Digital cameras are not as fragile as smartphones, but if they are rugged, such as in the case of the Ricoh WG-6, ultra-rugged, it does give you peace of mind when handling it. Unveiled by Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation a few days ago, the Ricoh WG-6 Ultra-rugged Digital Compact Camera is a compact, waterproof and shockproof digital camera that captures super high-resolution stills and of course, records 4K videos too.
Don’t be fool by its somewhat toy-ish appearance; it actually packed some punch with features like 28 mm wide-angle with 5x optical zoom, large wide-frame LCD monitor, a multi-application six-LED ring light for macro-photography, Movie SR (Shake Reduction) mode, a new Movie SR+ mode to handle fast-action footage, built-in GPS and electronic compass, Handheld Night Snap mode for low light photography, a 20 MP (effective) BSI CMOS sensor and a high-performance imaging engine rounds up the performance department.
On the rugged end, it is waterproof to a depth of 65 feet (20 meters), capable of sustaining fall from heights of 6.5 feet (2 meters), and operates in freezing temperatures of minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit). Ricoh WG-6 Ultra-rugged Digital Compact Camera is now available for pre-order, priced at $399.95.
Also introduced is Ricoh WG-6 even more rugged brother, called G900. The G900 is essentially the WG-6, sharing much of the features of the consumer-grade model, but it is designed with construction, civil engineering and disaster relief in mind.
“The RICOH G900’s unique, enhanced camera memo function mode greatly reduces the workload needed for post-shooting data management. Previously created text or audio can be easily attached to a captured image, and reference images such as plans or blueprints can be browsed on the camera’s 3-inch LCD monitor. A transparency guide allows the user to recall a previously captured image on the monitor to compare images side-by-side and measure progress of work that has been completed. Additional features include a barcode scanning function, password-protected camera lock, 6.5GB of built-in memory and an electronic level.”
G900 is a straight-up industrial-grade imaging device that, in addition to water-, dust- and shockproof, it is also chemical-resistant. Ricoh said the G900 is also open for pre-sale on Ricoh website, going for $799.95, but last checked, it wasn’t listed on the website yet.
Last but not least, there is the Ricoh GR III high-end, compact digital camera. It touts features like a large APS-C-size CMOS image sensor (effective MP: 24.24), a 18.3 mm f2.8 lens, six-centimeter macro shooting, a high-speed hybrid AF system, built-in shake reduction, in-camera image finishing options, USB Type-C, and Bluetooth and wireless LAN connectivity options. Ricoh said that the aforementioned lens shoots clearest, sharpest images in GR-series history with reduced distortion and chromatic aberration.
The Ricoh GR III will be available in March 2019, but as with rugged cameras, it is available for pre-order for $899.95.
All images courtesy of Ricoh USA.
