Ricoh Announces Caplio RX

: Next month will see the release by Ricoh Australia of the Caplio RX, a slim wide-angle (28mm) digital camera with a fast shutter response and quick start-up time.
Slimmer, lighter and easier to use than its wide-angle lens predecessor the Caplio G4wide, the Caplio RX is expected to sell for $549. The new model is fitted with a 28-100mm (35mm equivalent) wide zoom lens with a 75-degree angle of view. It also claims the world’s fastest shutter response time at only 0.12 seconds plus a start-up time of 0.9 seconds, which represents a 50% improvement from the Caplio G4wide’s 1.8sec start-up ability. Weighing only 170 grams and only 29mm thick, the Caplio RX’s aluminium-alloy body feels is small enough to fit in a shirt pocket. Its ultra-quiet 3.6x optical lens can be coupled with 3.4x digital zoom to deliver up to 12.2x zoom capability, allowing photographers to zoom quietly in for candid shots. Close-up shots can be taken to within 1cm of subjects and flash can be used for close-ups from 9cm without any whiteout effect.

The 3.24 megapixel CCD is coupled with an improved image processor that ensures colours look sharper and cleaner even in large printed formats and the new model supports sensitivities from ISO 64 to 800, allowing it to be used in a wide range of lighting and shooting conditions. image processor that ensures colours look sharper and cleaner even in large printed formats. The Caplio RX is supplied with a long-life lithium-ion battery plus charger (valued at $200) but can also use two AA alkaline or nickel metal hydride batteries. The supplied battery provides power for 400-500 standard shots. It also boasts a synchro monitor mode that conserves energy by turning the monitor on automatically only when the shutter button is pressed to preview a shot or operate the zoom. Up to 120 seconds of AVI video can be recorded in memory and voice annotations up to eight seconds long can be added to photos. The Caplio RX can also be used as a multipurpose voice recorder. Six scene modes (portrait, sports, landscape, night scene, text and high-sensitivity) are provided to help photographers obtain good shots in different shooting situations. There’s also a continuous shooting mode that takes a series of 16 shots for motion analysis. The Caplio RX comes with 8MB of internal memory plus a slot for Secure Digital memory cards. It also compatible with MultiMedia Cards. Details can be found at www.ricoh.com.au. Phone 1300 363 741 for stockists.