DENVER, CO, February 5, 2014 – Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation (Ricoh Imaging) today announced the 16th generation in its lineup of weather and adventure-ready compact
cameras, the Ricoh WG-20. Ideal for the active family or consumer, the Ricoh WG-20 combines a variety of user-friendly features and durable construction to capture important moments effortlessly and without worry.
Despite its compact, lightweight body, the Ricoh WG-20 offers outstanding specifications that outperform standard digital cameras and smartphones under a variety of demanding outdoor conditions. Empowering consumers to focus on the moment, the Ricoh WG-20 is waterproof to 33 feet, shockproof from drops of up to five feet, coldproof to 14 degrees Fahrenheit and crushproof, withstanding up to 220 foot-pounds of force. For the individual that desires additional creative flare, the Ricoh WG-20 is equipped with a host of advanced functionality and 25 shooting modes, including the Ricoh Imaging-original Digital Microscope mode. Using this mode, consumers can focus on subjects as close as one centimeter from the lens, capturing rich, and often overlooked, details. Whether it’s a day on the beach or a snowy weekend on the slopes, the WG-20 accommodates a broad range of shooting applications, from outdoor adventures to everyday snapshots and everything in between.
“The Ricoh WG-20’’s easy-to-use modes and convenient specifications keep up with the on-the-go consumer,” said Jim Malcolm, Executive Vice President, Ricoh Imaging. “The WG-20 enables users to capture important moments without having to worry about rain, sand or snow and instead concentrate on recording important memories.”
Thanks to a 14-megapixel sensor, the Ricoh WG-20 is capable of producing high-quality images ideal for printing and sharing. Powered by a state-of-the-art image processing engine and digital shake-reduction system, the Ricoh WG-20 creates sharp, blur-free images even in low-light or shake-prone conditions. Finally, capturing rich, detailed video is simple with the WG-20’s HD movie recording mode which offers a variety of movie editing functions, such as extracting a still image from movie data and inserting titles at the beginning and end of a movie clip.
Also new to the WG-family of products are a series of mounting accessories that extend the ability to capture action from new perspectives and vantage points. This mounting solution consists of a camera base which uses a flexible ball and socket system to maintain compatibility with three new mounts; a flat surface camera mount, handlebar camera mount and suction cup camera mount.
Pricing and Availability
Offered in white and red, the WG-20 will be available in March 2014 for a price of $199.95.
The WG series mounting accessories are compatible will all WG-series cameras and will be available at retailers nationwide and online in February 2014 and are priced as follows:
Camera holder – $19.99
Adhesive mount – $44.99
Handle bar mount – $39.99
Suction cup mount – $42.99
Additional information including product specifications and press images are available at www.us.ricoh-imaging.com.
About Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation
Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation is a subsidiary of Ricoh Company Ltd., a global technology company specializing in office imaging equipment, production print solutions, document management systems and IT services. Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in about 200 countries and regions.
The company now known as Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation, was originally founded in 1919, under the name Asahi Optical Joint Stock Co. and launched its first SLR camera in the 1950s under the PENTAX name. Today, Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation continues to produce the heritage-rich, award-winning line of PENTAX DSLR cameras, lenses and sport optics equipment as well as Ricoh’s offering of stylish and compact digital cameras, known for their wide-ranging, rich set of features.
For further information, please visit: www.us.ricoh-imaging.com
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© 2014 Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation. All rights reserved. All referenced product names are the trademarks of their respective companies.
Major Features
Heavy-duty construction for underwater shooting up to 33 feet deep, and up to two continuous hours
The WG-20’s airtight body is not only waterproof to a depth of up to 33 feet, but also built for up to two hours of continuous operation (equivalent to IPX8 or JIS Class 8). It is shock-resistant against a fall from a height of five feet,* dustproof (equivalent to IPX6 or JIS Class 6),** cold-resistant against temperatures as low as 14°F,** and crushproof against weights up to 220 lbs. (foot pounds force).** Thanks to its dependable, heavy-duty construction, it performs superbly and dependably in harsh, demanding outdoor conditions.
* Measured under RICOH IMAGING -original testing standards (from a height of 1.5 meters, onto a surface of 5cm-thick plywood), conforming to Method 516.5-Shock of the MIL-Standard 810F.
** Measured under RICOH IMAGING -original testing standards.
Digital Microscope mode for microscopic observation
The WG-20 features the innovative Digital Microscope mode,*** which magnifies the subject on the LCD monitor for the observation and photography of a microscopic world unseen by the naked eye. Thanks to five LED Macro Lights positioned around the circumference of the lens barrel, the subject is illuminated more brightly and uniformly than in ambient light to facilitate macro shooting. In order to minimize camera shake and subject shake, its instant illumination function allows for the use of a higher shutter speed by automatically raising the illumination level of the Macro Lights at the moment of shutter release. A macro stand is also included as a standard accessory to maintain a minimum focusing distance of one centimeter to the subject during extended observation and shooting.
*** When the Digital Microscope mode is selected, the recorded size is fixed at 2.0 megapixels (at 16:9 proportions)
High-quality images made possible by the latest Super Resolution technology
In addition to super-high resolution assured by approximately 14.0 effective megapixels and a state-of-the-art imaging engine, the WG-20 also offers advanced image processing functions made possible by the latest Super Resolution technology to deliver sharp, clear, high-resolution images. Because of this, the user can effortlessly produce sharp, high-resolution prints with well-depicted details, even when images are enlarged to poster size.
HD movie recording
The WG-20’s HD movie recording function makes it easy to capture high-quality movie clips (1280 x 720 pixels, 16:9 proportions, 30 frames per second). It also offers a variety of movie editing functions, such as extracting a still image from movie data and inserting titles at the beginning and end of a movie clip. In addition, a micro-HDMI terminal (Type D) is provided on the camera body for simultaneous output of HD movie clips and sound to external audio-visual devices.
Large, 2.7-inch LCD monitor
The WG-20 comes equipped with a large, 2.7-inch color LCD monitor with horizontally extended 16:9 proportions and approximately 230,000 dots. The Ricoh Imaging-original AR (Anti-Reflection) coating minimizes annoying glare and reflections to assure a sharp, clear images even under the harsh sunshine often encountered in outdoor shooting.
Five-times optical zoom lens with 28mm wide-angle coverage
Within its compact body, the WG-20 features a five-times optical zoom lens with a focal-length coverage from 5mm to 25mm (equivalent to approx. 28mm wide angle to approx. 140mm medium telephoto in the 35mm format). This versatile zoom lens comes in handy for a wide variety of scenes and subjects, from wide-angle photos of breathtaking scenery to family/group snapshots, and even dramatic telephoto images of distant subjects.
Triple anti-shake protection to compensate different types of shake
(1) Pixel Track SR mechanism – When recording still images, this sophisticated shake-reduction mechanism effectively compensates for camera shake by digitally processing affected images.
(2) Digital SR mode**** – When the camera detects low-lighting conditions in still-image shooting, it automatically raises the sensitivity as high as ISO 6400, making it possible to use a higher shutter speed to effectively minimize the adverse effects of camera shake and subject shake under poor lighting conditions.
(3) Movie SR mode***** – During movie recording, this digital shake-reduction mode effectively compensates for the misalignment of images caused by camera shake through the use of exclusive software to produce beautiful, blur-free movie clips.
**** When this mode is selected, the recorded size is fixed at 5.0 megapixels (2592 x 1944 pixels).
***** When this mode is selected, the angle of view becomes narrower than normal shooting.
Other features
High-speed Face Detection function, with Self-Portrait Assist mode
O-CC1182 Protector Jacket (optional accessory) to protect the camera body from scratches and dirt
O-ST1352 Float Strap (optional accessory) to prevent loss of the camera in the water
Auto Picture mode to automatically select the most appropriate shooting mode from 16 different scene modes
12 digital filters for creative expression
Digital Wide mode to compose an extra-wide-angle picture (equivalent to approx. 21mm wide angle in the 35mm format) from two separate images
Compatibility with Eye-Fi wireless LAN SD memory cards
Note: Designs and specifications are subject to change without notice.