The new R8 is the successor model to the Caplio R7 (launched September 14, 2007), which also had
a slim body and 7.1x optical wide-angle zoom lens (28–200 mm in 35 mm focal length). By combining
a new 10 megapixel CCD with the earlier model's popular Smooth Imaging Engine III image processing
engine, the R8 takes high-defi nition photography to a higher level.
The R8 also offers various other enhanced capabilities for fun and easy photography, such as a large 2.7-inch, 460,000-pixel HVGA LCD and the same 1:1 aspect square format photography function that has proven extremely popular on Ricoh‘s Caplio GX100 (launched April 2007) and GR DIGITAL II (launched November 2007) models.
In addition to the specification improvements, the R8 has also undergone a complete redesign. This new model combines ease of use and technical specification in a body that is contemporary and stylish and has been designed based on a concept “A tool you want to use every day.” In creating the R8 as a tool for taking photographs, great care has been given not only to styling and coloring but also to its operability, portability, comfort in hand, and its solid, high-quality feel.