Not a camera...but a true "Image Caputre" Device!
Written: Oct 23 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Size, Style, Price, Picture Quality, Great Features, Ample memory, good software, USB connection, ....the list goes on.
Cons: Only that I didn't buy it sooner.
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| kam61799's Full Review: Ricoh RDC-7 Digital Camera |
In researching this camera I frequently came up against the manufacture tag of this product as an "image capture" device. Rather strange sounding considering it is basically a sleek looking digital camera, but just wait till you get your hands on it.
First and foremost what drew me to this camera was a great combination of price, picture quality, and sleek design. To begin with just take a long look at the svelte little package all those megapixels come in. I am not the first to say that this, more than any other camera on the market today, is what 007 would be caught using. Added to the wonderful aesthetics is the extraordinary picture quality; the 3.3 million megapixels truly make their presence felt. Finally price was an added factor in my purchase. Looking at other comparable 3.3 megapixel cameras (the Nikkon CoolPix 990, for instance) I was prepared to shell out somewhere in the vacinity of a grand; at $599 from buy.com, this camera was a steal.
Now back to the dubious tagging of this product. What could possibly set it apart from the pack of other digital cameras? What features does it posses to justify its naming as a "image capture" device? Well, to begin with, the camera can take little mini-movies (limited only by its on-board memory of 8mb and up to a 64mb smartmedia card) with sound that come out looking decent and can be downloaded to the pc or to the tv via included composite connection cables. Second the camera features a text mode in which you can shoot pictures of a document at a resolution high enough to work with optical conversion programs (like Xerox's Textbrigde Plus) that convert the image into an editable document (imagine the usefullness of a handheld scanner). Further, the camera can record sound (granted, sound has nothing to do with "image") by itself and so comes in handy as a personal recorder. Even more: can be set to function as a time lapse camera, taking pictures at intervals that you set.
As far as picture quality goes this is one capable product. The pictures I am able to get in normal mode and under fine quality are superb, while the camera does have several features (termed as PRO modes) that can boost quality of very still images to 7 megapixels. The camera accomplishes this by taking two pictures of the subject in quick succession and then overlaying the images, thus if there is any movement by the subject (even a tree swaying slightly in the wind) your result will be noticably blurred. However, using pro mode you can capture an image of still object that will not only rival the quality of film, but truly match it.
While PRO mode is a great feature for exploring the photographer hidden within, most people, myself included, need a camera for taking pictures of things that don't tend to stay absolutely still - like my 16 month-old daughter. The performance of the camera in normal shooting mode is just about as good as I have seen from any other digital camera. Pictures are sharp and finely detailed, color is good (although a bit neutral across the board), and the balance between light and shadow is well preserved. Crispness of the image is a little better horizontally than vertically, but the difference in quality is negligible.
Portability and ease of use were were a high priority in my search for a new digicam and I have been greatly impressed with the performance of the Ricoh RDC-7 in both of these respects. I had heard from several sources that the camera was a bit awkward in the hand and hard to use, but upon using it myself I am really at a loss in trying to understand who anyone could say this about this camera. There are two shutter buttons (one located on the top of the camera, and another located on the front near the lense) that enable you to snap pictures while holding the camera in either a vertical or horizontal position. Plus, there are two zoom controls for the former reason. The camera fits nicely into you hand and is light. Easy to slip into a pocket and easy to pull out for a quick shot this is truly a great camera to carry while out and about.
The quality of the LCD screen (2 inchs) is great...it swivels to face all four sides and images are shown without distortion on the bright and easily visible screen. The view finder is also useful and even includes a focus adjustment for people who wear eyeglasses. Button and menu controls on the camera are straightforward and easy to learn, as is the hefty amount of included software.
I have not found one thing about this camera that has left me disappointed in any way or has made me wish the manufacturer would have done anything differently. Granted you may opt for a more expensive digicam if you are a serious photographer, but I am not. For my needs; grabbing pics of my little girl at the park, taking quick "scans" of documents I find interesting a worth keeping (goodbye file cabinet!), reminding myself to pick up the drycleaning, etc.; this camera performs wonderfully.
Money asides, I haven't seen a camera out there that gives you such a winning combination of size, style, and quality, and so for any one who puts a premium on compact design and good looks - by all means, give the Ricoh RDC-7 a serious look.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
kam61799
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Reviews written: 27
Trusted by: 4 members
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