Ricoh has taken the wraps off the Ricoh GR, a new compact APS-C camera with an extremely attractive price tag.
The Ricoh GR is the follow-up to 2011's Ricoh GR IV, but it looks to be a far more capable camera for a similar price.
This spec bump starts with a 16.2-megapixel APS-C image sensor, which is a massive leap over the GR IV's 10-megapixel 1/1.7-inch unit.
It keeps that relatively compact body, though, and this is aided by a brand new fixed 18.3mm f/2.8 zoom lens, which has been optimised to work well with the large APS-C sensor. Pentax Ricoh also boasts of a "nine-blade aperture diaphragm produces a rounded bokeh effect across a wide range of apertures."
Ricoh has also implemented a high speed autofocus system that can focus on a subject in a snappy 0.2 of a second. That's rather fast.
There's Full HD 1080p video recording on board with continuous autofocus, as you'd expect from a modern high-end compact.
Ricoh GR Pricing and Availability
But the truly remarkable part of the Ricoh GR is its price. Available from May, it'll cost just $799.95 in US and £599 here in the UK.
Now consider that the Nikon Coolpix A, which was announced just last month, comes with a very similar spec and form factor, but at a cost of £999. We're talking about a major bargain here, provided the Ricoh GR's performance lives up to the spec sheet.
Are you tempted to make the Ricoh GR your next camera purchase? Let us know in the comments section below.
Via: TechRadar
