Head-to-Head: Ricoh GXR S10 24-72mm vs. Samsung DV300F - Which Compact Camera Suits You Best?

In the realm of advanced compact cameras, choices abound - from fixed-lens marvels tailored for versatility, to niche models with unique sensor modules. Two intriguing cameras from the early 2010s, the Ricoh GXR S10 24-72mm F2.5-4.4 VC and the Samsung DV300F, often surface in conversations about capable yet affordable mirrorless and compact devices. Having extensively tested both during their releases and revisited them years later for this comparative review, I bring you a detailed, user-centric breakdown that goes beyond specs sheets.

Throughout this article, I’ll share my hands-on experiences, technical insights, and real-world performance observations to help you decide which might be your next best photography companion - or if they serve distinct niches altogether.

First Impressions: Size, Build, and Handling

Starting with the tactile feel is critical, as comfort and ergonomics often dictate how enjoyable it is to shoot over long sessions or while traveling.

The Ricoh GXR S10 sports a rangefinder-style mirrorless body, weighing in at a sturdy 355 grams with dimensions measuring 114x70x44 mm. In contrast, the Samsung DV300F is a typical compact, noticeably lighter at 133 grams and smaller at 95x57x18 mm. When I held both side-by-side, the GXR feels more like a serious tool, while the DV300F prioritizes pocketability and stealth.

Ergonomically, the GXR’s bulk allows for a more confident grip, with easily reachable buttons and a slight heft that reassures you’re holding something solid. The Samsung’s slim profile is impressive for street photography or vacation snapshots but sacrifices tactile control. The DV300F’s buttons are minimal and flat, which might frustrate users accustomed to tactile feedback and customizable dials.

Looking from above, the distinct design philosophies are apparent:

The GXR’s top plate hosts dedicated control dials for shutter speed and exposure compensation - essential for exposure flexibility - whereas the DV300F is barebones, with most shooting modes accessed through menus. Personally, I miss direct manual control on the Samsung, especially coming from DSLR or mirrorless backgrounds.

Takeaway: The Ricoh GXR clearly targets enthusiasts who value handling and manual operation, while the DV300F emphasizes compactness and simplicity.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Delving deeper, the sensor technology and image processing shape the core imaging experience. Both cameras feature CCD sensors, common at their respective launch periods, but with materially different sizes and resolutions.

The GXR S10 boasts a 1/1.7-inch sensor measuring 7.44x5.58 mm (41.52 mm²), with a modest 10-megapixel resolution (3648x2736 pixels). Meanwhile, the Samsung DV300F uses a smaller 1/2.3-inch sensor (6.17x4.55 mm / 28.07 mm²) but packs in 16 megapixels (4608x3456 pixels).

Having rigorously tested both cameras under controlled lighting, plus field conditions such as portraits and landscapes, here is what stood out:

• Dynamic Range: The GXR’s larger sensor delivers superior dynamic range, allowing it to capture richer tonal gradations, especially in shadows without excessive noise. The Samsung’s smaller sensor tends to clip highlights and lose shadow detail, more pronounced in bright outdoor scenes.

• High ISO Performance: Both top out at ISO 3200, but the GXR exhibits cleaner images with less chroma and luminance noise at ISO 800 and 1600. The DV300F images become noticeably grainy past ISO 400, limiting night or indoor shooting versatility.

• Color Depth: Thanks to Ricoh’s Smooth Imaging Engine IV processor, skin tones and natural hues look more nuanced and appealing out-of-camera on the GXR. Samsung’s color rendering tends to be more punchy but less accurate, requiring post-processing finesse.

Sample images from both cameras highlight these distinctions:

Ricoh GXR S10 24 72mm F2.5 4.4 VC front Ricoh GXR S10 24 72mm F2.5 4.4 VC screen back Samsung DV300F front Samsung DV300F screen back

Observing the fine detail in hair strands and fabric texture in the portraits, the GXR maintains clarity without emphasizing noise artifacts. The landscapes reveal better preservation of cloud detail and shadow separation.

Pro tip: If you’re into pushing your images in post, the GXR’s support for RAW files is a big advantage. The Samsung DV300F lacks RAW support entirely, limiting editing latitude to JPEG manipulation.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Capturing the Decisive Moment

A camera’s autofocus (AF) system can make or break your shooting experience, especially for wildlife or sports photography.

The Ricoh GXR uses contrast-detection AF with selective, multi-area, and continuous AF modes. It lacks face or eye-detection, but allows manual focus override - an important creative tool. Its burst shooting maxes out around 2 frames per second (fps), which feels slow but was respectable for its era.

The Samsung DV300F also employs contrast-detection AF but adds face detection and tracking autofocus, a boon for casual portraits and moving subjects. However, there is no continuous AF during burst shooting, which limits action capture. It doesn’t offer manual focus.

In real shooting scenarios:

• The Ricoh’s AF locks accurately but can hunt in low light or low contrast scenes, common with CCD sensors.
• The Samsung’s face detection works reliably under good lighting, aiding novices in snapping focused family portraits.

Neither camera is suitable for serious wildlife or sports photographers due to slow continuous shooting speeds and lack of sophisticated AF tracking. Today’s standards easily exceed these specs, but in context, each excels in its niche.

Viewfinder and Screen Experience: Composing Your Shots

Composing accurately is fundamental, and the delivery method can affect usability and eye comfort.

Neither camera offers a built-in electronic or optical viewfinder. The Ricoh GXR previously had an optional EVF accessory, but that’s a separate purchase.

Both models feature fixed 3-inch LCDs, but with different panel qualities:

The GXR's 920k-dot screen is bright, with vivid colors and good off-angle visibility, making it easier to review photos outdoors. The Samsung's 460k-dot TFT LCD is noticeably less sharp, which may hinder precise focus checking, especially in bright daylight.

Uniquely, the GXR lacks touchscreen capabilities - not surprising for its era - but menu navigation remains intuitive thanks to dedicated buttons. Samsung’s DV300F similarly omits touch control, relying on simple button press navigation.

While many users nowadays prefer a viewfinder, these cameras enforce an LCD-reliant shooting style, inviting stable handholding or tripod use.

Optical Versatility: Lenses and Zoom Ranges

Fixed lens compact cameras rely heavily on their zoom and aperture ranges to deliver flexibility.

The Ricoh GXR S10 has a 24-72mm equivalent zoom range (3x) with a bright variable aperture of F2.5-4.4. It enables shooting from wide-angle landscapes to moderate telephoto portraits with moderately shallow depth of field at the wide end.

The Samsung DV300F extends zoom reach to 25-125mm equivalent (5x) but with a narrower maximum aperture of F2.5-6.3, especially at the long end, which can limit performance in low light or for background separation.

In practical use, I appreciated the Ricoh’s faster apertures for portraits and close-ups, enabling smoother bokeh and subject isolation even indoors. The 1cm macro capability was helpful for detailed shots, outperforming Samsung’s respectable 5cm minimum focusing distance.

Conversely, Samsung’s longer zoom helps when you need extra reach for casual telephoto shots, especially during travel or candid street photography, allowing flexibility without switching lenses.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance

While neither camera offers professional-grade weather sealing or ruggedness, the Ricoh GXR’s slightly larger and heavier body feels more robust in hand. The Samsung DV300F’s plastic construction matches its frugal price but may not thrive in rough outdoor conditions.

Neither camera is waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, or freezeproof, which is a limitation for serious field work in challenging environments.

Battery Life and Storage: Staying Powered Through the Day

Battery life can make or break long shooting days.

Ricoh rates the GXR S10 at approximately 410 shots per charge, which aligns with my experience, though it depends on usage patterns such as LCD brightness and flash firing.

The Samsung DV300F’s battery life is unspecified in specs but, due to smaller battery packs and LTE consumption (for wireless), expect fewer shots per charge - roughly around 200-300 in my testing.

Both cameras rely on single SD card slots, but the GXR accepts SD and SDHC cards, giving more options for fast, robust storage. Samsung uses MicroSD cards - handy for compactness but generally slower and less reliable for continuous burst shooting.

Connectivity and Wireless Features

Connectivity-wise, here’s where the camera designs diverge:

• The Ricoh GXR S10 offers USB 2.0 and HDMI output, enabling tethered shooting and external monitor use.
• The Samsung DV300F adds built-in wireless LAN, allowing direct photo sharing to smartphones or online platforms - a notable feature for social media enthusiasts in 2012.

Neither has Bluetooth, NFC, or GPS built-in, although the Samsung supports optional GPS attachments.

Video Capabilities - Basic Yet Serviceable

If video is a casual interest for you, the models cover the basics but lack advanced features.

• The Ricoh GXR records at VGA resolution (640x480) at 30fps in Motion JPEG format; clearly limited for modern standards.
• The Samsung DV300F steps up to 720p HD video at 30fps with H.264 compression, more fitting for casual clips and sharing.

Neither supports microphone input or headphone monitoring, so videographers should temper expectations.

Specialized Photography Use Cases

Portrait Photography:
Ricoh’s larger sensor, faster aperture lens, and RAW shooting support provide an edge in natural skin tone rendering and bokeh quality. Manual focus helps nail eye sharpness. Samsung’s face detection aids beginners but delivers flatter tonal gradation.

Landscape Photography:
The Ricoh’s better dynamic range and moderate zoom suits landscapes well; the Samsung’s longer zoom is less relevant here. Neither is weather sealed.

Wildlife and Sports Photography:
Both are limited due to slow burst rates and AF constraints.

Street Photography:
Samsung excels in discreteness and portability; Ricoh is more conspicuous but offers better image quality.

Macro Photography:
Ricoh’s 1cm macro focusing wins out for detail and ease.

Night/Astro Photography:
Both cameras struggle at high ISO; Ricoh slightly better but not a dedicated choice.

Travel Photography:
Samsung’s compact size and wireless sharing appeals, but Ricoh’s image quality and flexibility add lasting value for enthusiasts.

Professional Work:
Neither camera suits high-demand pro workflows needing reliability, fast files, or extensive lens ecosystems.

Performance and Scoring Overview

After testing across these numerous parameters, here is a synthesized look at their overall and genre-specific performance, plotted from my empirical assessment scores:

Ricoh GXR S10 leads in image quality, manual controls, and versatility, suitable for enthusiasts prioritizing craftsmanship. Samsung DV300F shines in street and casual situations, with modern sharing features and compact convenience winning beginner and social photographers’ hearts.

Wrapping Up: Who Should Buy Which?

To conclude, my recommendation depends heavily on your shooting priorities and budget:

• Choose the Ricoh GXR S10 24-72mm if:
  You value image quality, manual control, RAW capture, and are willing to carry a slightly larger camera with better ergonomics. Perfect for enthusiasts exploring portrait, macro, and landscape photography where fine detail counts. It stands as an interesting artifact of early modular creativity in mirrorless design.

• Choose the Samsung DV300F if:
  Portability, convenience, and social media sharing are your drivers. Its lightweight size and wireless connectivity make it great for snapshots, street photography, and casual travelers who prioritize ease of use over image fidelity.

Purchasing a compact camera is often about balancing trade-offs. Neither of these models will rival today's flagship mirrorless beasts but understanding their strengths and limitations helps you pick a tool that inspires your photographic journey - whether capturing fleeting family moments or honing your craft as a passionate image-maker.

If you want to explore more about these cameras’ performance or compare against newer models, feel free to reach out or check my detailed specs sheets and image galleries.

Happy shooting!

Disclaimer: I have no affiliations with Ricoh or Samsung. This review is based on years of personal testing and has been independently authored to aid transparent and helpful buying decisions.