Ricoh CX1 Announced

February 23, 2009: Local distributor, Tasco Sales (Aust), will add the new Ricoh CX1 to its range at the end of March.
Featuring a CMOS sensor with an effective resolution of 9.29 megapixels plus a 7.1x optical zoom lens (28-200mm equivalent in 35mm format), the CX1 comes with a new Smooth Imaging Engine IV image processor and offers an expanded dynamic range for capturing better images of high-contrast scenes. The CX1 has a large 3.0-inch, 920,000-dot VGA monitor. Other noteworthy features include multi-pattern auto white balance, which sets the white balance on the basis of light sources in different areas of the image, and multi-target AF, which shoots consecutive images at seven focal distances automatically defined by the camera.

Front view of the new Ricoh CX1.

Back view showing the large LCD monitor.
A customised circuit in the image processing engine has made it possible to include a pixel output interpolation algorithm that expands the CX1’s dynamic range by up to 1 EV compared to conventional methods. Several methods are applied, the first combining a series of images shot with different exposures to produce an in-camera HDR image, while another method uses red and blue image data to calculate the green value if the green channel is over-exposed. These technologies reduce whiteout in high-contrast situations and recreate the image the photographer sees.
The CX1 also supports high-speed continuous shooting functions at approximately 4 frames/second and includes a M-continuous plus function that saves the 30 images (at 30 frames/sec.) taken during the one second or so before the finger is removed from the shutter release button or the 30 images (15 frames/sec.) taken during the two seconds before. Image size is fixed at N1728 (2M) and the sequential images are saved as a single MP file (a file format with multiple still images in a single file).