Ricoh Announces Caplio GX200

Art Vandelay II · 06-24-2008, 09:23 AM

Ricoh just announced and "upgrade" to the Caplio GX100.

Ricoh Caplio GX-200: Digital Photography Review

I have now all but given up on my dream compact camera. Seriously, 12 freaking megapixels on a 1 to 1/7 size sensor!!!! Ugh. Why is it so difficult for these manufactures to make a compact with a decent size sensor? Did they forget that there were plenty of pocket camera's back in the 35mm film days? Sure, they weren't as small as today's micro-size P&S camera's, but they were small enough for an enthusiast. Ricoh has the PERFECT body for a compact camera with their Caplio line. For the love of the Flying Spaghetti Monster why can't they just buy up some 6 or 8 megapixel APS-C sensors for cheap and build a body/lens to handle the larger sensor?

If anyone at Pentax reads these forums will you please come to the rescue. We've had digital camera's for a decade now and no one other than Sigma has attempted to make a pocket camera that can realistically be used at over ISO 200. This is getting ridiculous.

*regken* · 06-24-2008, 09:34 AM

LOL!!! There are a lot of us on these forums that feel the same way but I'm afraid the manufacturers are convinced it's to small a niche market. A K mount would be ideal but I'll settle for an A mount. I'm very tempted by the Oly E-420 but the feature set isn't rich enough. I'd pay $600-$700 for the right body.

Ken

Art Vandelay II · 06-24-2008, 09:41 AM

Found some samples taken with the GX200:
Ricoh GX200 Review - PhotographyBLOG

It is even noisy at ISO 64! I know some noise is part of the Ricoh charm, but this is pushing it.

As far as the Olympus 420; as I've said in other threads, it's nice and small, but even with a pancake lens it still isn't small enough for a pocket unless you are wearing cargo pants or a huge jacket; so what exactly is the point? If I'm going to have to carry a bag around for my camera anyway I'd rather it be a camera such as the K200D that has a real grip and shake reduction built in.

*rparmar* · 06-24-2008, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by Art Vandelay II

As far as the Olympus 420; as I've said in other threads, it's nice and small, but even with a pancake lens it still isn't small enough for a pocket unless you are wearing cargo pants or a huge jacket; so what exactly is the point? If I'm going to have to carry a bag around for my camera anyway I'd rather it be a camera such as the K200D that has a real grip and shake reduction built in.

That was the conclusion I reached too. Small and light suits me fine. I would so like a Pentax Limited body, so long as the right compromises are made.

axl · 06-24-2008, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by rparmar

That was the conclusion I reached too. Small and light suits me fine. I would so like a Pentax Limited body, so long as the right compromises are made.

I agree here, nice small body with SR in in. APSC sensor and DAs 21, 40, 70 as triple lens kit combo...
wouldn't it be nice....

Zewrak · 06-24-2008, 04:09 PM

Its made for the masses and the masses wants it. Hell, many of them are completly statisfied with their mobilephone cameras.

Art Vandelay II · 06-24-2008, 05:34 PM

I gotta disagree; this Ricoh is a $600 pocket camera that has no better image quality than $250 Pentax Optio A40. The only thing it has going for it is a ultra tough metal body, with full manual controls, dual control wheels, hot shoe, etc...in other words, features that only hardcore enthusiast care about. This camera would be an incredibly bad seller in the mass consumption store's here in the US. For proof of that Ricoh only sells it through Adorama here.

Unfortunately for Ricoh they just don't seem to get it. They make a camera that is obviously aimed at serious enthusiast, yet fall prey to the same small sensor P&S megapixel race you see all over the shelves at Best Buy. All they would have had to do to make their target audience jump for joy is put a simple 6 megapixel APS-C sensor in it and redesign the lens to fit. The people buying this camera will understand a 6-8 megapixel APS-C sensor will blow away the 1/1.7 12 megapixel piece of crap they're currently using. Even if using such a sensor added $100 to the price I would be willing to bet they'd still sell more.

*falconeye* · 06-25-2008, 05:45 AM

Originally Posted by Art Vandelay II

Even if using such a sensor added $100 to the price I would be willing to bet they'd still sell more.

Isn't this then called a Sigma DP1?

thibs · 06-25-2008, 07:06 AM

Originally Posted by Art Vandelay II

The people buying this camera will understand a 6-8 megapixel APS-C sensor will blow away the 1/1.7 12 megapixel piece of crap they're currently using. Even if using such a sensor added $100 to the price I would be willing to bet they'd still sell more.

It could have been a 1/2.5 sensor

.
I'm not sure however thatthe camera would be as compact with an APS-C sensor and the corresponding lens to fit it.

Art Vandelay II · 06-25-2008, 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by falconeye

Isn't this then called a Sigma DP1?

The DP1 was a nice effort by Sigma, they at least had the right idea, but based on every single review I've read the camera's performance is so bad in both processing and autofocus that it's borderline unusable. That's why I'd like for Ricoh to make an APS-C pocket cam. They at least have the usability part down, now all they have to do is improve the IQ.

I would also be happy with an ultra slim Pentax Limited body paired up with a DA40 Limited. Again, what exactly is the point of ultra tiny lenses when they have no small body to go with them?

ftpaddict · 06-25-2008, 11:37 AM

It just hit me.. WHY is this in the Pentax News and Rumours section?

Art Vandelay II · 06-25-2008, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by ftpaddict

It just hit me.. WHY is this in the Pentax News and Rumours section?

For the same reason there's a Nikon D700 thread in here?

We don't really have an option to discuss anything non-pentax on this forum according to the title's/descriptions. Even the "Everything Else" forum has this description:

"Use this forum to talk about Pentax-related topics not covered in other sections, such as photo shoots, magazines, and rebates."

I did at least make an effort to tie it back into Pentax on my original post by begging someone at Pentax to read this and come up with a solution.

FotoPete · 06-25-2008, 08:10 PM

Well the Canon G9...kinda.. pulled it off with a 12MP sensor. If Ricoh could drop their 'smoothing engine' and concentrate on preserving detail, that 24-72mm lens+all the manual features would really sell.

and · 06-25-2008, 08:33 PM

I also saw the sample and the noise is terrible. I was hoping the dp1 would get some other makers to put bigger sensors in their compacts. I think the 4/3s sensor could be a decent compromise there, if they put that in a dp1 like body without screwing up so many things like sigma did. Am considering a 420 myself. That system does have perhaps the best ultrazoom walk around lens in the leica 14-150 (28-300) that has silent focusing and OIS so the 420 would be stabalized too.

Art Vandelay II · 06-25-2008, 10:05 PM

I agree that the 4/3's sensor seems like it would be the perfect sensor for this type of application. The Panasonic LX2 is due to be updated soon, maybe they'll pull the trigger and upgrade. They already use a 1/1.6 in it. While not large, that at least tells me Panasonic understands that "enthusiasts" pocket cams need larger sensors. I'm not even asking for ultra high quality ISO 1600, I just want usable ISO 800 in a responsive camera. I don't care if it only fires one frame a second as long as that one frame doesn't require 2 second lag to focus and fire like the Sigma DP1.

Trusted Reviews now as a review of it up...just as expected, sounds like the perfect camera body and horrible IQ:

Ricoh GX200 - TrustedReviews

The $250 Pentax A40 actually got higher marks in the IQ department from them.