The just-announced Ricoh WG-70 Tough Camera is the next release in a long line of tough cameras, and it doesn’t seem like Ricoh changed the formula too much here. Ricoh simply took a great camera and added features that make it a little bit better.
Being a tough camera, means it has tough credentials. It is solid, with waterproofing rated to 46′ for two hours, shockproof to 5′, dustproof, freezeproof to 14ºF, and crushproof to 220 lbf. Your average adventure should be no trouble for the WG-70. Next up is imaging, and the 16MP BSI CMOS sensor found here will capture images in a variety of conditions, thanks to a sensitivity range up to ISO 6400. A Handheld Night Snap mode is available for the darkest scenes. Paired with this sensor is a versatile 28-140mm equivalent lens that can focus as close as 0.4″.
Located around the lens are six LED Macro Lights, a wonderful tool to have when getting in close to your subject. Use it with the newly enhanced Digital Microscope mode to create extreme close-ups with resolution up to 12MP (4608 x 2592). The lights also can use an Instant Illumination Enhance function or give a boost to the Self-Portrait Assist mode. Another change is the advanced underwater mode to help optimize images for a more true-to-life final photo or video. Cross Processing has been added as an option to the Image Tone settings for creating images with distinct looks.
Other features of the WG-70 include Full HD movie recording at up to 30 fps and the ability to output video via a micro-HDMI port, triple anti-shake protection, a 2.7″ LCD with a high brightness Outdoor View Setting, high-speed Face Detection, and plenty more. It is available in either black or orange.
