Ricoh announces rugged WG-80 compact camera with better built-in LED lights

Ricoh has announced its latest WG series compact camera, the WG-80. The camera is rugged and waterproof, ready to take on the elements with a 5x optical zoom lens and an integrated ring light that’s twice as powerful as the one found in its predecessor.

At the heart of the WG-80 is a back-illuminated 16MP CMOS sensor with a top sensitivity of ISO 6400. In front of the sensor is a 5x optical zoom lens with a full-frame equivalent focal length range of 28–140mm. In addition to 16MP stills, the WG-80 can capture 1080/30p video in the H.264 format.

There’s no optical image stabilization onboard, but there is electronic image stabilization that takes on three forms: Pixel Track SR, Digital SR and Movie SR. Pixel Track SR and Movie SR use your typical electronic image stabilization correction technologies to compensate for blurry images in photos and videos, respectively, while Digital SR mode will just boost your ISO to ensure you’re getting a faster shutter speed in low-light scenes.

The 2.7" 230K-dot LCD display on the rear is used to compose shots and navigate the menu. It features an anti-reflective coating to reduce glare and has an ‘Outdoor View Setting’ that adjusts the screen’s brightness based on ambient light.

On the front of the camera is a six-LED ring light that helps with macro shots and the ‘Digital Microscope’ capture mode. The light has a five-level intensity adjustment and has a maximum brightness twice that of the WG-70.

As for ruggedness and durability, the WG-80 is rated as waterproof down to 14m (46') for two hours, shockproof from a height of 1.6m (5'), dustproof, crushproof and freezeproof down to -10ºC (14ºF). As with its predecessors, the WG-80 has a built-in underwater capture mode for both photos and video that adjusts the color balance and contrast to account for different lighting beneath the surface.

The Ricoh WG-80 will retail for $329.95 when it goes on sale in mid-June 2022.

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Ricoh announces rugged, waterproof WG series digital compact camera for underwater, outdoor and industrial photography

RICOH WG-80 features a new exterior design, built-in macro lighting and enhanced functionality to make capturing images and video of outdoor adventures and industrial job sites effortless

PARSIPPANY, NJ, May 18, 2022 - Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation today announced the RICOH WG-80, a durable, lightweight and waterproof compact digital camera that produces super- high-resolution photos and high-definition (HD) video and is optimized for use in rugged conditions. Equipped with a 5x optical zoom lens providing coverage from 5mm to 25mm (equivalent to approximately 28mm to 140mm in the 35mm format) and a large, outdoor-friendly wide-frame LCD monitor, the new camera makes it easy to capture photos and video of adventures on land, under the sea or in the challenging environment of an industrial job site.

The RICOH WG-80 features its own built-in ring light with adjustable illumination levels. Six LED macro lights positioned around the circumference of the lens barrel provide twice the illumination intensity of its predecessor, the WG-70, making the camera ideal for low-light and macro photography, enabling extreme close-ups of coral while snorkeling as well as detailed shots of small parts and components on job sites. The ring light can also be activated for taking selfies with the help of a self-portrait assist mode.

For underwater photos and videos, the RICOH WG-80’s enhanced underwater modes deliver sharp, true-to-life imagery by enhancing shades of red which are typically lost in underwater photography, while effectively compensating for the loss of contrast caused by the diffusion of light in water. The camera is waterproof to a depth of 46 feet (14 meters) for up to two hours of continuous operation.

The RICOH WG-80 is equipped with a back-illuminated CMOS image sensor with approximately 16 effective megapixels and a high-performance imaging engine, delivering super-high-resolution still images and HD video clips. It features triple anti-shake protection to prevent blurred images and videos in all applications.

The rugged construction of the RICOH WG-80 makes it ideal for capturing images and video in challenging conditions of all kinds. It is shockproof against a fall from a height of five feet (1.6 meters) and freeze-proof in temperatures as low as 14°F (-10°C). It also comes equipped with an outdoor-friendly LCD monitor with a brightness level that can be instantly adjusted to the lighting level of a shooting situation.

Pricing and Availability

Available in black or orange, the RICOH WG-80 will be available mid-June 2022 at https://ift.tt/SHElvtO as well as at Ricoh Imaging-authorized retail outlets nationwide for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $329.95.

1. Heavy-duty construction assuring underwater shooting down to 14 meters (46 feet), for up to two hours.
   The solid, airtight body of the WG-80 is not only waterproof down to a depth of 14 meters (46 feet) for up to two hours of continuous operation (equivalent to IPX 8 or JIS Class 8), but is also shockproof against falls from a height of 1.6 meters (five feet),* dustproof (equivalent to IPX 6 or JIS Class 6), freeze-proof to temperatures as low as -10°C, and crushproof against weights up to 100kgf (kilogram force). ** Thanks to this heavy-duty construction, the camera performs superbly and dependably even in harsh, demanding outdoor conditions. * Measured under RICOH IMAGING-original testing standards — from a height of 1.6 meters, onto a surface of 5cm-thick plywood — conforming to Method 516.5-Shock of the MIL- Standard 810F. ** Measured under RICOH IMAGING-original testing standards.

2. Exceptional image quality
   The WG-80 comes equipped with a back-illuminated CMOS image sensor, which assures excellent high-sensitivity and low-noise characteristics and high-speed readout of image data signals. Coupled with a high-performance imaging engine, this image sensor delivers a top sensitivity of ISO 6400 and super-high-resolution images with approximately 16 effective megapixels. This model also provides advanced image processing functions, made possible by the latest super-resolution technology, to assure sharp, clear, high-resolution images. It even offers such innovative features as Handheld Night Snap mode, which automatically captures several images of the same nighttime scene and produces a single, blur-free composite image from them.

3. Six Macro Lights to assist close-up shooting, with various functions
   Ideally positioned around the circumference of the lens barrel for macro shooting, six LED Macro Lights allow the WG-80 to provide bright, uniform illumination on a subject when the Digital Microscope mode is selected. Providing the maximum illumination intensity almost twice that of its predecessor and a five-step intensity adjustment function, this six-light unit enables the photographer to effortlessly optimize the close-range flash photography based on the subject or creative intention. In order to minimize camera shake and subject shake, the Instant Illumination Enhance function allows for the use of a higher shutter speed by automatically raising the discharge level of the Macro Lights at the moment of shutter release. The Macro Lights also provide other useful functions, such as a Self-Portrait Assist mode, which uses the blink of an LED lamp to check if the subject’s face has been safely captured within the picture frame, and the LED Lighting mode, which uses the Macro Lights as a lighting device in the dark.

4. Underwater shooting mode
   Specifically designed for underwater photography, the Underwater and Underwater Movie shooting modes are programmed to optimize color and contrast, based on the data of images captured under the water. These modes deliver sharp, true-to-life images by enhancing shades of red which are lost in underwater photography, while effectively compensating for the loss of contrast caused by the diffusion of light in water. In the Underwater mode, the Flash Off + Flash On option allows the user to consecutively capture two images with a single shutter release — one without flash and another with flash.

5. 5X optical zoom lens with a 28mm wide-angle coverage
   The WG-80 features a high-performance, 5x optical zoom lens with a focal-length coverage from 5mm to 25mm (equivalent to approx. 28mm to 140mm in the 35mm format) to accommodate a wide range of scenes and subjects, including sweeping landscapes. It also provides other convenient shooting functions, such as a macro mode to capture dramatic close-up images from a minimum focusing distance of one centimeter; an Intelligent Zoom function to extend the zoom range to approximately 36 times (equivalent to 1008mm in the 35mm format) without compromising image quality, for superior telephoto photography; and an interval shooting mode, which comes in handy for fixed-point observation.

6. Full HD movie recording for extended shooting of high-quality movies
   The WG-80 provides Full HD movie recording employing the H.264 recording format. Users can capture high-quality, extended movie clips (1920 x 1080 pixels, 16:9 proportions) at a frame rate of 30 frames per second. To add some creative touches to movie recording, it also features a high-speed camera function*** for slow-motion playback of captured movie clips, and an interval movie function. A micro-HDMI terminal (Type D) is also provided on the camera body for simultaneous output of Full HD movie clips and sound to external audio-visual devices. When this function is selected, the recorded size is fixed at 1280 x 720 pixels

7. Triple anti-shake protection to prevent blurred images in all applications
   (1) Pixel Track SR mechanism
   When recording still images, this advanced shake-reduction mechanism effectively compensates for camera shake by digitally processing affected images.
   (2) Digital SR mode
   When the camera detects low-lighting conditions in still-image shooting, this mode automatically raises the sensitivity up to as high as ISO 6400, making it possible to use a higher shutter speed and effectively minimize the adverse effect of camera shake and subject shake when dealing with poor lighting conditions.
   (3) Movie SR mode
   During movie recording, this mode effectively compensates for the misalignment of images caused by camera shake through the use of exclusive software to produce beautiful, blur-free movie clips.

8. 2.7-inch LCD monitor with the Outdoor View Setting mode
   The WG-80 comes equipped with a 2.7-inch LCD monitor with horizontally extended 16:9 proportions and approximately 230,000 dots. The monitor’s AR (Anti-Reflection) coating minimizes annoying glare and reflections to assure a sharp, clear on-screen image even in the harsh sunshine often encountered during outdoor shooting. It also comes equipped with such convenient features as: the Outdoor View Setting mode, which easily sets the optimum monitor brightness level for a given lighting condition.

9. Other features
   ・Two remote control receptors (one in front and another in the back) to widen signal coverage ・Macro stand (included) to maintain a minimum focusing distance of one centimeter to the subject during extended observation and shooting of macro images
   ・High-speed Face Detection function to capture as many as 32 faces in focus in approximately 0.03 seconds (minimum); Smile Capture function to automatically release the shutter when the subject’s smile is detected
   ・Outdoor-friendly Style Watch function to display the time on the LCD monitor, using an extended push of the OK button when the camera’s power is turned off
   ・Delay-free, pushbutton start of the playback mode, using an extended push of the playback button
   ・Auto Picture mode to automatically select the most appropriate shooting mode from 16 different scene modes
   ・A choice of 12 digital filters

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from Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com) https://ift.tt/oyBFRAL
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