Ricoh Caplio R6

Opinion: As seems to be the case with previous cameras in the R-series by Ricoh, the R6 has a very impressive list of specifications/features. You might think that, in 2007 and at this price point, the image quality couldn't possibly be so poor as to not make the R6 a good camera. But you would be wrong. The principle problem, which the R6 evidently shares with other Ricoh cameras, is the exceptionally poor sensor electronics. Simply put, the R6 is incapable of producing images without excessive noise in exposures between 1/10 and 2 seconds at any ISO above 100. (In images shot at faster speeds, the absolute upper limit is ISO 400.) As another reviewer noted in the Ricoh Talk forum here on DPreview, the Nightscape mode on the R6 is rendered utterly useless as a consequence.

This problem is less visible for exposures that are 4 and 8 seconds in length due to the R6 Noise Reduction algorithm smearing over of splotches that are so easily visible in faster shots; but then this in-camera NR has its own problems, reducing considerable detail in the image. And pretty much all images shot with ISO 400 (or worse, even higher) are going to cause headaches: you wouldn't want to print them at any but the smallest sizes without first applying noise reduction to the resulting image.

Simply put, Ricoh used such poor sensor electronics in the R6 that it has THOUSANDS of hot pixels. Here is an explanation of what is happening:

Hot pixels are individual sensors on the CCD sensor of a digital camera which have higher than normal rates of charge leakage. This causes them to appear as small pixel-sized bright points of light in darker areas of a photo. Every pixel on the CCD sensor suffers from charge leakage to some degree. For the majority of the pixels, this charge leakage is quite small and the effect is generally not visible (it creates the small amounts of noise present in images and which appears as 'graininess' in uniform areas). But a small number of pixels will suffer from serious amounts of charge leakage: these are the hot pixels.

In the camera I have, fully half of these hot pixels are clustered on the leftmost third of the image. Hence, the noise produced by the camera is not random, and does not appear like film grain, but is instead clustered and splotchy.

In other respects, this camera could have been a winner. The design seems tailor-made for a photo enthusiast, with numerous manual controls and countless truly useful options. The heft of the R6 is good, and the placement of the controls make for excellent ergonomics. The LCD is viewable at wide angles, making it easier to compose a shot, even when holding the camera over your head (although it is, like all LCDs, easier to see indoors than out).

I did many hours of research prior to this purchase, but it is difficult to find reliable information on Ricoh cameras in the English language. I took a chance and bought the R6 from an online dealer in California who, unfortunately for me, has a NO RETURN policy on opened Ricoh cameras. So now I have to deal with a "repair service." But the problem isn't that my R6 is a lemon. The problem is the poor quality sensor electronics in all Ricoh R6 cameras.

Before getting hoodwinked by the R6 specifications, I also researched the Panasonic DMC-TZ3, the Casio EX-V7, and the Sony DSC-T100. I am sorry now that I didn't just get the T100, even though it doesn't have a wide angle lens (it is 35mm to 175mm, whereas the R6 is 28mm to 200mm). I am sure that, as a compact, it has its own problems, but reviews are almost uniformly positive, a good sign that the image quality of the T100 is at least satisfactory.

Opinion: I had the F40fd and the Ricoh R6 with me on my trip to Italy last week. I used the F40
rarely. The R6 was with me most of the time. It's a very capable package compared to
the size. The camera is nearly "non existant" im my small bag. The 28-200 mm range
is impressive. 1 cm Macro is really great. I like it. Really. ;)

Opinion: I got the R6 camera 4 days ago and really like it. I own also a Canon Powershot A80. The R6 is much quicker and without shutter lag. No rattling sound like others mentioned. For the rest a great camera, which is very compact and yet has a zoomrange from 28 to 200mm. Colours are very good, better than the A80 which is at the blue side. I have seen just a little purple fringing and also no red eyes sofar. Much better than the A80! Also some very nice features. Really very good value. A beautiful camera with a wide lense and a long zoom.

Opinion: I have the camera for a Week now and i bougth it because of it's outstanding macro ability. You can shot a objekt fullsize, if it's bigger then 19mm width and 15mm in length.
As a second camera I own a Canon 400D and the Ricoh is better for macro fotografie because of the smaller sensor the depth of sharpness is very large even at full open aperture! (Note that you couldn't close the aperture at the Ricoh).
The ISO: Well, ISO 64 & 100 are near perfect. ISO 200 is good even 400 is quite usable. But forget ISO 1600 anyway!
AF: Is't the fastest I know of! In sunlight condition the shuter lag "isn't exitsting". In macro mode it's as fast as other cam's and in comlete darkness (premiere in the R-serie: AF-Lamp (colour: green)) it's quiet fast compared to other cam's like Exilim ore Lumix. The AF-light is so strong that if you point it at some person, they will close their eyes.
Summary: Don't buy this camera when you want to make beautiful nightpictures. But for Makro and snapshot it's the best! Even for sport(short shuter lag) it's great!