I'm thinking of getting an R5 for my girlfriend. I'ts only 133€ so I think this can't be wrong.
Has anybody here used an R5? are there any major disadvantages? To me it looks like the perfact all-round compact.
Is there a real difference to the later models?
On the Ricoh forum at dpreview there seams to have been more problems with R5s then the other R models. These problems were usually:
* lots of slightly out-of-focus pictures
* image stabilization doesn't work until 30 sec after power on
* some menus (e.g. the "quick" adj.-menus) can't be quick-stepped
Ricoh doesn't acknowledge the last two as problems, and thus doesn't replace such cameras. There have been reports that people with lots of out-of-focus pictures have gotten their R5 replaced by a R4 by Ricoh.
My R5 has the last two problems, and it started making rattling sounds and the AF broke just before a 2 week trip, so I quickly needed a new. I bought a R6. My sister now has the repaired R5. I think now that I should have bought a R4. They seam to be the peak of the R series (while R5 by many is regarded as the low water mark).
The R5 was much more responsive. But R6 (and R7) has better zoom lever and nicer body. My sister so far only points and shoots, and has been happy with the R5.