Recommended
|
|
|||
|
Recommended
Reviewed:
Mar 2008
User reviews
(7)
4.23
|
Upgrade to the R7 increases the resolution to 10 megapixels and adds a lovely high resolution screen but retains the compact styling and versatile 28-200 equiv. 7x zoom. With a wealth of useful and often novel features (not least the big lens in a small body) the R8 is an attractive proposition, but it's let down slightly by its over-processed high ISO images, poor low light performance and lack of responsiveness. Not a bad camera, but not a great one either.
| Quick links: | Announcement | Review | Sample gallery | Forum |
| Announced: | Feb 19, 2008 |
|
Average rating:
4.23
|
|
Opinion: RICOH DISAPPOINTS AGAIN...
Problems: Despite repeated pleas with Ricoh's engineering design team, they continue to overlook a very important feature which virtually all other camera manufacturers now include. THIS IS INEXCUSABLE!
Specifically, an aspect ratio setting of 16:9 is still lacking, as with earlier Caplio models. This is a major negative for the many of us who wish to view their photos on a wide, 16:9 PC screen or on HDTV.
Also, more and more camera makers now provide an HDTV OUT to connect the camera directly to an HDTV for high resolution viewing. Ricoh's R8 still does not!
Also, while the 28mmm-200mm lens is fabulous in terms of its 7.1x zoom range and its macro capabilities, it suffers from lack of adequate anti-reflective multi-coating. You will NEVER be able to take adequate sunrise or sunset pictures due to excessive internal lens reflections.
The new R8 continues not to offer a Panorama setting, i.e. a setting that would permit panning the camera to take a series of shots that can be stitched together to create a panorama.
Opinion: I am a self confessed Ricoh freak and know them well enough to get the most out of them. I have seen no need to upgrade from my trusty R4 and will still keep that as my rough and ready go everywhere 7x optical carry about. The R8 is a more sophisticated looking piece of equipment and whilst the R4 merged into the tourist crowd and kept its true capabilities hidden inside its plebean looks the R8 needs the designer sunnies and the cafe latte. But looks are deceptive and I find the R8 just a more developed and sophisticated R4 in a sleek box. Perhaps gone is the fact that the R4 produced better real images than the lcd previewed and it might now be the other way around.
The R8 has just about reached the pinnacle of less is more in user intuitive interface. The controls are as right as any camera I have ever owned. And other Ricoh cameras are the standard that has to be met and bettered.
Oh - and photographs? I can already see where the comments from other early adopters of "extra smoothing" are coming from. My first experience with the R8 imaging was one of great disappointment that such a finely made camera was spoiled by excessive image smoothing (yuk). Gone was the fine film-like grainy images with high resolution such a great feature of other Ricoh cameras.
That was until I found the trick of setting auto-high = 1600 in the shootings menu. This apparently turns off the worst of the smoothing algorythm - now the usual low-smear Ricoh-type images can be enjoyed.
This is one fine little carry-about camera - if you are looking for a cheap point and shoot you had best look elsewhere - this camera is for those that get enjoyment out of taking the images and taking them well.
Problems: Can't find the native b&w mode - I fear that Ricoh have binned it (they have) - pity because grainy film-like high ISO black and whites are a Ricoh standard in themselves.
There is a "scene mode" b&w but the settings are pretty well fixed and far too restrictive.
I had become disappointed at the level of smoothing applied to the images. However I have found that setting "Auto-High=1600" in the shootings menu seems to turn the smoothing algorythm off and gives a much more acceptable result no matter what other setting is used. I recommend that this be tried it has a magic effect on the imaging performance.
A b&w capture mode - then we might again see the more grainy images that have been one of the joys of their other models. Seems like the b&w grainy images are still possible but require a conversion by computer software - another step but at least you still have the high-iso colour-noised original so that you can appreciate the b&w version that much better.
Opinion: This camera is pretty and compact, with lots of features and a simple interface ... but the image quality is not very good.
Problems: The high resolution images are really noisy at 100 ISO. The finest JPEG compression isn't very fine at all. You'll have to reduce the 10MP image to 7MP or so to make it look clean.
Opinion: Wow! This is extremely well construction camera, just the feel of it in your hands confirms this, a useful hand grip and two point neck strap option. Features, well is all here as far as I am concerned, 1 cm macro, 460K LCD, smooth and silent 7x (28~200mm) optical zoom, excellent user interface, 22mm ? thin body but not too small, 1:1 shooting ratio, continuous shooting mode, mechanical anti-shake, step zoom & interval shooting.
Problems: Flash range could be better, average when compared to other compacts in its class. No optical view-finder but the hi resolution LCD makes up for this.
Reviews and specs
|
Galleries
|
Challenges
|
 | 22.3 megapixels 3.2" screen Full frame sensor |
