With the reputation that compact cameras are getting, with some feeling that they've become mere toys for taking snapshots, it's good to know that a company like Ricoh remains committed to developing high quality compact cameras for the serious photographer. Continuing this tradition, Ricoh has just announced the release of their all new Ricoh Caplio GX-200, a follow-up to last year's award winning GX100. Whether you're new to Ricoh's GX series or already a loyal fan, the GX200 looks to impress once again with major features like a 12 megapixels CCD, a 24mm wide angle lens, a new Smooth Imaging Engine III processor and a high-res 2.7-inch LCD screen. While the all new GX200 finds itself slotted under the category of compact cameras, this is certainly not your ordinary and delivers the kind of performance and image quality that very few compact cameras are capable of.

Given that the original GX100 design provided an already superb grip, the fact that the GX200 shares the exact same styling and dimensions could only mean as good news. Perhaps even better with the body now 12 grams lighter. However, what users are really looking forward to could be the greater flexibility that comes with its increased resolution. With a high 12 megapixels CCD, the GX200 satisfies the crave of habitual image croppers and with the new Smooth Imaging Engine III processor in place, you needn't worry too much about noise either as this helps to reduce noise without sacrificing resolution or saturation. ISO sensitivity now starts from as low as 64 and up to as high as 6400, and for discerning photographers, they will no doubt appreciate its ability to shoot in RAW. With the ability to shoot up to five images in continuous shooting, and shooting in the 1:1 aspect ratio, the GX200 opens up even more possibilities for its RAW format shooting.

Image quality is further assured with the addition of a brilliant lens, brilliant since it offers a considerably fast aperture of F2.5 (wide angle) to F4.4 (telephoto) which is almost a rarity in compact cameras. Macro shooters will also simply love the 1cm minimum shooting distance and with its moderate 3x optical zoom lens, it's not so moderate after all when you factor in the step zoom capability, which allows jumping to 5 specific focal lengths (24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 72mm). Besides the lens, there's also much more to love like the tear-droppingly beautiful LCD screen, measuring 2.7-inch wide and packs an incredible 460,000 dots, almost doubling the resolution found on your average compact camera.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, you mustn't forget the line of accessories that Ricoh's made for the GX200. For those that dislike composing shots in a zombie-like stance, the VF-1 tilting LCD viewfinder attaches to the hotshoe above for more steady composition. If you thought the lens was limited in focal length, you might find comfort in using the conversion lenses that's available for getting you to as wide as 19mm or as far as 135mm. In a nutshell, there isn't much to dislike about the new Ricoh GX200 and if you're unhappy about the look of this camera or the absence of a smile shutter or an in-camera doodling function, this camera is clearly not for you. For those with a keen eye for beauty and a meticulous mind for every last bit of detail, the Ricoh Caplio GX-200 comes as your undeniable choice, or more appropriately, the photographer's choice.