The Ricoh Caplio R4 is a very compact 6 megapixel digital camera with a massive 7x optical zoom lens that is equivalent to 28-200mm on a 35mm camera. Most cameras of this size offer a 3x or at best a 4x optical zoom, but Ricoh have squeezed a 7x zoom wide-angle lens into a body that is only 26mm thick. To help compensate for the effects of handshake, Ricoh have included a Vibration Correction system that should ensure sharper photos at slower shutter speeds than normal.
Other highlights of the Ricoh Caplio R4 include a large 2.5 inch LCD screen, ISO range of 64-800, 1cm macro mode and the usual fast responsiveness that you always get from a Ricoh camera. There are few changes from the previous Ricoh Caplio R3 model, mainly a higher-resolution LCD screen and the addition of one extra megapixel.
Unfortunately the R4 still suffers from obvious chromatic aberrations and poor night shots, although once again the the amazing macro mode and the anti-shake system are definitely worth having. The main attractions of the R4 remain the same. A point and shoot camera that can easily fit in your pocket, yet has a massive 7x wide-angle optical zoom lens.