Performance
Start-up is very quick considering that the large lens has to
spin out, although it makes an alarming spidery creaking noise. The
choice of fast zoom or slower, more precise zooming is a nice touch.
The autofocus focuses with alacrity, although the multi-weighted focus is a bit random as to what it picks out. We quickly found it was better to switch to centre-weighted focus or use the reliable face detection system. The bright green focus assist lamp kept things in focus even in the dark. There is a tendency to underexpose by a stop or two, but the mini joystick makes adjusting the exposure compensation a breeze.
Shot-to-shot performance is respectable, even in low light. With the flash disabled and the focus locked we managed a gap of 1.5 seconds between pictures.
The only real criticism we have of the R7 is the 69mm (2.7-inch) LCD
screen. Despite a resolution of 230,000 pixels, diagonal lines are rendered
horrendously jagged. It doesn't cause problems while shooting, but it
is very hard on viewing images.
Battery life is good, with the large screen not seeming to drain to much power as we were able to take more than 200 pictures in our tests without the camera dying.
Image quality
We were impressed with the quality of images captured by the R7.
Colour is especially well reproduced, with natural skin tones and
vibrant hues. Once pictures have been taken, you can also adjust
brightness and colour tone in-camera and save the results as a separate
file, cutting down on post-processing.
Conclusion
Even for around £200, the Ricoh Caplio R7 is an excellent compact that deserves a wider audience. The Canon Digital IXUS 860 IS
may have sewn up the 8-megapixel, big screen and image stabilisation
market, but for us, the R7's innovative mini joystick and feature set
give it the edge. If it wasn't for the poor quality screen, the R7
would be one of our favourite compacts.
Edited by Jason Jenkins
Additional editing by Shannon Doubleday
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User reviews5
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irritateddata 23 May 2010
Good: very little, when it did work it was okayish
Bad: poor image quality, flimsy construction, faulty internals.
Comment: I don't understand the experts' rave reviews. Are they sure it was a Caplio R7 they tested. It's the worst compact camera I have ever owned. The lens seized up within a few weeks. I had to switch off and on several times to release it. A few months later the focusing went completely. The battery/card slide was always sliding open. Reading others' reviews I'm not alone in saying that the R7 is an utter waste of your money, avoid at all costs even at bargain prices. Ricoh should be ashamed of themselves.
academy13 30 July 2009
Good: Occasionally it allows you to take photos
Bad: It has a fundamental flaw which renders the camera useless
Comment: I wanted a small capable camera to carry when I couldnt tote my Nikon SLR around. After reading several review site I chose the Ricoh over the Panasonic Lumix. That was a mistake as it was soon clear that the camera has very poor low light capability and the flash bleaches out subjects. That however is the good news as it means the camera is at least taking pictures. The bad news is that the camera simply dies- leaving the lens fully extended and the screen blank. I was able to get this repaired under warranty after the first failure, and after taking only a further 180 shots it has failed again- this time outside the warranty period and going by the experience of the long long list of disgruntled purchasers I am not expecting to be using this camera again. Does CNET ever reconsider or update its opinion in the light of real time experience of a product.
Darby Lovelette 12 November 2008
Good: It was fun while it lasted, but then...
Bad: ...the lens froze, Ricoh is impossible to contact
Comment: I loved this camera while it worked, but now the lens is completely frozen. It won't retract, move or focus. Camera won't shut off as a result. Apparently, this is a common occurrence, as I've seen numerous postings with the same issue on Fixya.com.
I'm in the US and have tried emailing Ricoh at two different US email addresses as well as submitting a request for support here: http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc/support/inquiry.html. Both email addresses are apparently no longer valid/working and I received no response from Ricoh with the online support request. As a last resort, I tried the 800 number on the warranty card. The phone tree has no option for the Caplio R7 (it does for other digitals), and you have to submit a credit card number for a $19 payment before they will connect the call.
I'd recommend looking elsewhere for a ultra compact with zoom. Avoid the hassle and headache of Ricoh.
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