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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. 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. Here, instead of the macro light, I’ve made use of the WG-70’s built-in flash and I think you’ll agree the result is much better. The flash is mounted at the top left of the front panel and has a range of 0.2 to 5.5 metres at 1600ISO. Since 2021, Olympus cameras have been sold under the OM System name. The Olympus TG-6 was our favorite waterproof compact camera - and this has now been reborn as the OM System TG-7. It is pretty much identical - but that is a good thing in our book, and ensures this newer version remains at the top of our recommendations for a rugged camera. Features we love include the built-in microscope setting that allows you to take amazing close-ups - and a Field Sensor System that records GPS coordinates and ambient temperature with your shots.
UNDERWATER MODE: This mode uses white balance optimized for underwater photos, making colors appear more natural by adding reds that tend to get lost in photos taken under water. Approx. 122.5 (W) x 61.5 (H) x 29.5 (D)mm /4.8 (W) x 2.4 (H) x 1.2 (D) inches (excluding operating and protruding parts) A film development technique that uses unconventional film development to create a distinctive finish with dramatic, stylized colors.
When recording still images, this advanced shake-reduction mechanism effectively compensates for camera shake by digitally processing affected images. With, more unusually, 68MB of internal memory on board the Ricoh WG-70, a thumbnail-sized SD card is once again the optional removable media of choice here. The supplied lithium ion battery which is inserted into the base of the camera, next to said SD card slot, is good for a modest 300 shots from a full charge according to CIPA testing (a drop from the maximum 340 pictures offered by the WG-6); pretty standard for this equally modest class of camera. An arguably inessential yet defining feature of this endlessly regenerated compact series, new this time around – and the only feature, along with a new Cross Processing mode – we could find that has altered since the WG-60 – is the ability to select a 2MP recording size, up to a maximum 12MP in said mode. Essentially the camera deploys its digital zoom – in effect a crop – to make it appear as if subjects have been ‘enlarged’.
The bottom of this camera features an off-centre screw thread for a tripod and a catch-operated slide and open compartment housing the WG-70’s battery and media card, as previously detailed. 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. The WG-70 feature a high-performance, five-times optical zoom lens with a focal-length coverage from 5mm to 25mm (equivalent to approx. 28mm to 140mm in the 35mm format) to accommodate a wide range of scenes and subjects, including sweeping landscapes. They also provide other convenient shooting functions, such as a macro mode to capture dramatic close-up images from a minimum focusing distance of a mere one centimeter; an Intelligent Zoom function to extend the zoom range to approximately 36 times (equivalent to 1008mm in the 35mm format) without compromising image quality, for superior telephoto photography; and an interval shooting mode, which comes in handy for fixed-point observation.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.
Whether you're jetting off to white sandy beaches, heading white water rafting, or even just shooting somewhere you know it rains a lot investing in a waterproof camera is a wise idea. Image quality is so much better than it used to be and they're not even that expensive. The WG-80 is designed for every imaginable outdoor environment and adds to the experience with features such as Underwater mode for underwater photography, and an Outdoor View setting that adapts monitor brightness to ambient lighting. You don't have to restrict yourself to digital! There are also some handy underwater disposable film cameras, which work just like the disposable cameras you used to take on holidays, with the crucial difference being that they can be taken underwater. 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.
Specifications
Recording capacity shows approximate number of shots recorded during CIPA-compliant testing. Actual performance may vary depending on operating conditions. In this mode, the camera takes two pictures each time the shutter button is pressed, one with the flash off and the other with it on, letting you concentrate on composition without fiddling with the controls. * Available in Underwater Mode. 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. Other features the WG-70 shares with earlier models include the 16 Megapixel CMOS sensor, 2.7 inch 230k dot LCD screen, built in flash and – something you won’t find on any other waterproof compact – a built in macro ring-light composed of 6 LEDs mounted in the lens bezel.
The WG-70 has a Digital Microscope mode that allows the subject to be greatly enlarged. Usability is improved as the recording size can be newly selected from 2M (1920 x 1080), which gives priority to enlargement with digital zoom, to a maximum of 12M (16: 9) (4608 x 2592), which is useful when printing or trimming with high resolution which further expands the field of shooting. Resolution (ISO-12233):We use a resolution chart based on ISO-12233 from Applied Image inc to indicate the limit of the camera’s vertical resolution at the centre of the frame. The higher the value, the better the detail resolution. 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. We’d suggest therefore that while this rugged camera is suitable for a range of uses, it’s not quite the master of all. So you probably only want to be considering buying it if you’re going to be using it in scenarios where you wouldn’t normally risk use of a smartphone, DSLR or mirrorless – such jumping in the swimming pool, a day at the beach or ski slope.The screens shown here ensure easy navigation – being divided into folders for stills shooting, video, custom settings and set up – even if, as we’ve mentioned when looking at previous generations of the camera, they appear somewhat dated in appearance. The fact that this is a toughened camera also means that we don’t get touch screen operation here, nor do we get an articulated LCD, for obvious reasons. 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. Macro stand (included) to maintain a minimum focusing distance of one centimeter to the subject during extended observation and shooting of macro images
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