, features and reviews are detailed below:
Reviews
The Ricoh R8 looks and feels great, and is capable of taking some great photos. The camera has a sharp wide angle 7.1x optical zoom lens, and is almost ultra compact, similar in size to other ultra compact cameras such as the IXUS 90 IS. Ricoh appear to have moved this camera upmarket with a newly designed body, and improved hand grip and control dial.
The Ricoh R8 is an expensive camera, but it does offer a unique specification and very distinctive style. Build quality is superb, and the design of the body and control interface makes it a real pleasure to use.
All in all, depending on your photographic requirements, the R8 can be a very powerful tool that is well deserving of our ‘Recommended’ badge and if the Ricoh engineers manage to sort out some of the flaws described above we will be very much looking forward to the announcement and review of the R9.
Where to Buy
If you’re buying online, I recommend sticking with Amazon, B&H Photo or Adorama. These three vendors are reliable, trustworthy and generally have the best (legitimate) prices.
Press Release
7.1x Optical Wide-Angle Zoom Compact Digital Camera with 10 Megapixel CCD and Enhanced Photography Functions
Tokyo, Japan – February 19, 2008 – Ricoh Co., Ltd. (president and CEO: Shiro Kondo) has developed and introduced the new R8 compact digital camera featuring a 7.1x optical wide-angle zoom lens (28-200 mm in 35 mm focal length), a high-resolution 10 megapixel CCD, and enhanced photography functions.
The new R8 combines a new 10 megapixel CCD with the popular Smooth Imaging EngineIII image processing engine of earlier models, to take high-definition photography to a higher level.
The R8 also offers various other enhanced capabilities for fun and easy photography, such as a large 2.7-inch, 460,000-pixel HVGA LCD and the same 1:1 aspect square format photography function that has proven extremely popular on Ricoh’s Caplio GX100 (launched April 2007) and GR DIGITALII (launched November 2007) models.
In addition to the specification improvements, the R8 has also undergone a complete redesign. This new model combines ease of use and technical specification in a body that is contemporary and stylish and has been designed based on the concept ” a tool you will want to use every day”.
In creating the R8 as a tool for taking photographs, great care has been given not only to styling and coloring but also to its operability, portability, comfort in hand, and its solid, high-quality feel.
Main features of the new R8
1. High-picture quality, low-noise photography is achieved with the high-resolution 10 megapixel CCD and the Smooth Imaging EngineIII image processing engine.
- An effective 10 megapixel CCD has been newly installed. Working together with the popular image processing engine Smooth Imaging Engine III, this new CCD makes possible high-quality images that have both high-resolution and low noise.
2. High-resolution 2.7-inch, 460,000-pixel HVGA LCD
- The new 2.7-inch, 460,000-pixel high-resolution LCD has a wide viewing angle and high contrast for distinct, easy viewing even outdoors. When thumbnail images are displayed, even the small 1/20 size images are clearly reproduced.
3. Based on the “a tool you will want to use every day” concept, the R8 has been given a totally new design emphasizing its beauty as a photographic tool.
- Styling that intensifies a simple, functional beauty and eliminates design frills. A rubber grip that fits well in the hand and is easy to hold, an easy-to-operate mode dial. The many features of the R8 combine to achieve both functional beauty and ease of use.
- In addition to its compact pocket size, the mounting of two strap eyelets has further increased portability.
- The R8’s solid, high-quality feel has been further enhanced by the top cover emphasizing a solid, metal feel; the lens barrel end and rings finished with metal spin processing, and the spin processed mode dial and release button.
4. Ricoh’s original double retracting lens system has made it possible to equip the R8 with a 7.1x wide-angle zoom lens for a body with both operability and portability.
- Measuring only 22.6 mm at the thinnest point, the body features a 7.1x fully retractable wide-angle zoom lens with a 28-200 mm range.
5. Expanded shooting functions for richly expressive photographs.
(1) Square format photography
The R8 has a shooting function for an image size aspect ratio of 1:1. This square format photography has proved very popular on Ricoh’s Caplio GX100 (launched April 2007) and GR DIGITALII (launched November 22, 2007) models. The resulting composition has quite a different feel from the standard rectangular vertical or horizontal format. This format can also be quite convenient for blog photographs.
(2) Expanded functionality for the ADJ. (Adjust) button
Already given enhanced usability in the Caplio R7 (launched September 2007), the ADJ. (Adjust) button has further evolved in the R8. Integrating the ADJ. (Adjust) button functions with those previously controlled by the cross-key has made menu operations even faster and simpler.
(3) Fix minimum aperture function provided
When the fix minimum aperture function is on, shooting is done at the smallest aperture, which gives a deep depth of field in the resulting photograph.
(4) AF/AE Target shift functions provided
Enhanced capabilities have been given to the AF target shift function which was previously only available for macro photography. While shooting, it is possible to shift the target for AF or AE or both without moving the camera.
(5) Zoom lever usability improved
With zoom lever operation it is possible to switch between two zoom speeds. This enables the full capabilities of the 28-200 mm 7.1x wide-angle zoom lens to be utilized.
6. Enhanced image editing functions enable images to be manipulated in the camera.
(1) Image brightness and contrast correction (level compensation)
Still image brightness and contrast can be corrected with either auto or manual modes, with the corrected image being recorded in the camera. With manual correction, the image is corrected by adjusting the histogram.
(2) Image color tone correction (white balance compensation)
By adjusting green, magenta, blue, and amber tones, still image color tone can be corrected, with the corrected image being recorded in the camera.
(3) Trimming of still images
Still images can be trimmed and the resulting image saved in a separate file. This is convenient when doing direct printing with PictBridge, etc.
7. Dual vibration correction functions, macro functions, and face recognition mode are provided.
- The R8 contains Ricoh’s original CCD-shift vibration correction function which compensates for camera shake when it is detected. This reduces the blurring that tends to occur in situations such as telephoto and macro photography.
- Ricoh’s popular and powerful macro functions are included, enabling shooting of objects as close as 1 cm with wide macro and as close as 25 cm with telemacro.
- Face recognition mode automatically identifies faces in a scene and optimizes focus, exposure, and white balance for the faces.
Nikon D3 Review at PhotographyBLOG
PhotographyBLOG has posted its review of the Nikon D3.
The Nikon D3 has got to be the top choice for anyone wanting high quality, rapid-fire image capture, or extremely low light photography without flash, who is not otherwise wedded to the Canon system. Press – sports and news – photographers are the ones who are going to get the most out of its capabilities, which stretch beyond those needed by the average photo hobbyist, and these professionals are also the ones most likely to be able to stomach that price tag without complaint.
Get the latest news and reviews on Photography Bay’s Nikon D3 page.
Nikon D3 Review by Richard Costin
Amateur photographer Richard Costin has posted a review of the Nikon D3.
One thing that became very clear when first looking at a D3 RAW file is just how much you can push them exposure wise. The latitude available is astounding and I actually have to try to blow highlights in most situations when shooting raw. (Read more . . . )
For the latest news and reviews, see Photography Bay’s Nikon D3 page.
Nikon P50 Reviews
The Nikon P50 is an 8.1 megapixel entry-level point & shoot camera. It is targeted toward new camera users and is priced accordingly at about $150-160 street. It features a 2.4″ LCD, a 3.6x optical zoom lens (28-102mm @ 35mm equivalent). [Read more…]
Canon 1Ds Mark III Review at PopPhoto
PopPhoto has posted a camera test of the 21.1 megapixel Canon 1Ds Mark III.
Color accuracy on the 1Ds Mark III also lands in the top tier, with an Excellent rating based on an average Delta E of 6.98 (compared with 7.3 on the 1D Mark III and 7.28 on the Nikon D3, also Excellent ratings.) The color accuracy remained similarly high all the way up through ISO 1600, while resolution dropped only 15 percent when we applied full noise reduction at ISO 1600 and 3200 in Canon’s sophisticated (and included) Digital Photo Professional software. (Read more . . . )
Keep up with the latest news and reviews on the Canon 1Ds Mark III page.
Pentax K20D Review at PopPhoto
PopPhoto has posted a full review of the Pentax K20D.
Impressive specs? Yes, but the K20D produced impressive results in the Pop Photo Lab, especially in resolution and detail at most ISOs. At 2350 lines of resolution at ISO 100-400, the K20D delivers slightly higher resolution than the Nikon D300.
Get the latest news and reviews on the Pentax K20D Review page.
Nikon D300 Review at Photo.net
Photo.net has posted a full review of the Nikon D300, which they were very impressed with – as most reviewers have been.
The D300 is a strong successor to the D200. The D300 maintains all of the D200’s advantages as an excellent general-purpose, prosumer DSLR and improves on several key areas. For about $3000 less, the D300 offers Nikon’s current best AF module, which is also featured in their top professional model, the D3. With the Multi-CAM 3500 and the ability to capture 8 fps, the D300 also replaces the D2H and D2X as Nikon’s top DX-sensor DSLR suitable for action and sports photography. (Read the whole review.)
For the latest news and reviews, check out the Photography Bay’s Nikon D300 page.
Nikon P5100 Reviews
The Nikon P5100 is the top-of-the-line COOLPIX point & shoot camera in Nikon’s lineup. It features 12.1 megapixels, a 3.5x zoom (35-123mm), a hotshoe for Nikon Speedlights and the EXPEED digital image processor. Further, the P5100 has the ability to shoot images at ISO 3200 with image files sizes at 5 megapixels. The P5100 also features Nikon’s lens-based VR (Vibration Reduction). The street price of this point & shoot digicam is about $300. [Read more…]
Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS Digital ELPH
The Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS Digital ELPH is a 8.0 megapixel, 3x optical zoom, compact point & shoot camera. The SD1100 is available in five different colors at a price of about $250 street.
Reviews
The overall image quality from the SD1100 was good. When shooting outside on a nice sunny day, the camera’s performance was excellent. The images were very well exposed, and the colors very vivid and bright.
The SD1100 IS is an impressive digicam when compared to the competition, but it doesn’t fare quite as well when compared to the original SD1000.
Canon’s SD1100 IS adds optical image stabilization to last year’s hit SD1000, while delivering just as impressive image quality.
The SD1100 always feels snappy and responsive, thanks to Canon’s latest generation DIGIC imaging processor. Flash recycling times are decent (which is useful when shooting at a party or in the pub) although flash power is fairly limited.
While I can’t give the SD1100 IS our Editors’ Choice over the SD1000, I will say that it’s a capable camera that’s sure to please snapshooters who don’t need manual control or an extreme wide-angle lens.
Where to Buy
First off, consider going to your local camera store (and I don’t necessarily mean Wolf Camera at the mall). By going to your local camera store, you’re supporting your community and you just might build a lasting relationship with people you can rely on when you need some help or answers. If you’re buying online, I recommend sticking with Amazon, B&H Photo or Adorama. These three vendors are reliable, trustworthy and generally have the best (legitimate) prices.
Press Release
Personalized, Colorized and Optically Image Stabilized: CANON U.S.A.’S SLEEK AND STYLISH NEW POWERSHOT SD1100 IS DIGITAL ELPH CAMERAS COMPLEMENT THEIR CUTTING EDGE CAPABILITIES WITH A DISTINCTIVE, COLORFUL LOOK
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., January 23, 2008 – The PowerShot SD1100 IS Digital ELPH camera -the newest entry in Canon U.S.A., Inc.’s ever-fashionable line of catwalk-worthy ELPH cameras – adds another dimension to the line’s active lifestyle eye appeal: color. Whether the activity du jour involves painting the town red, dancing ’til dawn, soaking up golden rays as the sun rises over a coral-colored beach or getting lost in a loved ones’ baby blues, these petite and colorfully clad cameras make the scene and capture it, for the magic of the moment or for more enduring memories.
The Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS Digital ELPH camera is offered in five lyrically named designer shades that suit the style, present the personality and express their user’s taste and tempo. From the eclectic mix of antique elegance and au courant accessorizing of Bohemian Brown; the shimmering chic and subtle heat of Pink Melody; the wistful and occasionally wild stirrings of Rhythm and Blue, and of course, the exquisite refinement and enduring appeal of precious metals conveyed by the PowerShot SD1100 IS Digital ELPH camera dressed only in its Golden Tone skin or catching the array of light – both brilliant and soft–as it plays on the camera body’s Swing Silver sheen, these cameras capture the images at hand while conveying a picture of their users worth at least a thousand words.
Still, the PowerShot SD1100 IS Digital ELPH camera is not just another pretty face. This feature-rich, pocket-sized, 8.0 megapixel, optically image stabilized digital camera is firmly rooted in the traditions of photo excellence and imaging innovation that Canon is known for.
“We recognize that many Digital ELPH camera users view their cameras as statements of personal style, valued as much for the image they convey as the images they capture,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. “The color choices of the PowerShot SD1100 IS Digital ELPH camera create additional opportunities for personalization and individual expression.”
A Sharp Zoom Lens with Image Stabilization
Adding to the new camera’s versatility and optical excellence is its sharp and fast 3X optical zoom lens (38-114mm equivalent opening up to f/2.8 at wide-angle settings and f/4.9 at telephoto settings). The PowerShot SD1100 IS Digital ELPH camera also features Canon’s advanced Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) system that significantly reduces the image-blurring effects of camera shake by shifting the lens to compensate for the movement. Available for the first time in an entry level Digital ELPH, Canon’s OIS technology is proven effective for extended telephoto shots as well as low-light shooting conditions and helps users get the best possible picture quality every time.
Genuine Face Detection Technology
Beyond their appeal on the social scene, the PowerShot SD1100 IS Digital ELPH cameras feature the latest and most advanced generation of Canon’s Genuine Face Detection technology, thus ensuring that up to nine forward-looking faces in the frame – whether posed for a family portrait, candidly capturing friends and fun, or spontaneously snapping a toddler’s expression of triumphant glee as two halting steps – are in focus and properly exposed, with or without flash. In addition to focus and exposure control, the SD1100 IS camera’s Face Detection feature captures truer, more accurately lit skin tones (and hence more beautifully rendered pictures) thanks to Canon’s improved face detection white balance.
Face Selection and Motion Detection Technology
While the face detection algorithm automatically prioritizes up to nine human faces in a scene, it can also be instructed via the Face Select and Track function to lock on to a single face in the crowd, ensuring that the chosen countenance is finely focused, no matter where it appears in the frame. Additionally, a new Motion Detection function linked to the camera’s High ISO Auto mode improves image clarity by raising ISO speeds (and shutter speeds) for fast-moving subjects or lowering ISO speeds to reduce noise when the subject is stationary. These automatic advances provide even more ways for the PowerShot SD1100 IS Digital ELPH cameras to optimize picture quality with seamless ease.
DIGIC III
The “brain” in every new Canon digital camera is Canon’s proprietary DIGIC III imaging processor. This exclusive chip is responsible for the cameras’ higher performance levels including faster start up, faster autofocus and quicker shutter response times that leave long lag competitors far behind. What’s more, DIGIC III improves both the image quality and the cameras’ power consumption, extending the battery life under typical shooting conditions.
See and be Scene
The PowerShot SD1100 IS Digital ELPH camera offers users a choice of 18 shooting modes including a fully automatic mode that makes these cameras a true point-and-shoot affair; a semi-automatic “Camera M” mode which allows access to features such as Exposure Compensation and White Balance adjustments that Full Auto mode does not, as well as a plethora of scene selection modes – including Canon’s new Sunset mode – that optimize image results under a variety of shooting conditions.
These scene modes put the power of Canon’s collective photo expertise into the hands of even the most rookie shooter, ensuring that in the end, the shots are the best that they can be, whether indoors or out; in day or night light (and now, with the Sunset setting, in between too); through an aquarium glass; across stark snowy vistas or bleached sandy beaches; into lush, colorful foliage or at a brilliant burst of fireworks against a black satin sky.
The PowerShot SD1100 IS Digital ELPH cameras feature Canon’s precise 9-point Autofocus system along with the new AF-Point Zoom feature that work together with Face Detection Technology to allow users to double check the facial expressions of their subjects, when shooting under more challenging conditions. After activating the feature in the camera’s menu, the AF-Point Zoom can be engaged simply by pressing the shutter button halfway.
Streamlining the image review process, Canon’s Intelligent Orientation Sensor determines whether a scene is being shot as a vertical or horizontal image and automatically adjusts it for quick and easy review on the camera’s bright, sharp and easy-to-read, 230,000-pixel 2.5 inch Pure Color LCD II screen. The Image Inspection Tool feature zooms in on faces automatically during playback to make it even easier to check facial expressions. The new cameras also feature Canon’s newly developed Automatic Red Eye Correction that engages in the shooting mode, minimizing the need for correction before printing or sharing images. In-Camera Trimming is yet another new advancement that allows users to adjust and save cropped versions of their images without using a computer. As an added convenience, the PowerShot SD1100 IS Digital ELPH cameras are compatible with MMC, MMC+ and HC MMC+ memory cards as well as standard SD and SDHC memory cards.
In the Box
Scheduled to be in stores beginning in March 2008, the five color versions of the PowerShot SD1100 IS Digital ELPH camera kit each include a battery pack and charger, a 32MB SD Memory card, a USB interface cable, an AV cable, a wrist strap, and Canon’s software suite. Each kit carries an estimated retail price of $249.99*
Optional accessories include a waterproof case rated for depths up to 130 feet, a wireless flash unit, an AC Adapter Kit, and much more including a full line of compatible Canon PIXMA and SELPHY compact photo printers.
[tags]Canon, PowerShot, SD1100 IS, Digital ELPH[/tags]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- …
- 41
- Next Page »