Sealed against water, dust, dirt and shock, the Ricoh PX distances itself from its rivals with a stylish minimal design. What Digital Camera investigates whether the PX's images are just as easy on the eye...

Product Overview

Overall rating:

83%
Overall score:83%
Value:85%
Performance:80%
Image Quality:80%
Features:85%
Design:85%

Pros:

  • Solid build, well priced, good underwater performance, decent focusing system

Cons:

  • Image noise, poor quality LCD, zoom moves unsteadily through its range

Product:

Ricoh PX

Manufacturer:

Price as reviewed:

£180.00

Ricoh PX review – Features

Ricoh hasn’t tackled the waterproof camera market as other manufacturers have, with just a handful of models over models over the years, some of which are aimed more towards industrial than consumer use.



The company’s latest PX model, however, is something quite different. With an understated design and a price tag under £200, it looks likely to join the growing number of affordable waterproof models targeted towards the younger, fashion-conscious crowd.

 

Ricoh PX front side

Ricoh claims the model’s waterproofing allows it to be used to a depth of 3m for up to 60 minutes, which may seem a little behind what others are offering but is likely to be sufficient protection for the average underwater user.



As with many similar models, though, the PX is protected against more than just water: its sealing makes it resistant against dust and dirt, while shock proofing allows it to be dropped from a maximum height of 1.5m. Ricoh has also primed the camera’s 2.7in LCD screen with a coating to prevent any scratches from forming as it is being used and abused.

Ricoh PX rear

On the inside the PX offers a 16MP CCD sensor, which shifts to compensate for image blur. In front of it sits a 5x optical zoom lens, which provides the user with a capable focal range of 28-140mm. Ricoh also claims that this range can be doubled to a maximum 280mm with almost no drop in image quality, thanks to its Super Resolution technology.



In addition to the default Program option, the user may choose from a number of a number of Scene presets, and there are a range of effects such as Miniaturize and Toy Camera on hand for more creative moments. There’s also a handy Skew Correction mode to correct for sloping verticals, and various colour options such as Cross-Processing and Sepia.

Ricoh PX top

The PX’s sensitivity range begins at ISO 100 and ends at ISO 3200, while image noise reduction is applied to images as standard. The camera’s 256-area metering pattern provides multi-segment, center-weighted and spot options, while in terms of video Ricoh has furnished the model with a 720p HD recording capability.

A camera’s 2.7in LCD screen has a 230k-dot resolution, while HDMI micro and mini USB ports are located next to the SD/SDHC card slot inside the camera’s battery compartment. Finally, power is provided by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which is claimed to last for approximately 300 shots.

Ricoh PX review – Design

The Ricoh PX bears a more minimal style than its waterproof rivals, without the various screws around its body and hard-to-press buttons. Build quality is high, and the door to the battery compartment is thick and protective without being difficult to open.



The camera works well underwater and maintains a clear view of the scene, despite the small size and basic quality of the camera’s display. Crucially, no moisture could be found on the inside after it had been taken out of water. It also carried on functioning as normal after being dropped a few times, never showing any error messages or indicating that it needed to be restarted.

  1. 1. Ricoh PX review - Features
  2. 2. Performance and Image Quality
  3. 3. Value and Verdict
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