Ricoh CX1

Photo answers review

Photo answers rating

Ricoh’s CX1 is an all-black, desirable looking compact that features a 9.2Mp CMOS sensor and a 7x optical zoom lens, equivalent to 28mm at its widest point and 200mm at full telephoto.

Picking it up there’s a sense of deja-vu; the look and feel is very similar to the now extinct R-series models. Sharing a similar metal top-plate, built-in flash and handgrip to the Ricoh R10 the CX1 produces images in the fine sized JPEG format to a maximum size of 3456x2592 pixels. On the rear there’s an impressive 3in 921,600k dot screen which offers first-class clarity in both shooting and playback modes. Adjacent to the screen is a thumb-placed D-Pad to control macro and flash modes. The macro mode is excellent for shooting small still-life subjects and best of all, it focused quickly within 1cm of our water droplet.

Standing proud on the top-plate is the shutter, zoom and mode dial. The two mode settings – MY1 and MY2 – allow you to save your most frequently used camera settings, and rotating the dial by an extra two clicks selects the new Dynamic Range mode (DR). Designed to smooth the transition between harsh highlights and dark shadows in contrasted scenes, the mode is effective but has a long shooting time, taking two exposures of the same scene before merging them together. To get the best results from this mode, use it for stationary subjects and use a tripod as a precaution.

In terms of performance the AF speed was tolerable, with six AF modes to choose from: Multi AF, Spot AF, Multi-target AF, MF, Snap and infinity. Testing the CX1’s ISO range showed that for the clearest and sharpest results possible you shouldn’t push beyond ISO 400. Above this point digital Noise became increasingly evident. Our favourite feature by far is the electronic level function. This shows up as a horizontal gauge to indicate whether you’re holding the camera level. It’s rather like having a spirit level bolted to your camera and saves you having to straighten horizons later on your PC!

If your budget stretches to £229 for a pocket-sized compact, the smart Ricoh CX1 makes a sound compact choice. Looks are similar to other Ricoh models that we've seen before but the handling’s excellent and the JPEGs are sharp and full of contrast. A great, stylish compact for times when you’re travelling light.