The camera is made on all essential parts of plastic, which is a price of the end of the 200 already has an announcement. The competition comes as happy with metal around the corner. Nevertheless, everything is well made and makes a solid impression.
Is packaged in a small, fine Quick Start Guide in German (no other language), a software CD and a fastening strap (see below) and a charging cable for charging in the battery inside the camera.
Here are a few highlights:
Tripod thread on the right side of plastic bad. On a mini tripod, the camera can not be set because the thread is entirely on the side and the camera fall over instantly, because the focus is of course at the center.
- Super Macro 1cm super with ring light
- Flash can be in Auto mode on and off
- Flash fires in auto mode even when the sun / back light from otherwise hardly makes a camera
As is customary in the current outdoor cameras keeps the Ricoh a pressure of 100 kg was, can pop out of 2 meters to the ground and also can stand the cold and diving operations to 14 meters from. The Ricoh with 16 megapixels has the highest resolution in its class is good to know, but totally unnecessary. Nobody needs among small sensors, which are installed in compact cameras 16MP. Thus, the statement is likely to be seen as a marketing gimmick. The manual zoom range from 25-100mm, which is good and typical for an outdoor camera.
Operating the camera is easy and intuitive and I have to say that the display (resolution 460,000 pixels) is easy to read, the font of the menu and the imaging is more reminiscent of the late 80's. Because it would be really time for an update.
In addition to the very well-functioning auto mode in which you can even manually access the flash and may shut down, there are various scene modes together with HDR mode (3 images), a Video-high-speed mode and a time-lapse video mode, both very good operate and provide great results. What I like: the Ricoh does not come with 100 dog-cat-mouse modes but is limited to the sensible imho. In nachherein images can be also provided with various filters, when you feel like to edit photos right in the camera.
The video mode, which I dedicate special attention at outdoor cameras is good: the videos are sharp, and quite detaillreich colorfast.
The flash is overburdened very quickly in low light, in backlight it tends quickly and clearly to grandiose overexposure., Which has spoiled me some recording.
The image quality in good light can convince and like. Porridge low light also helps the output aperture of 2.0 only conditionally, the images captured from ISO 400 easily, from ISO 800 very powerfully to rustle. Not surprisingly, but for me again an example of how much can exaggerate the Marketingfuzzis.
What makes me still puzzled: where all other manufacturers to the camera with a hand strap (usually, except Panasonic with the FT-5) the possibility of fixing supply wrist brings Ricoh a thick, short loop with a carabiner. This combination helps now not really to protect the camera from the out-of-hand slip. With this combination, the camera can indeed prima somewhere hook with the carabiner, to use it must then be removed again and the Karbiner dangle pointlessly over the place. Bad solved.
Very good contrast, which is probably already familiar with Ricoh Macro light which, back each too small object by 6 small LEDs that are not too bright in the right light. Very good. As the competitors should abgucken times what. A cheaper plastic ring (titled with Macro Ring) can be attached to the lens, but will fall off for smaller touches and disappear forever, as it can be only slightly locked.
My conclusion: the picture quality of the Ricoh WG-4 in the EU-version (without GPS) can be quite convincing, as was the video modes.
The over-exposure of the flash is annoying but does not fall within the rating.
Overall, a point I draw from from the senseless attachment strap and the old-school menu. The nasty and bad for me appearance of the camera I rate times not because everyone knows in advance what they are getting. As I said, it may like, but not necessarily. Thus: 4 stars.
Addendum:
The battery, which I have now loaded 6x min., After a short time yet. After max. 70 shots, including 15 with flash is final. That is far too little and an outdoor camera unworthy. Finally, one moves with such a device Outdoor - because the next charger is widely ...
