Photo answers review
Photo answers rating 
Features & handling Ricoh has made a few important changes to the GX200 when compared to its predecessor, the GX100. Resolution has increased from 10MP to 12MP, in keeping with current D-SLR market trends – clear evidence of Ricoh’s ambition to gain a share of the D-SLR market by attacking it from below with its prestige compacts. However, the sensor is only 1/1.7in rather than the larger APS-C Foveon sensor in rival Sigma’s DP1.
The screen has increased from 2.5in to 2.7in, with a reciprocal hike in quality up from 230k dot to 460k dot. This means that the screen is now better quality than on most D-SLRs, including the whole of the Canon EOS range.
The GX200 boasts an electronic spirit level, which tells you when the camera is perfectly level, so no excuses for wonky horizons.
Although the GX200 is a zoom compact, it’s also a system camera with plenty of accessories to buy. First up is the electronic viewfinder (£79) that connects to the hotshoe; then there's a 19mm wide-angle adaptor and a telephoto adaptor, available for £99 each; and finally an optional lens cap made from three flaps that ease open as the lens emerges, once you turn the camera on. It’s like something out of Star wars.
Ricoh compacts have historically offered good handling and the GX200 is no exception. The high quality LCD screen makes all the difference when using Live View and besides, when the light is extremely bright, you can always switch to the optional electronic viewfinder (EVF).
Two control dials govern exposure so you don’t have to fiddle about holding down buttons while scrolling – this is a clear advantage over the cumbersome controls on the Sigma DP1. The GX200 also benefits from Ricoh’s ingenious rear input dial, which you can press down to select additional options.
Performance Having a 24mm setting on the zoom makes the camera extremely useful in numerous tight situations where other compacts would let you down. And, while 72mm at the other end isn’t particularly long, it offers better quality than a longer zoom and more versatility than a shorter one. Like everything in camera design, it’s a constant balancing act between image quality and zoom range, but we think Ricoh has made the right decision here and come up with a very handy system.
The original GX100 was strongly criticised for its below-par performance in terms of write speeds, especially regarding RAW files, and Ricoh has clearly aimed to improve this on the GX200. The memory buffer has been expanded so the GX200 can shoot five consecutive RAW files, instead of having to wait eight seconds between shots.
Quality of results has improved too. Ricoh's new image processor produces images with marked lack of noise and better levels of saturation at the higher ISO settings. Comparing these results against those from the GX200’s closest rival, Sigma’s DP1, the Ricoh GX200 does okay, even considering the DP1’s larger sensor. We found that we came back with a better standard of results thanks to the far superior handling, exposure controls and even autofocus performance.
Verdict The GX200 is the perfect compact for the photographer who already has an advanced D-SLR but wants something a little smaller for social occasions and happy-snap holidays.
If you need a compact and want all-manual controls, then this is perhaps the best solution for you. The results aren’t as good as you’d get from any of the latest D-SLRs, due to the constraints of the GX200’s small sensor, and it’s here that the Sigma DP1 has the edge.
However, for everything else, the GX200 blows the DP1 out of the water, especially in its handling – the GX200 manages to feel less like a digital compact and more like a photographer’s camera.
Product Specifications
| Weight/size (WxHxD) |
208g/112x58x25mm
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| Effective resolution |
12.1MP |
Lens
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24-72mm |
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| Aspect ratio |
4:3 |
| LCD monitor size |
2.7in (460k dot)
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| File formats |
JPEG, RAW (DNG)
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| Card type |
SD |
| Exposure modes |
Auto, Program, aperture-priority, manual and eight scene modes |
| Metering modes |
Multi, centre-weighted and spot |
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| ISO range |
64-1600 |
| Battery type |
Lithium-Ion DB-60 |
| Software supplied |
Ricoh Caplio software
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| Start-up time |
2 seconds |
| Write times |
1.5 seconds (JPEG); 3 seconds (RAW) |
| Shutter speed range |
3 minutes – 1/2000sec
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