Review The capabilities of Ricoh's new RDC I-700 extend way beyond the functionality of a normal digital camera. Based on the similiar RDC-7, it is Web-enabled so you can send photographs by email or upload them directly to the Internet. It's a niche product with a high price, but an interesting device that deserves our Recommended award.

As a camera, the Ricoh carries a decent specification and has enough functionality to satisfy most digital photography enthusiasts. The 3.34Mp (megapixel) CCD takes sharp, vivid shots, but storage capacity is in short supply. There is a CompactFlash slot but no bundled card, so you'll have to rely instead on the 8MB of on-board memory.

To be fair, given this device is intended for sending images and audio/video clips over the internet, where you're limited to low quality to keep the file size down, the 116 shots you can squeeze out should suffice. Though not the most portable of devices, the large flat rectangular shape is necessary for the 3.5in touch-screen LCD. It would be hard to manipulate data on a screen any smaller. As it's a fairly power-hungry device, there are two lithium-ion batteries included in the box.

Internet access is via the bundled PC Card modem (there's also support for LAN adaptors and ATA storage cards). It's powerful but complex, and takes a while to get to grips with.

The cost is high, and for straight 3.34Mp digital cameras there are better offers. But for those after a Web-enabled imaging device with instant access to images, the RDC I-700 could be an indispensable communication tool. ®

Info

Price: £825
Contact: 0208 261 4000
Website: www.ricoh.co.uk

Specs

Megapixels: 3.34
Max resolution: 2048x1536
Storage: 8MB onboard memory
Removable storage: CompactFlash
Connectivity: PC Card modem
Battery: Lithium-ion
Viewfinder: 3.5in touch screen LCD
Optical zoom: 3x
Dimensions: 157x93x33mm
Weight: 450g
Min photos on 8MB: 4
Max photos on 8MB: 116

Scoring

Build quality: 8
Features: 9
Performance: 8

All details correct at time of publication.

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