Ricoh CX2

Review Index – (updated 06 January’10)

DPS
“I was impressed with the camera’s upper ISO settings: ISO 800 renders very useable shots, with little noise; ISO 1600 is marginal but with the right sort of shot — ie not too many large areas of one tone — would be very handy in ultra low light.”

RegHardware
No viewfinder or manual or for that matter even semi-manual controls put a serious hurt on this cameras appeal. And if you consider the price the reviewer thinks it’s a lot of money to hand out for a camera that nothing more than a point-and-shoot. Sure it’s well constructed and has some cool features but the competition is tough and there are just better cameras out there for the money.
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PhotographyBlog
“As in the CX1 the image quality is really nice in the CX2. In the past we have thrown a few rocks at the noisy low ISO images but the bigger 9 megapixel CMOS sensor has really made some improvements with extended ISO capability and cleaner crisper images. Ricoh has given the user a lot of control to allow you to tweak setting so the images are a lot more to your particular liking.”
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ITReviews
“Image quality is really impressive just like it is with the CX1 primarily because Ricoh has kept its Smooth Imaging Engine IV and the 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, yet with the longer telephoto reach the image stabilization at times has problems keeping up.”

PCW
“Verdict: An excellent point-and-shoot camera with some unique features. Good points: Long zoom lens; good focusing; large 3in screen. Bad points: Some features didn’t work as described.”
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Pocket-lint
“The Ricoh CX2 is undoubtedly a machine for the more advanced user, but offers image quality to match for those that know what they’re doing and is easy enough to use. The all-auto and scene modes have useful tweaks but to get the most from the camera you’ll need to keep control to yourself and you’ll be amply rewarded with some stunning shots.”
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CNET.uk
“The Ricoh CX2 is a very interesting camera. It’s responsive, well-made and combines a high continuous-shooting speed with an unusual degree of focus control. But, while the use of a 9.3-megapixel CMOS sensor is fine in itself, the image quality we got from our camera was disappointing.”
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Buy-n-Shoot
“Generally speaking the CX2 produces images that are well saturated, possibly too much so for some personal preferences and colors reproduce fairly well overall.”
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DPExpert
“Ricoh, like Fujifilm, is a brand that stands in the shadow of the big names of Canon, Nikon, Sony and Panasonic. But Ricoh has a much longer history in cameras than the last two. Their digital offerings always feel as though they have been designed by photographers for photographers, with a strong emphasis on image quality and usability rather than on gimmicks. The CX2 has a modest pixel count compared with the competition and doesn’t even have face detection, let alone a Smile function. This is a camera for taking pictures, not a toy for playing with. Highly recommended.”

GoodGearGuide
“Its images are definitely sharp and their colors are accurate, and there are no problems with chromatic aberration. It’s also a fast camera, it has useful scene modes, it’s well built and it’s relatively simple to use. The only real drawback is the noise that’s present in photos.”
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PCAdvisor
“Despite some issues with noise, the Ricoh CX2 is an admirable compact camera. It has a huge 300mm lens, captures vibrant and sharp images, has useful scene modes, and is reasonably priced. Put it on your shopping list if you want a point-and-shoot camera with a versatile lens.”
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PhotoReview
“Buy this camera if: – You want an ultra-compact long-zoom camera for snapshot photography – You could benefit from the dynamic range expansion function and can tolerate its restrictions – You’re happy to use the monitor for shot composition – You want manual flash adjustment plus a good range of flash settings for a slimline digicam.”
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Trusted Reviews
“The Ricoh CX2 is a very accomplished camera from one of the veteran names in the industry. It combines excellent build quality, a versatile specification, class-leading performance and superb image quality with a range of innovative features and easy-to-use handling, all for a very reasonable price, and even includes a two-year warranty. It’s impossible not to be impressed.”
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