Ricoh WG-30 and WG-30W rugged compact cameras announced

Ricoh has introduced two new rugged compact cameras, called WG-30 and WG-30W, the latter featuring built-in WiFi, in order to replace the WG-20 model announced earlier in 2014.

A few weeks before the beginning of the CP+ Camera & Photo Imaging Show 2014, Ricoh unveiled the WG-20, a compact camera that can withstand whatever nature can throw at it. The device has been on sale since March 2014, but it does not mean that it is too soon for the company to introduce a replacement.

As a matter of fact, the Ricoh WG-30 and WG-30W are now official and will succeed the WG-20 on the market as of December 2014. The new cameras are identical in all aspects, except for the presence of built-in WiFi in the WG-30W.

Ricoh WG-30 has been announced alongside the WG-30W, with both compact cameras featuring a 16-megapixel sensor.

Ricoh reveals WG-30 and WG-30W compact cameras with 16-megapixel sensor

Thrill-seekers now have new tools that they can use for recording their adventures in high-quality. The Ricoh WG-30 and WG-30W are here with a 16-megapixel 1/2.3-inch-type CMOS image sensor and a 5x optical zoom lens that offers a 35mm focal length equivalent of 28-140mm and a maximum aperture of f/3.5-5.5.

These rugged compact cameras are powered by a new image processor, which is said to be faster and to offer better performance in low-light conditions. Additionally, the resulting images will display little noise even at the top sensitivity of ISO 6400.

Both the WG-30 and WG-30W come with a triple anti-shake system, cutting down blur by minimizing the effects of hand and camera shakes.

Ricoh WG-30 and WG-30W do not have a built-in viewfinder, so users will have to rely on the 2.7-inch display on the back to frame their shots.

Ricoh WG-30 and WG-30W are rugged cameras for your extreme adventures

The ruggedness comes from the fact that the Ricoh WG-30 and WG-30W are freezeproof to temperatures down to -10 degrees Celsius, shockproof to falls from up to 1.5 meters, and waterproof to depths down to 12 meters.

It has been revealed that these shooters can become the perfect tools for macro photography. There are six lights around the lens in order to make sure that close-up subjects will be properly lit.

In order to complement macro photography, a macro stand will be included and will help users to focus on subjects located at a distance of 1cm.

The WG-30 and WG-30W will offer high-speed face detection, meaning that they can detect up to 32 faces in only 0.03 seconds. Smile Capture is supported, too, so that the shutter is triggered when the cameras detect that the subject is smiling.

Ricoh WG-30W features built-in WiFi, while the WG-30 does not.

More specs and the availability details of the WG-30 and WG-30W

Ricoh WG-30 and WG-30W may not be able to capture RAW footage, but they will be capable of shooting full HD videos at 30fps. Additionally, their shutter speed will range between 4 seconds and 1/4000th of a second.

The specs list is completed by a fixed 2.7-inch 230K-dot LCD screen, which will serve as a Live View mode to help users compose their shots.

The WG-30 weighs 192 grams, while the WG-30W weighs 194 grams. Both measure 123 x 62 x 30mm, but only the WG-30W will allow users to transfer files to a smartphone or tablet via WiFi.

Ricoh will release the WG-30 for a price of $299.95 in December, while the WG-30W is expected to cost around $350 and to be released around the same timeframe.