Ricoh Caplio R4 gets in real close with 7.1X optical zoom

If you’re looking for a camera that can get a super wide angle (28mm), as well as get in real close (200mm), Ricoh’s got the answer for you in the company’s new Caplio R4, which sports an impressive 7.1 optical zoom lens. What this means is that you can get some great perspective, while just as easily getting a shot of something in all its minute detail. The 1cm macro mode doesn’t hurt either. Despite its striking zoom ability, Ricoh managed to keep this camera at a mere 26mm of thickness.

The CCD is an adequate, but not overly incredible 6.04 megapixels. Other highlights to this digital camera include a bright 2.5-inch LCD screen (153K pixels), and a 0.007 second shutter release time lag. There’s even a vibration correction feature for those of you with shaky hands (like me), which is especially useful when you’re making use of the zoom.

With 330 shots on a single charge, battery life is not an issue. Ricoh has thrown in a couple of continuous shooting modes for good measure as well. And yes, the Ricoh Caplio R4 is PictBridge-compatible. No word on price, but this camera should be hitting shelves any day now.