The new R8 is the successor model to the Caplio R7.

It inherits its predecessor's slim body and includes the same 7.1x optical wide-angle zoom lens (which delivers a focal range of 28–200mm in 35mm focal length).

The R8 combines a new 10 megapixel CCD sensor with the earlier model's Smooth Imaging Engine III image processing engine.

The R8 also offers a 2.7-inch, 460,000-pixel HVGA LCD and the same 1:1 aspect square format photography function as Ricoh's Caplio GX100, which was launched in April 2007, and the GR DIGITAL II, which was unveiled last November.

Additional features include an improved ADJ. (Adjust) feature, which now integrates the Adjust button functions with those previously controlled by the cross-key.

Ricoh has also added a fix minimum aperture function; AF/AE Target shift functions and improved the camera's zoom lever usability so that photographers can switch between two zoom speeds.

Other tools include image colour tone correction or white balance compensation; a tool for trimming still images (the edited image can be saved as a new file); vibration correction functions, a face recognition mode, and macro functions.

The R8 will be available in March for £249.99.