S$688
Product Summary
7
out of 10View score
The bad: Software not very user friendly; comes with only 8MB of onboard memory.
The bottom line: This camera takes great pictures in the automatic mode but comes well-equipped with enough manual controls to satisfy most advanced point-and-shoot users.
Read full review of the Ricoh Caplio RR30 »
Average User Rating
CNET Asia Review
The Caplio RR30's tidy design makes it look more like a conventional camera with curves and wheel selectors rather than the box-like looks and clunky buttons of many digital cameras. At a closer inspection, the silver and black camera has some nice features that you might expect to see in higher end offerings in the market. Added to that the ability to capture video with sound and you have a very attractive mid-priced camera indeed.
Editor's note: In the original article, it was stated that the camera captures video clips with audio. However, a check with the manufacturer revealed that the camera does not capture audio. We sincerely apologize for any incovenience caused by the error.
Fast Shutter Response
The Caplio features a 3.34-megapixel CCD sensor with a combined 10.2x zoom, comprised of a 3x optical zoom and 3.4x digital zoom. The camera can capture still JPEG images at resolutions from 2048x1536 to 640x480 pixels. Video can be recorded in AVI format at either 320x240 or 160x120 resolution.
The one thing we found most impressive with the Caplio was its shutter speed. With most digital cameras in this price range, there's a very noticeable delay between shots while the image is being processed. The Caplio has a claimed shutter response speed of 0.22 seconds in-between shots, and in our testing it bore this out. Combine that with the capability to take 16 shots in a 2 second period and the RR30 is effectively instantaneous for most users.
Preset Scene Modes
Taking pictures in different formats is something that Ricoh has made easy for enthusiasts with six pre-programmed modes including settings for portrait, action, landscape, night, text and a high sensitivity mode. That's great for new users, although those who favour more manual tweaking features may want to look elsewhere.
The internal memory of 8MB is relatively small and you'll have to buy an additional SD memory card if you plan to take more than a few pictures or record video clips. The Ricoh RR30 supports SD cards up to 256MB.
Good Battery Life
The Caplio RR30 supports standard AA-sized alkaline batteries -- as long as you like watching batteries drain fast -- as well as rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery which comes included in the package. The Li-Ion battery lasted longer than the two weeks we had to test the camera, which is a good sign, although it does take eight hours for a full charge. Ricoh also recommends that you do not leave batteries out of the camera for more than two weeks as you will run a risk of losing the camera´s internal settings.
While the supplied transfer software wasn't as friendly as the camera itself, transfers via USB were relatively quick. The pictures taken in a variety of formats were surprisingly good, which made our rather amateurish photography skills look almost professional. The video footage captured was very shaky, however the camera does come with a tripod mount . The Caplio RR30 also supports output to television if slideshows are your thing, or if you don't have a PC handy.
Overall the Caplio RR30 would most suit those looking to make fast, quality pictures without having to fiddle with manual settings.
Rate It Now
