Ricoh HZ15 16-megapixel compact camera announced

Ricoh has announced a new digital compact camera, called HZ15, which gets its name from its 15x optical zoom lens that will be useful to travel photographers.

Ricoh has been releasing a lot of new products since the beginning of the year under the Pentax brand. The Ricoh GR has also become official in 2013 and it is time for the company to launch yet another product bearing its own brand.

Ricoh introduces HZ15 camera with 16MP sensor and 15x zoom lens

Today, the Ricoh HZ15 has been introduced as a compact camera with a fixed zoom lens. Beneath the lightweight body users can find a 16-megapixel CCD image sensor with integrated Shake Reduction technology for capturing photos without blur.

The new device is offering a 15x optical zoom lens with a 35mm format equivalent of 24-360mm, covering both the wide-angle and telephoto ranges. The maximum aperture stands between f/3.3 and f/5.9 depending on the selected focal length.

Ricoh HZ15 features 3-inch LCD screen and 720p video recording

It is a camera aimed at macro photography, too, says Ricoh. The manufacturer added that the HZ15 can focus at a distance of only 3cm, so users can go bug-hunting or capture close-up shots of their friends’ eyes.

The compact shooter can be used for taking HD-ready videos at 1280 x 720 pixels and 30 frames per second. However, the movies can only be viewed on a PC, as the 3-inch 230K-dot LCD screen does not allow videographers to review them.

Transfer files wirelessly to a PC using Eye-Fi storage cards

The new Ricoh HZ15 features 20 scene modes, saving users the trouble of manually inputting the exposure settings. There is a “Mode” button on the back of the camera, which can be pressed to access the scenes.

Other specs of the compact camera include a built-in flash to illuminate dark scenes, a rechargeable battery, and support for Eye-Fi cards. The Eye-Fi cards support allows owners to transfer files to a computer wirelessly.

HZ15 to be released on the market at the end of September

Ricoh has revealed that the HZ15 release date has been slated for late September. For the time being, details about its price tag and market availability have not been determined, though they are expected to be announced in the near future.

Another confirmation is the fact that the camera will ship with Media Impression 3.6.1 LE editing software for Windows PCs and Media Impression 2.2 LE for Mac OS X, respectively.