Pentax XG-1 announced: Ricoh turns the ultrazoom bridge camera up to 11 with a 52x zoom lens

 

 

Some cameras aim for balance in all areas of their designs. Others focus on one detail, and take it to the maximum. The Pentax XG-1 takes the latter route, with a seriously powerful zoom lens -- far more so than any past model from the company.

And the XG-1 is interesting for another reason, too. It's the first fixed-lens model from Ricoh Imaging to feature Pentax branding, rather than Ricoh's own brand. Back when Ricoh adjusted its camera division's corporate name, we were led to expect that the Pentax brand would only be used on interchangeable lens cameras and certain non-camera gear, but it returns to a fixed-lens camera nevertheless -- perhaps because this model has somewhat SLR-like body styling.

 

 

At the core of the Pentax XG-1's design is a 52x optical zoom lens with a handy 24mm-equivalent wide angle and a stunning 1,248mm-equivalent telephoto. It's paired to a 16-megapixel, backside illuminated image sensor capable of sensitivities to ISO 3200 equivalent. Having such a generous zoom range ensures that whether your subject is near or far, you should be able to frame it as you want, without lots of back-and-forth to find the right spot from which to shoot.

Priced at US$400, the Pentax XG-1 goes on sale in the US market from August 2014. For an in-depth look at the most far-reaching Pentax ultrazoom to date, read our Pentax XG-1 preview!