Ricoh

Ricoh is a Fortune 500 company that has been operating as an imaging device manufacturer for 70 years. After launching with photographic paper in 1936, Ricoh quickly turned its attention to optical devices. In the late 1940s a mass production line was set up to create the company's first twin lens camera, the RICOHFLEX III. It quickly went on to become the best-selling camera of the 1950s and even prompted a camera boom in Japan.

Worldwide demand for Ricoh cameras ensued and the company consistently met this with sophisticated imaging technology. By the 1980s and 1990s Ricoh had earned a reputation for high quality 28mm wide-angle lenses on small cameras and was also recognised as a leader in the 35mm compact camera market.

However, the defining moment in Ricoh's illustrious small camera history came in 1996 with the creation of the GR fixed 28mm series. In the heyday of film photography, this classically designed number was the compact camera of choice among professionals. In fact the GR 21mm and 28mm lenses went on to set standard for wide-angle optics with Leica incorporating them into its L-mount range.

Even today this camera enjoys great loyalty and affection from camera experts and users. It even gave birth to many prize-winning photos including Robyn Hills' 'Antarctic Experiences' which received the 1999 Australian Institute of Professional Photographers (AIPP) Silver Award. Most recently she won the 2005 Queensland Landscape Photographer of the Year for her shot of the Grand Canyon taken with the GR1.

Ricoh's innovation and leadership has continued as it transferred its 35mm expertise to the new compact digital camera segment. Today Ricoh offers a range of small but powerful digital cameras to suit both amateur and professional photographers.

With the development of digital photography, shooting speeds and wide-angle have been two of the greatest limitations of digital cameras compared with 35mm. This is where Ricoh has directed its R&D energy.

In 2002 Ricoh released its first high-speed digital camera, the Caplio RR30. It offered a combined focus and shoot response time of just 0.22 of a second when the average shooting response for a digital camera was an incredible 2 seconds. These days, with an improved hybrid autofocus system, Ricoh cameras can focus and shoot in a mere 0.09 of a second and, with the focus lock achieved, shoot in an almost instantaneous 0.007 of a second.

As digital cameras began to replace their film counterparts, Ricoh worked tirelessly to maintain its reputation for quality lenses. In 2003, Ricoh released the Caplio G4 Wide; the first 3-megapixel compact digital with a 3x wide-angle zoom lens (28-85mm). Now in 2005, this focal range has been extended to 7.1x (28-200mm) with its Caplio R3 camera.

Ricoh has certainly carved out a niche for itself within the compact digital camera market. While small in size, Ricoh offers some of the most powerful cameras in the country thanks to its sophisticated wide-angle lens technology, high speeds and superior photographic features. Testament to this is Ricoh's GR-Digital, the digital descendant of its acclaimed film camera. This 8.1-Megapixel camera inherits the superb image quality that made the award winning GR series so popular. Launched in October 2005 it has already received two best small camera awards from Australian Camera and Smarthouse magazines.

To find out more about Ricoh digital cameras visit ricoh.com.au/smallbutpowerful