Ricoh demonstrates that action cameras don't need to cost the earth
Ricoh has a rich history of making desirable small cameras, but the WG-M1 is something of a departure even for them. It's an inexpensive GoPro competitor that is fully waterproof to 10m without needing an additional enclosure.
At first glance it looks rather like a miniature submersible probe, foregoing the typical camera layout for something much more interesting.
The shape dictates that the controls are on the side, there's a 1.5" colour display on the top, and a fish-eye lens at one end.
As a camera it can shoot still images and up to 1080p video with its 14MP sensor, and be simultaneously connected by wi-fi to an Android or iOS device.
Images and movies are captured to a micro-SD card that Ricoh doesn't include, and you locate that behind a double-latched waterproof door, along with the removable battery.
Charging is via a provided micro-B USB cable and charger, as there's no external charging gizmo included in the box. However, Ricoh reused its DB-65 battery design from previous compact cameras, and it's easy to get replacements and a charger relatively inexpensively.
Being so small and having a limited number of controls, there aren't the range of shooting modes you might expect from an ordinary compact camera.
The lens can be set in Wide, Mid, Narrow or Water modes; you can shoot stills in burst mode; and it can also do time lapse and slow-motion movies. There's even an option for motion-detected recording, for those who want to capture wary wildlife.
If you're looking for the sort of effects that compact cameras come with, like HDR, or even a flash, then you've misunderstood the purpose of the WG-M1.
How good the results are generally depends on the amount of available light, because without decent levels, images can rapidly become very grainy. For that reason, I wouldn't recommend trying to use this to shoot underwater in the UK, for example. Ricoh had the equatorial lighting experience more in mind, I'm sure.
In stronger light, you get much better results even if the colour balance sometimes seems overly biased towards yellow, for some reason.
Compared with the GoPro products, the first obvious difference is that this won't shoot 60fps in 1080p resolution, only 30fps. It also doesn't have a physical control interface that might be used to connect it to a drone, for example.
The best aspect of this design is the camera/tablet control, which is excellent, and there's almost no discernible lag between what the camera sees and its presentation on your mobile device.
The challenge for Ricoh is that you can get the GoPro Hero 3+ Silver for £199 discounted, and it comes with a waterproof enclosure rated to aqualung-only depth of 40m. However, I'd say the Ricoh is better to use than the Hero 3+, and easier to start with for the inexperienced.
What it could have done to make the WG-M1 even more enticing is to add more accessories in the box, because what you get now isn't bountiful.
At this time, you only get a single adhesive mount and a carabiner strap, although you can buy a large range of well-designed accessories from Ricoh. These include ground spikes, handlebar mounts, and magnetic, suction cup and helmet connectors, to mention just a few. Unfortunately they're not cheap. The handlebar mount, for example, is an eye-watering £29.99 from Jessops.
The only redemption is that you're not forced to use the Ricoh official ones, as it used a standard threaded camera mount on the underside of the WG-M1.
Overall, it's a mixed bag. I like the price, the construction quality and the overall concept. Where the WG-M1 seems to fall down is mostly on minor details that could have elevated this design into something with a wider appeal.
For example, if you set the camera to still shot and lens to narrow and then power off, you'll find it has returned to 'Wide' when you power up and video mode. And a 24-minute limit on video recording entirely undermines this as a journey recording device.
The design team behind this camera probably needed to take a step back and appreciate the good things they had and how they might make them even better.
This is the firmware polish that Ricoh needs to apply, if the WG-M1 is to provide GoPro with the sort of competition it richly deserves. Mark Pickavance
A tidy action camera that's less than a GoPro.
Highlights
• Supports 1080p30 & 720p60 video.
• Capture 14MP photos.
• Ultra-wide angle lens.
• Waterproof to 32', shockproof up to 6.5'.
• Cold-resistant down to 14°F.
• Slow-motion 120fps recording mode.
• Rugged design with large control buttons,
• Micro HDMI output.
• Built-In wi-fi connectivity.
• Flat adhesive mount included.