Ricoh Caplio GX100

As for optics, the GX100 boasts of the widest angle lens in its class at 24mm (35mm format equivalent). Recently, Panasonic has announced its 25mm wide-angle Lumix, the FX36. So for users looking for a slightly more upmarket look, this could be an alternative. With a wide-angle lens, it is capable of a diagonal view of about 20 degrees, allowing users to squeeze as much of a scene into the frame--like scenery or indoor shots. The lens can also zoom out to 72mm, providing users composition flexibility. At the widest angle setting of 24mm, the GX100 has a maximum relative aperture setting of F2.5, allowing for very fast shots to be achieved with limited light (hence the term "fast lens"). However, at full 72mm telephoto zoom, the maximum relative aperture is a rather "slow" F4.4. To help reduce blurring caused by camera shake during slower exposures, the GX100 has CCD-shift vibration reduction technology where the CCD sensor module moves in direct and opposite magnitude to the shake detected.

The GX100’s optional accessories include a wide-angle lens attachment that takes the lens down to an even wider 19mm. There's also an interesting tilting electronic viewfinder that helps framing in bright light which renders the LCD unreadable or when shooting small objects where a top view may be more comfortable. The electronic viewfinder attachment is available separately, or sold with the GX100 as a "kit package" option.

Other noteworthy features are the GX100’s large 2.5-inch LCD that has a generous 230,000 pixels, making displayed images look detailed and sharp. The camera's 26MB of internal storage also gives users an extra 10 to 20 shots--depending on resolution and photo subject--if their SD card runs out of space.

Handling, Performance And Image Quality

In our field test, we found the GX100 superbly easy to use--both as a point-and-shoot camera and on full manual mode--thanks to its dual control dials. Shooting in situations where we wanted to alter shot settings constantly was a real breeze; and in full manual mode, no compact camera comes close to the user-friendliness of the GX100. As for startup and power-down timing, the GX100 is slightly slower to turn on and off compared with the leading models in the compact camera class as it has an extending lens. It also has a lens cap that adds its time to the total startup/shutdown time. Focusing was also slow compared with its peers, with the camera taking between 1 and 3 seconds to hunt down and focus on subjects--especially in macro mode or in low-light environments.

In spite of our hopes that the GX100’s image quality will match its excellent handling, we were disappointed to find it was mediocre instead. Although focus was sharp and its colors were pleasantly vibrant, the GX100 had trouble resolving detail in high-contrast scenes due to a weaker-than-average dynamic range. Overly bright subjects were sometimes overexposed and, conversely, subjects in dim lighting tended to be a little too dark--we found ourselves often having to compensate by changing the exposure value (EV). Nevertheless, it is bad photographic practice to shoot subjects in overly harsh or shadowed conditions. Where the camera really shone was in neutrally lit daylight environments--where sunlight is not as harsh (like in the morning or late afternoon) or when it is diffused by a cloud. See Ricoh's own gallery of the GX100's "model" shots.

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