Camera Test: Ricoh CX1

The tech spec for the Ricoh CX1 will make you want to take a closer look: 7x zoom, wide-angle (28-200 mm) lens, mechanical stabilization, a large 3 inch screen displaying 920,000 pixels (VGA res) and a 9 Megapixel CMOS sensor, along with a new processing chip (Smooth Engine IV) that should expand possibilities.

While we have recently criticised some compacts for going backwards at the same time as going up to 12 Megapixels, Ricoh has chosen the opposite strategy and has gone down to 9 Megapixels, prefering to base their challenge on other features. HDR (high dynamic range to avoid burnt skies), white balance compensation for multiple light sources… Do the results live up to expectations?

> Test: Ricoh CX1

> Product Survey: Compact Digital Cameras