Ricoh's big-sensor compact gets more social with NFC and WiFi
Ricoh is launching a new version of its GR compact camera. And, if you take a close look at the spec sheet, you'll see it's largely unchanged; why mess with a good thing? The GR II still has the same big 16.2-megapixel APS-C sensor, a fast f/2.8 28mm (35mm equivalent) fixed lens, built-in flash, 1080p video and 0.2 second autofocus speeds, all squeezed into a compact retro body. While that makes it an ideal grab-and-go street shooter, the last model unfortunately lacked any wireless functions to let you share those images. Luckily, Ricoh has finally rectified that.
You can now pair it quickly with your smartphone via NFC, then transfer files over WiFi, thanks to a new module in the top hump. The GR II also has a remote function so that you can frame up shots and fire the shutter with your phone or tablet. Other tweaks include a touch faster 1/2,500th shutter speed, autofocus that works in movie mode and 17 new Instagram-like effects. We're not sure if the sparse range of new features is enough to convince you to pay a steep $800, but if you need a pocket-sized APS-C camera, you won'tfind one for much less than that.