If you’ve followed my work, you know I love my Canon Rebel T7. I'll admit, I’m a sucker for DSLRs. They’re inherently more mechanical in nature than their more modern mirrorless and mobile alternatives. Problem is, they’re big and bulky. And I love that… Except when I’m on the go. Sometimes, I just don’t have time to be swapping lenses.
That's where phone photography comes in, right? Well, not really. I love the various tactile controls and shooting modes on my Rebel. Using a phone feels soulless by comparison, with everything being dumbed down and AI-assisted. I was after a DSLR-like point-and-shoot camera, and that's where this little guy came in...
Meet Uncle Ricoh!
Obligatory Napoleon Dynamite joke out of the way, this is my favorite point-and-shoot camera I’ve owned. This is the Ricoh Caplio GX100 from 2007. It has all sorts of snazzy features that satisfy the camera geek within me. I'm talking about multiple knobs and dials. I'm talking about a proper manual mode. This little camera is a joy to operate.
I love how modular it is. For example, you can get an electronic viewfinder add-on. It also has a mount for a wide-angle lens attachment. You could even hook up a bigger flash to the hot shoe mount on top! I don’t have any of these things (yet), but the base camera is more than enough.
There's one thing I should get out of the way before we continue, though. This camera was not cheap. I paid $150 (including shipping from Japan), which makes sense considering Ricoh cameras have a very loyal fan base. However, if that sort of money for an old digicam makes you cringe, I get it. But after seeing some of those photos people were able to get out of the GX100, I was sold. This camera, under the right conditions, is no joke.
Not necessarily saying that justifies what I paid for it, but maybe I am. ;)
Anyway, on with the review...
What’s Great (or even amazing!)
What makes this Ricoh special is its unique features. Not all digicams even have a manual mode, and the Ricoh’s various physical manual mode dials and controls are a rarity on point-and-shoots. It feels a lot like operating my DSLR.
Also great is the 10-megapixel CCD sensor. For me, megapixel count has diminishing returns. Bear in mind, I’m mostly certainly an amateur photographer, but this sensor yields high enough resolution photos for me to be happy.
When paired with Ricoh's beautiful color science, this sensor produces distinct, almost film-like, pictures. With the rise of computational photography on smartphones, it seems that many people prefer more vibrant and contrast-heavy images. I love that the Ricoh takes a more natural approach to colors, although I realize that this is extremely subjective.
The last great thing I’ll mention is the lens on this camera. It has a 35mm equivalent range of 24-72mm, which offers 3x zoom. This gives it a surprisingly wide field of view, making it great for capturing beautiful, brightly-lit landscapes. Under the right conditions, it can take some incredible photos. Here are some of my favorites from my time with it:
What’s Bad (or even awful)
This camera has some major pitfalls, some of which are evident in these photos. I shot most of these at 80 ISO, as this camera handles terribly in low light. So bad, in fact, that even photos shot at 400 ISO have a lot of grain. It also has trouble in lighting situations with high dynamic range. It can be hard to properly capture the subject without the background being overexposed or the subject being underexposed. Finally, when shooting in RAW, it takes a while to process and save pictures, making it easy to miss capturing a fleeting moment.
I could go on about this camera's other foibles, ranging from the limited zoom capabilities to the odd menus, but it’s all negligible. For more involved photography, I have my Canon. This is the camera I throw in my pocket and shoot with on a whim. Most of its flaws are common with old digital cameras, and it adds an interesting element of challenge to my photography. Working around limitations is a great way to learn.
I love my old Ricoh GX100 because it's fun and quirky to shoot with. My iPhone 15 Pro is not. For me, that’s enough.
The Conclusion
I bought this Ricoh because of its unique features and its beautiful color science. I wasn't disappointed. It's not without its (many) faults, but it can really deliver in the right situations. As a result, I have every intention to keep it around, ready to capture whatever adventures I find myself going on in the future. Stay tuned for more photos, and thanks for reading.