The Ricoh R10 is slightly deeper than the older R8 model at 26.1mm (D), an increase of 3.5mm, but otherwise it measures (102.0 mm (W) x 58.3 mm (H)) and weighs (168g) exactly the same. This is a compact digital camera that easily fits in the palm of your hand, and you certainly won't notice carrying it in a trouser/shirt pocket or a handbag.

The R10 is available in either silver, bronze or black - Ricoh provided the latter for our review. It retains the rather understated, retro look of the R8, which will appeal to fans of compact Contax film cameras, for example. The external differences between the R10 and the R8 are subtle - there's a new rubberized handgrip area on the front, extra Function button on the back, the larger LCD screen, and that's it. As soon as you pick it up, the Ricoh R10 feels solidly made, refined and purposeful, with no drop in build quality despite the drop in the asking price.

Our most advanced SLR-styled camera to date, it is packed with technology and boasts a 12MP Super CCD EXR sensor and a generous 14.3x optical zoom lens. Photographers will appreciate its advanced feature set and ease-of-use coupled with the versatility of both RAW and Jpeg shooting.