Camera brand Pentax will soon have a new owner: Tokyo-based Hoya group, which purchased the brand in 2007, is ready to sell [notice of sale as an English PDF] it to Ricoh in October this year. According to Japanese business daily The Nikkei, the office equipment maker plans to pay an estimated US$124 million for Pentax. → Read More
Another six months, another iteration in the CX series from Ricoh. This time, though, Santa has been a little stingy, and the improvements are minimal. I’d say the most relevant feature on the CX5 is how it’s going to drive down the price of the nearly identical CX4. → Read More
It was just a few weeks ago that Ricoh released the G700, a rugged and rather disposable-looking point-and-shoot camera. Today, they’ve put out an upgraded version, the G700SE, which adds a few extra functions.
Like GPS? Like lasers? Come on in. → Read More
Ricoh has a sort of aesthetic going on here. I only just realized what it is the recently-released CX4 reminds me of: one of those disposable cameras. This new G700, although it looks like a totally solid camera, definitely looks like you’d throw it away when you were done. → Read More
Man, Ricoh has the release schedule down pat. Six months ago was the CX3, six months before that was the CX2, and six months before that was the CX1. And although the megapixels haven’t increased much, they all look like solid cameras. The CX4 is no exception. → Read More
I’m just wrapping my head around CMOS and you spring this on me? This Ricoh CX3 is a 10-megapixel shooter with 720p video recording and “Pets” scene mode. But what the heck is a back illuminated sensor? DPreviewHas the full release but you’re basically looking at better low-light performance with the back-lit CMOS. I honestly don’t quite get how it works, but it seems… → Read More
It’s Stussy‘s 30th birthday next year, and for some strange reason the fashion company collaborated with Japanese electronics maker Ricoh to celebrate the occasion in the form of a Stussy-branded digital camera [JP]. Technically, Ricoh didn’t change anything in the GR DIGITAL III the Stussy camera is based on (and which was released in August this year), meaning the new exterior design will most… → Read More
Ricoh in Japan today unveiled the CX2 [find the press release in English below], an update to the CX1 that went on sale in March this year. And they upgraded quite a lot of the main specs. You still get a 9.29MP CMOS sensor, but the burst rate at maximum resolution is at 5fps now (up from 4) and Ricoh also improved the optical zoom from 7.1 to 10.7. → Read More
The Kindle 2 is hot in the US, but in Japan color e-paper is the major topic in the blogosphere. The black and white Sony e-reader was a gigantic flop and Amazon Japan hasn’t said yet if it will sell the Kindle here in Nippon.
Fujitsu will attempt to fill the void by offering its FLEPia color e-book (pictured) next month, but now Ricoh claims it has developed a technology that makes it possible… → Read More
Ricoh in Japan today announced the CX-1 compact digi cam (press release in English), an update to the R-10 released last year. The CX1 comes with a 9 megapixel 1/2.3″ type CMOS sensor and a 7.1x optical zoom lens. Shooting up to 120 frames/s at 640×480 pixel resolution is possible. → Read More
Green, green, green! It’s the marketing word that makes you think you’re doing something to help this planet, and now it’ll be found at the crossroads of the world, Times Square. (Actually, Times Square is a hell hole, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t popular.) Yes, it’s that “green” Ricoh billboard we first talked about during the summer, but now… → Read More
Ricoh today announced in Japan [JP] that on September 5th, they will replace their R8 digital camera with the R10. The new model will be sold in Japan first for $450. There is no word on release dates and prices for other territories yet. The R10 comes with the following features: – 10-megapixel CCD sensor with 7.1x optical zoom – 3-inch HVGA LCD display – ISO sensivity between 80 and 1,600 … → Read More
Ricoh Japan is planning to set up a billboard powered by natural energy in New York City’s Times Square in December. The sign will be equipped with 45 solar cell panels and four wind power turbines, producing a maximum of 98 kilowatt-hours of electricity per day. Ricoh’s American subsidiary says the billboard (47 feetx126 feet) might not be illuminated in case there is not enough… → Read More
Today Ricoh announced [JP] a new digital camera that goes on sale in Japan on July 4th. The GX200, the successor to the GX100 released last year, will set you back $740 in case you need the tilting VF-1 electronic viewfinder and $560 if not. The camera comes with the following features: – 12-megapixel 1/1.7-inch CCD – 25mm thick body – 24-72mm zoom lens – 2.7-inch HVGA LCD screen with 460,000… → Read More
There is definitely a likeness there. However, if pressed, I would probably pick the Ricoh since it’s a full-featured, water-and-dust-resistant 10-megapixel digital camera and not a shady plastic box with a bit of film inside. It’s basically made for outdoor use when skiing, camping, at the beach and so on, so you don’t have to worry about sand, snow, or water spoiling your nice… → Read More
Ricoh’s newest digital-camera packs a wallop in a teeny package. The GX100 has a 24-to-72mm-equivalent high-powered wide-zoom lens that goes super-duper wide-angle to 19mm with an optional wide conversion lens. That’s not even the best part! The Ricoh can claim a first in the world of digital-camera’s with its removable electronic viewfinder. The viewfinder tilts, so it’s easier to… → Read More
Sure, this ugly-ass camera looks like it’s straight out of 2001, but it’s features are anything but old. This $1,200 unsightly monster is not meant to take photos of your sister’s wedding. Unless your sister is a sasquatch, because this is an outdoorsman’s camera. It’s the kind of thing you’d take on safari, because it’s ruggedized and shock-proof. Or on a… → Read More
If you’ve got an 8.13 megapixel camera, and you want to improve on it, what would you do? You’d make it shockproof. And waterproof. And dustproof. Then you’d have a ruggedized, “sport camera”, perfect for the outdoorsman. But outdoorsmen need to pack light, so you wouldn’t want to bring any of those pesky cables with you. So you’d make sure to make this… → Read More
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