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Ricoh just released their new Action Camera: the Ricoh WG-M2. It shoots up to 4K at 30fps with a bitrate of up to 100 Mbps. Besides the Nikon KeyMission it seems the GoPro Hero 4 black got another serious competitor! Let’s take a look at the specs:

 

Ricoh WG-M2 Specs

Image Sensor:
Ricoh WG-M2 features a 8 Megapixel 1/2.3″  CMOS sensor.

Lens:
The camera is equipped with a 204° ultra-wide-angle lens which you can narrow down to a 151° angle of view.
Focal Length is 1.6mm (9mm on 35mm equivalent); max. f2 aperture; focusing Distance 20cm to infinity.
Lens protectors for dry-land and underwater use are included.

Ricoh WG-M2 with underwater lens protector

Ricoh WG-M2 with underwater lens protector

 

Video Resolution:

  • 4K – max. 30fps
  • 1080p – max. 60fps
  • 720p – max. 120fps

Compared to other cameras like SJ5000X elite, Git2 or Eken H9 it’s not just interpolated 4K!
A bit disappointing that 120fps is not possible at 1080p resolution (like on the GoPro Hero 4)

Recording Format:
The videos are recorded in MPEG4-AVC .mov/H.264

Photo Resolution & Format:
max. 8 MP, 3264 x 2448 (4:3); .jpg
Photo Burst for up to 8 fps at 8 MP for up to 10 frames
ISO-sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 6400 (in still-image shooting modes)

Display:
Ricoh EG-M2 features a 1,5″ LCD display with 115,000 pixels

Ricoh WG-M2 features a 1,5" display and is waterproof without additional housing

Ricoh WG-M2 features a 1,5″ display and is waterproof without additional housing

 

Battery:
Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Pack, Providing up to 80 minutes per Charge of continuos 4K shooting.

Storage:
microSD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards; a 64GB card will hold about 1,5 hours of 4K recording in super fine mode.
The Ricoh WG-M2 also has a 68MB built in storage, which should last for about 38 photos in highest quality.

Connectivity & Ports:
The camera offers a microUSB and microHDMI port,
as well as wifi connection to monitor the shot with the Ricoh Image Sync app (iOS / Android)
Videos ad images can be transferred to a mobile device for playback and sharing.

Ricoh WG-M2 - front and side view

Ricoh WG-M2 – front and side view

 

Dimension & Weight:
2.3 x 1.3 x 3.1″ / 57.4 x 34.1 x 77.8 mm
4.80 oz / 136 g including battery, microSD card, and O-LP1631 lens protector

Features:

  • Digital image stabilization
  • Manual exposure with metering (multi-segment and spot) and white balance settings
  • Time-Lapse mode
  • Vibration Assist function to confirm record start/stop
  • 7 Selectable video effect modes (Bright, Natural, Monochrome, Shading, Bleach Bypass, Bold, and High Contrast)
  • Underwater shooting mode: When selected, the camera automatically switches to an underwater white balance mode tothe crystal-clear atmosphere of underwater scenes, while effectively compensating for the loss of contrast caused by the diffusion of light.
  • Waterproof to depths of 65′ / 20m for up to 2 hours
  • Shockproof from drops up to 6.5′
  • Freezeproof to 14° F
  • On the bottom of the camera there is a standard 1/4″ tripod mount
Ricoh WG-M2 - Waterproof, Freezeproof & Shockproo

Ricoh WG-M2 – Waterproof, Freezeproof & Shockproof

 

Accessories:
Ricoh WG-M2 comes in a kit with Power Adapter, USB Cable, Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery and lens protectors for dry land and underwater usage.

The camera will available in orange and silver April 2016.

 

Retailer / Price Comparison:

Conclusion

As the Ricoh Action Camera might not be that popular be careful: The previous model WG-M1 is still available and it has a larger sensor (14Mp) but only shoots up to 1080p 30fps – so don’t mix them up!
The data as well as the price is very promising. Compared to the other 4K cameras such as the GoPro Hero 4 black and the Sony FDR-X1000 it has a lower price tag but is already shock and waterproof without any additional housing and compared to the GoPro Hero 4 black it has a screen already included. A GoPro Hero 5 doesn’t seem on the horizon and with the Ricoh WG-M2 and the Nikon KeyMission serious competitors enter the market!
Can’t wait to see the first images or test it myself – stay tuned!

Ricoh WG-M2 (available in orange and silver)

Ricoh WG-M2 (available in orange and silver)

 

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