Ricoh CX6 Digital Camera
In my next column I mention the Ricoh CX6 camera, which I saw for the first time at CES 2012 last month. Ricoh is a name most people have heard, but not so much in the camera market as of late. Years ago Ricoh was a powerhouse in the mass marketplace, selling excellent 35mm compact autofocus cameras. In the digital age they have made excellent cameras, but with specialized features and high prices that have made them more of a choice for pros and serious hobbyists than the typical person looking for a travel and family camera.
That may change with the new Ricoh CX6. This is a camera that many readers have been asking for- a compact with the focus and shutter release speed of an SLR. It uses two focusing systems working together to focus in just .1 seconds… yes, a tenth of a second! Here is what an Amazon.com reviewer had to say about its predecessor, the CX5:
“The CX5 is VERY fast with the focus. Point and shoot. Not point, hold half-way while the camera tries to focus—BAM Clear! That is so cool you won’t believe it. I’ll try to add am image of my dog “flying” that I took the first time I used the camera. It’s an amazing shot.”
The screen is especially noteworthy. At 1.23 million pixels it is about 3x as sharp as a typical compact camera screen, even very expensive ones. No pricing or availability info as of yet, but I expect it to sell between $300 and $400. That’s not bad for a Ricoh but still more than some competitive cameras. If that sounds like a bit much you may want to consider a Ricoh CX5, which is selling at only $219 these days and has very fast focus as well. At .2 seconds it takes twice as long as the CX6 .1 second, but that is still pretty fast.
Questions? Email Don
