Tokyo, September 7, 2005. Ricoh Co., Ltd., (president and CEO: Masamitsu Sakurai) announced the release of the new Caplio R3 compact digital camera featuring a 7.1x optical wide zoom, largest in the compact class* (28–200 mm in 35 mm camera format), and vibration correction function.
* Among digital cameras lighter than 150g as of Sep 6th

With a smaller body, the new Caplio R3, has a 7.1x (28—200 mm) wide-angle, high-powered zoom lens, the biggest in its class. The lens was created by adopting the newly developed Double Retracting Lens System, an advance on the highly successful Retracting Lens System, the original lens storage system engineered by Ricoh for its innovative products.

Moreover, to address blurred images caused by hand movement inherent to long focal ranges, the Caplio R3 avoids this problem in telephoto, macro, or indoor shots with the vibration correction function.

By letting the lens assembly fully retract into the camera body during storage, the wide-angle, high-powered zoom lens is more compact and pocketable.

Ricoh has historically manufactured products based on the concept of Expandability. In addition to the wide-angle high powered zoom, the new Caplio R3 expands the range of shooting even further by employing such enhanced features as 1cm macro function - Ricoh’s specialty - and quick response times.

Major Features of the Caplio R3

1. 7.1x wide zoom lens, largest in its class, in a 26mm body!
• The newly developed Double Retracting Lens System, allows the lens assembly to be stored in the camera body during lens storage. This enables the body, a mere 26 mm, to have a 28–200 mm 7.1x wide zoom lens. (The Caplio R2 has a 28–135 mm 4.8x lens.)
• The highly versatile Caplio R3 delivers outstanding results in practically any photographic situation, whether it’s capturing a panoramic landscape in one shot, wide-angle images in a room where everything is very close, or the fine details of distant objects.
2. Vibration Correction function, based on a newly developed CCD shift method.
• Whenever it detects excessive camera motion, the vibration correction system, based on a newly developed CCD shift method, moves the CCD in the opposite direction to counterbalance camera shake, resulting in sharp pictures that would have been blurred otherwise.
• As it is not necessary to incorporate the vibration correction system into the lens, many lens design options, were available, facilitating the design of a slim body and a wide to long telephoto range lens.
• The Caplio R3 shows its effectiveness best in high-powered telephoto, macro, or indoor shots without using flash. Once again the vibration correction system allows for sharp images that would not be possible otherwise.
3. The macro function, a Ricoh specialty, was strengthened.
• The camera’s macro mode, can take a macro shot of an object from just 1 cm away.
• The new zoom macro function automatically sets the focal distance of the lens at the optimum distance for capturing an image of each object as large and close as possible.
• If AF Target Selection is used, it is even possible to focus on objects within the frame without moving the camera. By determining the optimum field of view, taking into consideration such information as the size or contrast of the object, focusing accuracy becomes that much higher when shooting in macro.
4. The skew correction function
• Through an original algorithm, which automatically detects trapezoids in images and corrects them to rectangles, images of such things as blackboards, documents, or time schedules shot at any angle can be corrected so that the image looks as though it were shot from the front. The camera is most effective in business environments where blackboards, over head projector, OHPs, time schedules, signs, etc. cannot be shot from the front.
5. The popular high speed response capability enables stress-free shooting.
• Release time lag (the time from the instant the shutter button is fully pressed—without using focus lock—until exposure actually starts) is as fast as approx. 0.09sec. on average. Quick responses are essential in order to capture picture-perfect but near-instantaneous moments such as the expressions and movement of children or pets. Now stress-free, near-instantaneous shots are possible.
• Time calculated from the instant the focus is locked (half-press) until exposure actually starts is a miraculous 0.007 seconds on average.
• Shooting interval and start time are both rapid, approx. 0.5 and 1.1 seconds, respectively (measured while the flash is off).
6. The long-life rechargeable battery, a standard accessory, lets you shoot approx. 310 pictures.
• Thanks to the power-saving features of the internal circuit, it is possible to capture up to 310 separate images under CIPA standards using the standard accessory rechargeable battery even while using the large LCD display.
7. The 5.13 million square pixel CCD and original image processing system enable shooting of high-definition pictures.
• The CCD is effective up to 5.13 million square pixels with the Smooth Imaging Engine image processing system. Combined with the vibration correction function, representative, superior, high-definition images can be created.
• It is possible to select a 35mm aspect ratio (the horizontal to vertical ratio of the image) of 3:2.
8. Sporting such features as the 2.5-inch large-scale LCD, the camera achieves high operational performance.
• The Caplio R3 has an easy-to-see 2.5-inch large-scale LCD monitor.
• During playback, 12 pictures can be displayed simultaneously on the large screen. While checking previous and subsequent pictures, the screen can be separated into three parts to allow fast forwarding and rewinding.
• The brightness of the LCD can be increased to maximum with a single touch and visibility can be adjusted to suit well-lighted areas.
9. A design combining beauty with portability
• The design combines functionality and texture with such features as a comfortable grip, easy-to-use controls, high-grade materials, surface finishing, and a compact body of 95.0 mm (W) x 53.0 mm (H) x 26.0 mm (D).