RICOH WG-70 Black Waterproof Digital Camera 16MP High resolution images Waterproof 14m Shockproof 1.6m Underwater Photography 6-LED Ring Light Digital Microscope Mode Tough body design for workplace

Product Information

There’s not that much to see on the top panel,but it’s more about feel. You won’t get mixed up between the power button and shutter release because of the size difference. The power button is also slightly recessed, to avoid accidental operation, but you might have a struggle to turn the camera on and off wearing gloves. With no spare mains charger provided, the WG-70’s battery is charged in-camera via mini USB port. This is hidden/protected beneath a chunky cover at the side of the camera that also protects a mini HDMI port. The user has to depress a catch and slide open said cover to access the ports, thereby ensuring that neither accidentally becomes exposed if venturing underwater, out in the snow or down to the beach. The Ricoh WG-70 is a new waterproof digital compact camera that can be used in depths down to 14 meters, with enhanced features that include the Digital Microscope mode.

WATERPROOF 14M: With features that include uncompromising waterproofing - good for 2 hours of continuous use at a depth of 14 meters We test camera resolution, dynamic range and noise under scientifically controlled conditions using two key testing tools: Imatest Master and DxO Analyzer. All DSLRs and mirrorless cameras are subjected to these tests and, in some instances, high-end compact cameras. All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 20 megapixel SuperFine JPEG setting, which produces an average image size of around 7Mb.Delve deeper into the Ricoh WG-70’s specifications and a number of other shortcomings come to light. First, let’s take a look at that 2.7 inch 230k dot LCD screen. Like so much about the WG-70, it’s adequate, but a bit of a disappointment on a 2020 model. Particularly when you look at what the competition has to offer – a 3 inch 1040k dot screen on the TOUGH TG-6 and a 3 inch 920k dot screen on the COOLPIX W300. The Ricoh WG-70 is a rugged compact that’s waterproof to a depth of 14 metres, can withstand a drop from a height of 1.6 metres and can be used in temperatures down to -10C. It has a very distinctive design that screams rugged, so if you’re fan of understatement this isn’t for you, but whether you love or hate the way it looks (and it’ll definitely be one or the other) its elongated soap bar shape feels very comfortable and secure to hold one-handed. When recording still images, this advanced shake-reduction mechanism effectively compensates for camera shake by digitally processing affected images. The WG-70 allows you to edit and apply filters in-camera when reviewing. Options include B&W/Sepia, shown here, Toy Camera, Retro, Colour Emphasis, High Contrast and Starburst. It’s as good as having filters that are applied during shooting plus you have the option to save the processed file as a new image, keeping the original.

Both the Olympus TOUGH TG-6 and Nikon W300 offer Wi-fi in addition to a host of other built-in sensors. In the TOUGH TG-6 there’s a manometer for altitude and depth recording, an electronic compass, and a temperature sensor, while the Nikon W300 sports GPS, Bluetooth, a barometer and electronic compass. Therefore if you see the older WG-60 more keenly priced than the ‘new’ edition, and do actually need a camera that you can subject to a degree of rough and tumble usage, which is really the only true reason why you should be considering this model or its near twin, then feel justified in snapping it up. You won’t be missing out on anything and, if you’re in the market for an easy-to-use, water resistant and damage-proof compact, you may well get yourself a bargain in the process. Cross Processing is an effect popular among our products, which allows you to enjoy unique photographic expressions. With WG-70, this mode is added to Image Tone, which can be selected with several shooting modes including, P (Program). The parameters of the image is adjusted to give a unique color-changed finish, like a cross-processed film ***.To be fair, I should mention that in all these comparisons with the TOUGH TG-6 and COOLPIX W300 you need to remember that both these models cost more than the Ricoh WG-70. You’ll pay around 25% more for the recently reduced TOUGH TG-6, but the three-year-old COOLPIX W300 is now much closer in price to the WG-70. As always though, it pays to shop around as you may be able to find an even better deal. I can get so close that the lens "cap" touches the subject! The quality of the detail from being so close is amazing. I often say, "I had no idea they looked like that!" The camera reveals what would otherwise be invisible to me. My more expensive Sony point-and-shoot cannot get nearly as close and stay in focus.

A ‘one size fits all’ option for holidaymakers, this Agfa branded camera with flip-up plastic ‘sports finder’ can function in the wet as well as the dry – and greatly aids accurate composition underwater.A film development technique that uses unconventional film development to create a distinctive finish with dramatic, stylized colors. The Ricoh WG-70 handled chromatic aberrations fairly well during the review, with purple and green fringing present around the edges of objects in high-contrast situations, as shown in the examples below. Flash-on and Flash-off modes. “Red-eye” compensation function employs a pre-discharge. Ring Light mode Dynamic range (DxO Analyzer):This is a measure of a camera’s ability to capture detail in the highlights and shadows. We use DxO’s transmissive chart, which enables us to test a dynamic range of 13.3 stops. The Ricoh WG-70's flash has three modes: Auto, On, Off, plus a separate setting to enable or disable red-eye reduction. Whether this is active or not, the camera successfully avoids any trace of red-eye.

With lighting provided by six LED lamps positioned around the lens, Digital Microscope mode supports super macro photography. At the default image size of 2M, the WG-80 offers up to 6.6× zoom for astonishing results that look almost like they were taken with a microscope. The WG-80 offers new image size options of up to 12M * that further enhance the potential of Digital Microscope mode with pictures that can be printed at large sizes or cropped during post-processing.

Ricoh WG-70 Pros and Cons

When testing waterproof cameras we pay particular attention to how easy they are to use when using them underwater, where camera controls are not a straightforward to see or use. The Ricoh WG-70's maximum shutter speed is only 4 seconds in the Night Scene mode, and sadly there's no Bulb mode for even longer exposures. Sample Images As with its predecessors, we also find six micro LED lights ranged in ring-light fashion for illuminating close up subjects when Digital Microscope mode has been activated. In all other respects, when viewed standalone, the Ricoh WG-70 is a distinctly average camera, delivering distinctly average images. There’s nothing wrong with that per se, but we do feel Ricoh could try harder next time. Innovation is what drives the market, but here we’re merely treading water; a scenario, incidentally, where you may well get the best out of this undemanding waterproof point-and-shoot.