The Ricoh WG-4 GPS gives high-quality shooting in the outdoors and in the water. It’s waterproof to an incredible 14m, dustproof and shockproof to 2m. Other features of the WG-4 GPS include a back-illuminated CMOS 16 megapixel sensor, 4x wide-angle zoom plus built-in GPS functions and pressure/altitude/depth gauge for outdoor shooting.
Heavy-duty construction for underwater shooting to 14 metres deep
Thanks to its fully watertight construction, the WG-4 GPS assures outstanding waterproof performance to a depth of 14 metres, and for up to two hours of continuous operation (equivalent to IPX8 or JIS Class 8). It is also designed to be shock-resistant against a fall from a height of two metres, dustproof (equivalent to IPX6 or JIS Class 6), cold-resistant against temperatures as low as –10°C, and crushproof against weights up to 100kgf (kilogram force). All these features make it truly dependable, heavy-duty digital imaging partner in harsh, demanding outdoor conditions.
Large-aperture zoom lens and latest imaging technologies
The high-performance optical zoom lens offers a maximum aperture of F2.0 (at wide-angle end) to capture bright, clear images with minimal noise, even in dimly lit locations. With its four-times zoom coverage from 4.5mm to 18mm (equivalent to approx. 25mm wide angle to approx. 100mm medium telephoto in the 35mm format), this versatile zoom lens accommodates a wide range of applications, from macro shooting of flowers to wide-angle photography of sweeping landscapes.
Thanks to the upgraded AF algorithm, the focusing speed in macro shooting has been greatly increased to facilitate close-up applications. In the Underwater and Underwater Movie modes, the colour rendition and contrast of a captured image are automatically optimized based on the original image data: Red tints and shades, which tend to be lost in underwater photography, are enhanced for true-to-life colour rendition, while the loss of contrast caused by the diffusion of light in the water is effectively compensated for sharper, clearer images.
shooting modes
Including the Shutter Priority and USER modes, which are installed for the first time in the WG series, the WG-4 GPS provides a total of 29 shooting modes. In the Shutter Priority mode, the camera automatically sets the aperture and ISO sensitivity for a user-selected shutter speed to assure optimum exposure. In the USER mode, the photographer can instantly recall preprogrammed settings for more personalized camera operation. In addition, the Auto Picture mode automatically selects one of 16 different scene modes for a given scene or subject. With a wide choice of shooting modes, the user can always find the ideal mode for every subject and occasion.
High-performance, back-illuminated CMOS image sensor
The WG-4 GPS comes equipped with a state-of-the-art, back-illuminated CMOS image sensor, which excels in high-sensitivity and low-noise characteristics, and assures high-speed readout of image data signals. Coupled with a high-performance imaging engine, this image sensor delivers a top sensitivity of ISO 6400 and super-high-resolution images with 16.0 effective megapixels. That model also provides advanced image processing functions made possible by the latest super-resolution technology to assure sharp, clear, high-resolution images. It even offers such innovative features as a Handheld Night Snap mode, which automatically captures multiple images of the same nighttime scene and produces a single blur-free, composite image from them.
Six Macro Lights to assist close-up shooting
With six LED Macro Lights positioned around the circumference of the lens barrel for macro shooting, the WG-4 GPS provides brighter, more uniform illumination on the subject when the Digital Microscope mode is selected. With the Macro Lights, the user can clearly see a magnified view of a microscopic world often unseen by the naked eye on the camera’s LCD monitor and effortlessly capture eye-catching images. In order to minimize camera shake and subject shake, the instant illumination enhance 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. In addition, the Macro Lights can provide other user-friendly features, such as a Self-Portrait Assist mode to check if the subject’s face is safely captured within the picture frame using the blink of an LED lamp, and an LED Lighting mode that uses the Macro Lights as a lighting device in the dark.
Full HD movie recording for extended shooting of high-quality movies
The WG-4 GPS provides Full HD movie recording employing the H.264 recording format, allowing the user to capture high-quality, extended movie clips (1920 × 1080 pixels, 16:9 proportions) at a frame rate of 30 frames per second. It also features a high-speed camera function for slow-motion playback of captured movie clips and a fast-forward movie function to simplify creative movie techniques. A micro-HDMI terminal (Type D) is also provided on their camera body for simultaneous output of Full HD movie clips and sound to external audio-visual devices.
High-resolution, wide-frame 3.0-inch LCD monitor
This WG-series model incorporates an extra-large, high-resolution 3.0-inch colour LCD monitor with horizontally extended 16:9 proportions and approximately 460,000 dots. The AR (Anti-Reflection) coating minimizes annoying glare and reflections to assure a sharp, clear on-screen image, even under the harsh sunshine often found in outdoor shooting. The wide-view design offers a clear view of the monitor from approximately 170 degrees horizontally and vertically, making it possible to check an image from different angles.
Built-in GPS functions and pressure/altitude/depth gauge for outdoor shooting
The WG-4 GPS comes equipped with a sophisticated GPS module, which automatically records position data and travel log data onto captured images and adjusts the built-in clock to local time. Its pressure sensor and digital compass also allow the user to check the pressure, altitude/underwater depth and direction of a shooting location on the camera’s LCD monitor.
