Ricoh GR Digital 8.1Mp camera

You can shoot JPEG, TIF, RAW and RAW/JPEG combo files, and save them on either the internal 26MB storage or an MMC or SD card. You get comprehensive ISO control, from ISO 64 to ISO 1600, with the noise controlled fairly well up to ISO 400, mediocre at ISO 800 but suffering more beyond that.

A fast shutter response of around a tenth of a second makes the camera responsive to use but writing larger TIF or RAW files to any storage is disappointingly slow. In terms of image quality, the 256-zone metering and AF work a treat, macro focusing is excellent too, and the sheer level of detail that GR lens captures - including the GW-1 0.75x wide-angle adaptor lens I also got to play with on this test - allows those eight million pixels on the sensor to do their job well. Distortion is minimal at worst and negligible at best.

Verdict

While the Ricoh GR Digital is not without flaws and notwithstanding its £400 price tag, which may make some swallow hard before parting with any cash for it, it is also a very accomplished compact camera. The new GR would be ideal as a professional's back up, or perhaps the weapon of choice for enthusiasts.

In either case, they'd be safe in the knowledge the camera boasts a superb specification, lacking nothing but a built-in optical viewfinder. Moreover, the image quality and versatility will not let them down. In short, it is worth every penny.

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