Ricoh CX6 – Compact Digital Camera

Weighing in at just 201 grams with battery and SD card installed, and measuring a svelte 23.1 mm at it’s thinnest part, the just-announced Ricoh CX6 is a among the most pocketable, take-anywhere digital cameras available. But it could also be the everyday compact shooter for some – with a high magnification 10.7x (28-300 mm) optical wide-angle zoom lens, focusing times as fast as 0.1 seconds, robust noise reduction, and a clever “zoom assist monitor” function, Ricoh’s new compact is enough camera for a variety of still, action, and mixed uses. The CX6′s zoom assist uses the camera’s LCD to simultaneously display a small image equivalent to an 85 mm focal length, allowing users to easily confirm framing, and making telephoto shooting more intuitive. The CX6 also aims to create a more seamless blend between video and still – it uses a release button especially for video, avoiding the need for manual mode dial change. Ricoh is also debuting a “snap movie shooting” function, so that users can shoot, mix, and edit videos all within the camera itself. And for a very compact camera, the CX6 packs in an impressive range of setting customization options – including full aperture and shutter speed control – to allow a greater range of artistic expression. Virtually all of the key hardware is upgraded, and the camera body comes in a flavor for any user – brushed silver, gloss black, or champagne pink. A solid contender in the super-compact digital sector, and sure to set new benchmarks – as Ricoh says, “the CX6 takes the design concept of “A tool you will want to use every day” another step forward. Look for a December release, with price expected to hover just over $400. Check out images of the new compact after the jump, and stay tuned for a review.