New features for Ricoh’s rugged business cameras

posted Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 9:36 AM EDT

New downloads today from Ricoh Co. Ltd. add a couple of features to the rugged Ricoh G700 and G700SE digital cameras, and correct issues in the Ricoh EX1 software package with which they're bundled.

Announced in quick succession back in late 2010, the G700 and G700SE have had an unusually long shelf life by fixed-lens camera standards. That's because both include a raft of features tailoring them to business use. The two cameras have waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof bodies that can safely be cleaned with ethanol or hypochlorous acid-based disinfectants. They also include rare capabilities such as EXIF tagging via barcode, the ability to secure images and detect subsequent editing, a security function that allows password protection of the camera to prevent unauthorized use, image playback, or settings changes, and even the ability to require use of SanDisk's single-write WORM memory cards. The G700SE also adds Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR and 802.11b/g wifi connectivity, plus a port compatible with optional side-mounted GPS and laser barcode reader accessories.

The new firmware is the first in almost a year for either camera, and in both cases, makes but three changes. Perhaps most significantly, the cameras now support write-once memory cards from Toshiba, as well as the already-supported SanDisk cards. They also now provide a custom file naming option--handy if you can't change the filename after the fact since you're using a write-once card--and provide some new picture size and quality options.

The bundled Ricoh EX1 software, meanwhile, fixes two issues. Previously, when exporting camera memos in comma separated format, the longitude tag was incorrectly labeled as being the latitude. Also, when image transfer wasn't complete in the client app, original files weren't automatically deleted.