Pros

Design, electronic level display, tones and dynamic range

Cons

Very little new to justify the price, image softness

Design	18/20
Image Quality	18/20
Performance	17/20
Value	16/20
Features	17/20

Score

84%

Another six months on and another R series update from Ricoh. The latest model follows on, at least in release chronology if not in name, directly from the Ricoh R8. The previous release in the series saw a large leap with regards to design while the R7 was encased within a thin body, tapering in at one end and similar to many of its competitors, the R8 reverted to a wider, more retro body. The R10 continues this design trend.

As a result of the R10s similarity in style to the R8 its difficult to distinguish between the two. Examining the specification of each model doesnt make differentiating one from the other any easier the only real standout change is the slight increase in LCD size, from 2.7in to 3in, even though the resolution remains the same 460k dots.

Apart from the increase in LCD size, nearly every other facet of the R10s specification is the same as that of the R8 a hazard, perhaps, of what happens when a series is updated with such regularity. The R8s 10MP, 1/2.3in CCD sensor remains the same, as does the maximum ISO 1600, though the minimum ISO is clipped from 64 to 80. The useful 7.1x wideangle optical zoom also remains, providing a 35mm equivalent focal range of 28-200mm.

With regards to design, as a result of the increase in size of the LCD screen the rear of the R10 feels more LCD-heavy, and the addition of an fn button takes the button count from three to four. The R10 also now sees the inclusion of an increasingly-popular electronic spirit level display, a cunning device present on several of Ricohs other models that allows you to see when the camera is level with the horizon thanks to an on-screen indicator.