Ricoh CX1 vs Samsung CL80: A Hands-On Compact Camera Showdown

In the compact camera arena, choices can quickly overwhelm even seasoned photographers - especially when models come with similar specs on paper but vastly different user experiences in practice. Today, I’m digging deep into two contenders that surfaced around the turn of the last decade but still offer meaningful lessons for anyone weighing portability against photographic control: the 2009 Ricoh CX1 and the 2010 Samsung CL80 (aka ST5500). Both pack a 1/2.3" sensor and zoom reach exceeding 7x, but as you'll see in this comprehensive, hands-on comparison, their strengths, weaknesses, and value propositions couldn’t be more distinct.

Over several hours of methodical testing - covering dynamic range, autofocus precision, ergonomics, and real-world shooting scenarios - I've mapped out how each fares in today's artistic and practical workflows. Whether you’re fixed on portraiture, landscapes, or street snapshots, this head-to-head review will help distill key differences and inform which compact shoots best suit your style and demands.

Compact Dimensions, Larger-than-life Ergonomics?

Let’s start by putting these two compacts side by side to see how they stack in the hand - not just specs but actual handling, an element so often overlooked with tiny cameras.

At first glance, the Ricoh CX1’s boxier 102 x 58 x 28 mm frame looks chunkier than Samsung CL80’s leaner 104 x 58 x 20 mm ultracompact body. On paper, the Samsung wins the size race by a few millimeters in thickness and 20 grams lighter overall (160g vs 180g). Yet what’s surprising is how this weight difference plays out in grip comfort and stability.

The CX1 offers a notable textured grip complementing its taller profile, creating a reassuring, well-balanced hold that’s ideal for steady shots - even handheld macro work where you need precision. By contrast, the sleeker CL80 feels more pocket-friendly but at the expense of tactile confidence. Its slimmer body, while great for slip-in-pocket travel, can induce subtle hand fatigue after extended shooting - especially without a pronounced grip.

Additionally, button placement and control layout differ substantially between these models, which brings me to the next critical aspect.

Top Controls and Interface: Intuitive or Overwhelming?

Building on physicality, let's compare how these cameras invite you to interact.

The Ricoh CX1 opts for a straightforward interface: a prominent mode dial, dedicated zoom lever, and well-separated shutter release button that’s comfortable to operate even with gloves. The tactile feedback from controls here feels precise - no ambiguity about which dial you’re rotating, helping you react quickly to changing light or exposure needs.

Samsung’s CL80 throws in a mix of touchscreen interaction on a relatively large 3.7" LCD (more on that next) yet lacks a manual focus ring or physical dials. Instead, it employs soft-touch buttons nearly flush with the body - beautiful for maintaining its ultraportable silhouette but less satisfying under serious photographic use. If you prefer rapid exposure adjustments or bracketing on the fly, this model may frustrate.

In direct comparison, CX1’s constraint of fewer but more distinct buttons actually enhances usability. For beginners, CL80’s touchscreen does allow more intuitive tapping to choose autofocus points, but for professionals and enthusiasts who rely on muscle memory and quick access during shoots, Ricoh’s classic physical controls have an edge.

Display and User Experience: Screen Real Estate Versus Resolution

When reviewing compacts, screen performance is often a dealbreaker, given the absence of an electronic viewfinder.

Samsung’s 3.7" touchscreen dominates in size but sports a comparatively low resolution of 230k dots. While ample for framing, the lower pixel density means images often look softer on playback, and fine focus checks can be challenging under bright daylight.

Ricoh CX1’s fixed 3" LCD, albeit smaller, boasts a sharper 920k dots resolution - a substantial difference that aids in critical focus confirmation and menu readability. Ricoh forgoes touchscreen functionality here, but personally, I found the sharper, more responsive display more conducive to meticulous shooting and review.

For video recording and live view, the larger Samsung screen feels more immersive, yet in practice, the CX1’s screen renders improved contrast and color fidelity, both pivotal when judging exposure and white balance - especially in demanding portrait or landscape situations.

Sensor, Lens, and Image Quality: The Heart of Photography

Of course, the core specifications inevitably demand careful scrutiny. Both cameras use the same 1/2.3" sensor size (6.17x4.55mm) with identical sensor area (28.07 mm²), yet their sensor technologies differ: Ricoh’s CMOS versus Samsung’s CCD.

Ricoh's CX1's CMOS sensor paired with its Smooth Imaging Engine IV processor delivers a well-rounded image quality profile optimized for lower noise at base ISO and reasonable color accuracy. However, its resolution stands at 9 megapixels (3456x2592), noticeably less than the 14-megapixel CCD of Samsung CL80 (4334x3256). This higher pixel count theoretically promises more detail but also invites challenges such as increased noise at elevated ISOs - a typical trade-off in compact cameras' sensor designs.

Our rigorous testing showed the Samsung CL80’s CCD sensor excels in generating punchy images with vibrant color saturation, though it falls slightly behind under dim lighting conditions due to its higher noise floor beyond ISO 800. In contrast, Ricoh’s CMOS sensor handled low light more gracefully, maintaining cleaner shadows and smoother tonal transitions - making it suitable for evening street and portrait shots where subtle gradations matter.

Lens-wise, Ricoh CX1 offers a zoom range spanning the equivalent of 28-200mm at f/3.3-5.2. Samsung CL80 covers 31-217mm at f/3.3-5.5. Both capture a versatile optical zoom range suitable for travel and casual telephoto use. Still, Ricoh’s marginally wider wide-angle head at 28mm is helpful for landscapes and architecture, whereas Samsung sacrifices little reach at telephoto.

Additionally, the CX1 exhibits more robust sensor-shift image stabilization, compared to Samsung’s optical stabilization - usually a plus for handheld sharpness during macro or telephoto shots.

Bridging Image Quality to Photography Genres

How do these technical specs translate to actual shooting disciplines? Here’s a hands-on look through the lens of various common use cases:

Portraits and Skin Tones

Ricoh’s sensor and lens combo yield smoother skin tone gradations and natural bokeh on close focus subjects (down to 1cm macro). Although not true DSLR-level bokeh, the subtle background blur helps isolate faces gently. The lack of face detection autofocus may slow speed, but manual focus compensation is intuitive thanks to the CX1’s tactile controls.

Samsung CL80’s higher resolution aids detail rendition but sometimes renders skin tones a bit oversaturated, requiring post-processing to neutralize color casts. Its 5cm macro minimum focus distance limits extreme close-ups, suboptimal for detailed facial compositions.

Landscapes and Dynamic Range

For crisp landscape work, dynamic range and resolution are key. Samsung’s 14MP CCD pulls ahead in finely resolving textures like foliage and distant mountain ridges. However, Ricoh’s CMOS sensor shines in shadow recovery, preserving subtle highlights in skies and water reflections better under high contrast.

Neither camera includes weather sealing or significant environmental durability, limiting use in rugged conditions. But for gentle outdoor strolls, both suffice.

Wildlife and Action Photography

Burst mode speeds are regrettably absent or very limited on both models. The Ricoh CX1’s fixed autofocus method and single-point AF mean tracking fast-moving subjects - critical in wildlife or sports - is laborious and misses many frames.

Samsung’s touchscreen-assisted AF selects areas faster but suffers from lag during continuous AF, making it less reliable for action sequences.

Both cameras best serve slow-to-moderate-moving subjects at best - not prime choices for serious wildlife shooters.

Street and Travel Photography

Here, Samsung's extra slim profile and touchscreen ease become assets for quick candid shooting. The silent shutter option on Ricoh is nonexistent, so street photographers wary of drawing attention might prefer Samsung’s quieter approach.

Battery life is similar but neither model breaks records, so travel photographers should pack spares, especially given the Samsung’s microSD card slot and USB 2.0 for easy image offload during trips.

Night and Video Performance: Capturing the Mood and Motion

Both cameras offer video capabilities, but the Samsung CL80 provides HD video at 1280x720 pixels at 30 fps, while Ricoh CX1 maxes out at VGA (640x480) resolution.

For casual video shooters, Samsung outclasses Ricoh with its sharper, more detailed footage. Unfortunately, neither camera supports microphone input or advanced audio control, limiting sound quality fidelity.

Night photography requires good high-ISO control - Ricoh’s CMOS sensor incurs less noise up to ISO 1600, whereas Samsung’s CCD supports ISO up to 4800 but introduces visible grain. Exposure modes are fully automatic on both, lacking extensive manual overrides, putting the onus on users to apply precise exposure compensation or post-processing fixups.

Stability and Focusing Precision: The Devil in the Details

Both cameras offer image stabilization but via different methods: Ricoh with sensor-shift and Samsung with optical stabilization embedded in the lens assembly.

My hands-on evaluation favored Ricoh’s sensor-shift system as more effective in curbing motion blur at slower shutter speeds and full telephoto zoom - ideal for handheld macro or dim indoor conditions.

Both units employ contrast-detection autofocus without phase detection or tracking. Manual focus is possible only on Ricoh, an advantage for macro shooters requiring pinpoint control. Samsung depends fully on contrast detection with touchscreen AF point selection, less precise for complex scenes.

Media, Connectivity, and Power

Regarding storage, Samsung CL80 uses MicroSD/MicroSDHC cards, lending a slight edge in compatibility with modern microSD cards, whereas Ricoh CX1 sticks to full-sized SD/SDHC cards.

Neither camera offers Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity - a limitation in modern workflows where instant sharing or remote control is desired.

Battery types vary: Ricoh uses a DB-70 lithium-ion battery, Samsung an SLB-11A, both proprietary but easy to find replacements for legacy users.

Image Samples: Visual Proof of Strengths and Weaknesses

Ricoh CX1 front Ricoh CX1 screen back Samsung CL80 front Samsung CL80 screen back

Studying side-by-side image samples clarifies the subjective experience:

• Ricoh’s images exhibit cleaner shadows and smoother tonal transitions.
• Samsung’s photos reveal finer detail but noisier high-ISO areas.
• Facial rendering from Ricoh feels more natural.
• Samsung manages better fine detail in foliage and distant textures.

How They Score: Objective Performance Ratings

When looking at a composite score factoring image quality, usability, and versatility, Ricoh CX1 scores slightly higher overall due to handling and sensor advantages, while Samsung CL80 compensates with superior resolution and video capabilities.

Photography Genre Performance Ratings

• Portrait: Ricoh CX1 - better skin tones, manual focus helps
• Landscape: Samsung CL80 - higher resolution, better detail
• Wildlife/Sports: Neither optimal; limited AF speed
• Street: CL80 - discreet form factor and touchscreen aid quick shots
• Macro: Ricoh CX1 - closer focusing and stabilization win
• Night/Astro: Ricoh CX1 - better noise control
• Video: Samsung CL80 - HD recording capability
• Travel: Samsung CL80 - lighter, thinner, microSD support
• Professional Work: Neither - limited manual controls and no RAW support

Bottom Line: Which Compact Camera Should You Choose?

Ricoh CX1 excels if you prioritize:

• Precise manual focus and macro work
• Lower noise images at mid-to-high ISO
• Comfortable, reliable grip and physical controls
• More detailed exposure and white balance management

Samsung CL80 is more suitable if you seek:

• Ultra-compact, pocket-friendly design
• Higher resolution images and HD video
• Touchscreen AF point selection and a larger, vibrant display
• Slightly longer zoom reach

However, both have notable limitations by modern standards:

• No RAW file capture, restricting post-processing flexibility
• Lack of wireless connectivity confines on-the-go sharing
• Limited continuous shooting and autofocus tracking capabilities hinder action photography
• No weather sealing reduces reliability under harsh conditions

Final Recommendations Based on Use Case

• For Enthusiasts focused on Portraits and Macro: Ricoh CX1’s sensor-shift IS and manual focus ease outweigh Samsung’s extra megapixels.
• For Casual Travelers and Street Shooters: Samsung CL80’s sleekness, touchscreen, and HD video fit lightweight carry and social shooting.
• For Landscape Buffs Seeking Detail: Samsung’s higher native resolution provides richer files for cropping and printing.
• For Night and Low Light Scenes: Ricoh’s superior noise control rewards patient shooting at higher ISOs.
• For Wildlife, Sports, or Fast Action: Neither camera matches modern mirrorless or DSLR performance; better choices exist for these demanding needs.

Closing Thoughts: Compact Cameras Then and Now

While both Ricoh CX1 and Samsung CL80 carry the hallmarks of 2009-2010 design philosophies - with focus on portability and basic convenience - their technical nuances break into distinct profiles, appealing to different subsets of photographer preferences.

Seen through the lens of my 15+ years testing cameras - from high-end DSLRs to rugged compacts - I find the Ricoh CX1 a surprisingly capable imaging device with surprisingly thoughtful ergonomics and control, still relevant for certain specialty shooting. The Samsung CL80 shines as a casual point-and-shoot with enhanced video options and a gentle learning curve.

Simply put, your choice hinges on what compromises you’re prepared to accept: ergonomics and image quality with Ricoh or compactness and video with Samsung.

For those craving contemporary performance - especially in autofocus, connectivity, and durability - I recommend investigating newer models that integrate these features. But if budget constraints or a nostalgic attraction to these models bring you here, now you have a comprehensive expert baseline from which to decide.

I hope this detailed comparison helps clarify the nuanced strengths and weaknesses of these classic compacts. Feel free to ask any questions about shooting techniques or best practices with either camera. I’m always eager to share further insights from my field experience!