Ricoh GX200 Review

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By: Steve's Digicams

Review posted 10/9/2008

Click to take a QTVR tour of the GX200

Featuring a super wide-angle high performance 24-72 mm/f2.5 (wide) - f4.4(telephoto) zoom lens with superb optical performance, the GX200 compares favorably to SLR interchangeable lenses. Attaching the unique tilting electronic viewfinder which is linked to the focal distance to zoom and frame your subject, gives you the feel of a SLR or medium format camera. Adding any of the GX200's host of versatile accessories allows you to enter a wider realm of creative photography.

The GX200 achieves sharp images all the way to the picture's edge with natural gradations and coloration even in high-sensitivity shooting situations: that is the power of the SIE III image processor. With thorough noise reduction measures in both its circuit design and algorithms, effectively eliminating
noise without sacrificing resolution or saturation.

A 1/1.7" CCD with 12 megapixels faithfully reproduces the world as seen.
The result is superb images high in resolution and low in noise, with
rich gradation expression from highlight to shadow.

GX200 Features

12-megapixel CCD imager
f=5.1 to 15.3mm (35mm film equivalent focal length 24 to 72mm)
Macro shooting: Approx. 1.0cm to infinity (wide-angle), approx. 4.0cm to infinity (telephoto)
JPEG and RAW still image file formats
2.7" Transparent Amorphous Silicon TFT LCD, approx. 460,000 dots
F-aperture: F2.5 (Wide) to F4.4 (telephoto)
Auto Shooting Mode, Program Shift Mode, Aperture Priority Mode, Manual Exposure Mode, Scene Mode (Movie, Portrait, Sports, Landscape, Nightscape, Zoom Macro, Skew Correct Mode, Text Mode) My Settings Mode
Movie mode w/sound, 640x480 or 320x240 at 30 or 15fps
Cont/S-Cont/M-Cont, Self-timer (operation time: approx. 10 sec./2 sec.), Interval Shooting (shooting interval: 5 sec. to 3 hr., in increments of 5 sec.)
Multi Light Metering (256 segments), Center-weighted Light Metering, Spot Metering (TTL-CCD metering, AE lock available)
Exposure compensation: ±2EV in 1/3-step increments
White Balance: Auto, Outdoors, Cloudy, Incandescent Lamp, Fluorescent Lamp, Manual Settings, Detail, White balance bracket function
Shutter speeds of 180 seconds to 1/2000 second
Time-lapse interval recording
Selectable ISO settings from 64 to 1600
Standard hot shoe for external flash
Rechargeable Battery (DB60)×1, AAA Dry Alkaline Battery×2, AAA Nickel-Metal Hydride Battery×2, AC Adapter (AC-4c Optional) 3.8V
USB2.0 (High-Speed USB) Mini-B, Mass Storage, Audio Output 1.0Vp-p (75Ω)/Video OUT
54MB internal memory plus SD/MMC card slot
Telephoto/Wide angle conversion lenses
External Viewfinder: Ferro-electric polarization-type liquid crystal Equivalent to approx. 201,000 dots

The Ricoh GX200 camera kit has an MSRP of US$599 or US$749 with external viewfinder, and ships with: USB Cable, AV Cable, Rechargeable battery, Battery charger, Hand strap, Lens cap, GX200 software CD-ROM

Optional accessories include:
Rechargeable batteries DB-60
Battery charger BJ-6
AC adapter AC-4c
Electronic Viewfinder VF-1
Wide conversion lens DW-6
Tele conversion lens TC-1
Hood and adapter HA-2
Soft case SC-45
Neck strap ST-2
Cable switch CA-1
Self retaining lens cap LC-1 .

Physical Views

The GX200 compared to a standard CD disc.

Continue on to
Features & Controls

Ricoh GX200 Specifications

Item		Specifications
Number of Effective Pixels (Camera)		Approximately 12.1 million pixels
Image Sensor		1/1.7" primary-color CCD (total pixels: approx. 12.4 million)
Lens	Focal length	f=5.1 to 15.3mm (35mm film equivalent focal length 24 to 72mm. With Step Zoom set, the following fixed focal lengths possible: 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 72mm)
	F-aperture	F2.5 (Wide) to F4.4 (telephoto)
	Shooting Distance	Macro shooting: Approx. 1.0cm to infinity (wide-angle), approx. 4.0cm to infinity (telephoto), approx. 1.0cm to infinity (zoom macro) (from the front of the lens)
	Lens Construction	11 elements in 7 groups
Zoom Magnification		Optical zoom: 3.0 times (35mm film equivalent focal length 24 to 72mm) Digital zoom: 4.0 times, up to 12 times (288mm equivalent) in combination with optical zoom Auto resize zoom: 6.3 times, up to 18.9 times (450mm equivalent) in combination with optical zoom (VGA image)
Focus Modes		Multi AF (CCD method)/Spot AF (CCD method)/Manual Focus/Snap/Infinity (with focus lock and AF aux. light)
Motion Blur Reduction		CCD shift method image stabilizer
Shutter Speed	Still image	180, 120, 60, 30, 15, 8, 4, 2, 1~1/2000 seconds
	Movie	1/30 to 1/2000 seconds
Exposure Adjustment	Exposure Metering Mode	Multi Light Metering (256 segments)/Center-weighted Light Metering/Spot Metering (TTL-CCD metering, AE lock available)
	Exposure Mode	Program AE/Aperture Priority AE/Manual Exposure
	Exposure Compensation	Manual Exposure Compensation (+2.0 to -2.0 EV in 1/3 EV steps), Auto Bracket Function (-0.5 EV, ±0, +0.5 EV /-0.3 EV, ±0, +0.3 EV)
ISO Sensitivity (Standard Output Sensitivity)		AUTO/AUTO-HI/ISO64/100/200/400/800/1600
White Balance Mode		Auto/Outdoors/Cloudy/Incandescent Lamp/Fluorescent Lamp/Manual Settings/Detail, White balance bracket function
Flash	Built-in Flash Mode	Auto (during low light and when subject is backlit)/Red-eye Flash/Flash On/Flash Synchro/Manual Flash (Full, 1/1.4, 1/2, 1/2.8, 1/4, 1/5.6, 1/8, 1/11, 1/16, 1/22, 1/32)/Flash Off
	Built-in Flash Range	Approx. 20cm to 5.0m (wide-angle), approx. 15cm to 3.0m (telephoto) (ISO AUTO/ISO 400, from the front of the lens)
	Flash Compensation	±2.0 EV (1/3 EV steps)
Picture Display		2.7" Transparent Amorphous Silicon TFT LCD, approx. 460,000 dots
Shooting Mode		Auto Shooting Mode/Program Shift Mode/Aperture Priority Mode/Manual Exposure Mode/Scene Mode (Movie/Portrait/Sports/Landscape/ Nightscape/Zoom Macro/Skew Correct Mode/Text Mode)/My Settings Mode
Picture Quality Mode		F(Fine)/N (Normal)/RAW (DNG file format)
Number of Recorded Pixels	Still image	[4:3]4000�3000, 3264�2448, 2592�1944, 2048�1536, 1280�960, 640�480 [3:2] 3984�2656 [1:1] 2992�2992
	Movie	640 x 480, 320 x 240
	Text	4000 x 3000, 2048 x 1536
Recording Media		SD memory card, SDHC memory card (up to 16 GB), Internal Memory (approx. 54 MB)
Storage Capacity/Time (internal memory 54 MB)	Still Image	4000�3000 RAW: 2 pictures, F: 11 pictures, N: 20 pictures, 3984�2656 RAW: 2 pictures, F: 13 pictures, N: 23 pictures, 2992�2992 RAW: 3 pictures, F: 15 pictures, N: 27 pictures, 3264�2448 N: 30 pictures, 2592�1944 N: 48 pictures, 2048�1536 N: 74 pictures, 1280�960 N: 133 pictures, 640�480 N: 497 pictures
	Movie	640�480 (30 frames/sec.): 41 sec., 640�480 (15 frames/sec.): 1 min. 22 sec.,320�240 (30 frames/sec.): 1 min. 22 sec., 320�240 (15 frames/sec.): 2 min. 40sec.
Recording File Format	Still Image	JPEG(Exif ver2.21), RAW(DNG)
	Movie	AVI (Open DML Motion JPEG format compliant)
Other Major Shooting Functions		Cont/S-Cont/M-Cont, Self-timer (operation time: approx. 10 sec./2 sec.), Interval Shooting (shooting interval: 5 sec. to 3 hr., in increments of 5 sec.), Color Bracket, B&W (TE), Noise Reduction, Histogram, Grid Guide, Electronic Level, Hot Shoe
Other Major Playback Functions		Auto Rotate, Grid View, Enlarged View (maximum 16 times), Resize
Interface		USB2.0 (High-Speed USB) Mini-B, Mass Storage, Audio Output 1.0Vp-p (75Ω)/Video OUT
Power Source		Rechargeable Battery (DB60)�1, AAA Dry Alkaline Battery�2, AAA Nickel-Metal Hydride Battery�2, AC Adapter (AC-4c Optional) 3.8V
Battery Consumption		Based on CIPA Standard DB60 usage: approx. 350 pictures, AAA alkaline battery usage: approx. 30 pictures^*10
Dimensions		111.6mm(W)�58.0mm(H)�25.0mm(D) excluding projecting parts
Weight		Approx. 208g (excluding battery, SD memory card, and strap) Accessories: approx. 30g (battery and strap)
Operating Temperature		0°C to 40°C

(Specifications as represented by the manufacturer)

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