Ricoh Imaging Announces The Ricoh WG-70

RICOH WG-70:

Digital compact camera for underwater photography down to 14 meters, with enhanced features such as the Digital Microscope mode

RICOH COMPANY, LTD and RICOH IMAGING EUROPE, S.A.S. announce the launch of the RICOH WG-70 digital compact camera. This new model features a compact, lightweight body design, with exceptional waterproof, shockproof and various shooting function performance.

This standard-class waterproof digital compact camera is designed so that anyone can capture severe shooting environments of outdoors more casually, effortlessly and without worries. Despite its compact, lightweight body, the WG-70 offers outstanding basic specifications that outperform ordinary digital cameras and smartphones under demanding outdoor conditions. It is waterproof to a depth of 14meters; shockproof against a fall from a height of 1.6 meters; and freeze-proof against temperatures as low as -10°C. It also comes equipped with an outdoor-friendly LCD monitor whose brightness level can be instantly adjusted to the lighting level of a shooting situation.

Main Features of the new RICOH WG-70

1. Heavy-duty construction assuring underwater shooting down to 14 meters, for up to two hours

The solid, airtight body common to the WG-70 is not only waterproof down to a depth of 14 meters 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,* 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 cameras perform 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-70 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 16.0 effective megapixels. These models also provide advanced image processing functions, made possible by the latest super-resolution technology, to assure sharp, clear, high-resolution images. They even offer 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. Improved usability of Digital Microscope mode

The WG-70 has a Digital Microscope mode that allows the subject to be greatly enlarged.  Usability is improved as the recording size can be newly selected from 2M (1920 x 1080), which gives priority to enlargement with digital zoom, to a maximum of 12M (16: 9) (4608 x 2592), which is useful when printing or trimming with high resolution which further expands the field of shooting.

4. 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-70 to provide bright, uniform illumination on a subject when the Digital Microscope mode is selected.*** Thanks to these Macro Lights, the user can clearly see a magnified view of the microscopic world undetectable by the naked eye on the camera’s LCD monitor, and effortlessly capture eye-catching, close-up images. 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.

5. Advanced underwater shooting mode

Specifically designed for underwater photography, the image processing of Underwater and Underwater Movie shooting modes optimize color, contrast, and white balance, 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. During 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.

6. Cross Processing added to Image Tone

Cross Processing is an effect popular among our products, which allows you to enjoy unique photographic expressions. With WG-70, this mode is added to Image Tone, which can be selected with several shooting modes including, P (Program). The parameters of the image is adjusted to give a unique color-changed finish, like a cross-processed film ***.

*** A film development technique that uses unconventional film development to create a distinctive finish with dramatic, stylized colors.

7. 5X optical zoom lens with a 28mm wide-angle coverage

The WG-70 feature a high-performance, five-times 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. They also provide other convenient shooting functions, such as a macro mode to capture dramatic close-up images from a minimum focusing distance of a mere 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.

8. Full HD movie recording for extended shooting of high-quality movies

The WG-70 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, they also feature 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.

9. 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.

10. 2.7-inch LCD monitor with the Outdoor View Setting mode

The WG-70 come equipped 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

11. Other features

• A range of WG-series mount accessories (optional) to accommodate diverse camera setups
• 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

♦ All other brands or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

♦ Designs and specifications are subjects to change without notice.