The GR Digital II has a rugged, professional feel. Its matt black magnesium alloy body is superbly crafted and fitted with a useful rubberised grip, and all control buttons are well placed.

Like the rest of the camera, the buttons feel as if they could stand up to some rough treatment.

What sets the GR Digital II apart is the lens. Ricoh has made no compromises in delivering the very best possible quality from the camera - and in this case that means using a prime 28mm equivalent lens with no optical zoom.

We found that it does indeed produce very sharp images and, importantly, they retain detail and brightness right into the corners of the picture. Bare winter branches against a clear sky showed no signs of chromatic aberration or distortion.

Glance at the brochure of just about any modern digital compact and you’ll see boasts about massive zooms, high ISO settings, anti-shake systems and a plethora of automatic scene modes. The GR Digital II, however, is backed by literature filled with MTF charts, lens composition details and shutter diagrams. If none of these makes sense to you, then it’s quite possible that the camera won’t either.

If you’re used to consumer-grade compacts, you may find the feature set a little sparse. There are no auto scene modes, nor is there face detection or image stabilisation. However, RAW mode, Adobe RGB, manual exposure and focus, a flash hot shoe and highly programmable controls are all here. It’s the mind of a digital SLR in a compact body.

A unique feature is its built-in electronic spirit level, which helps ensure that your photos are perfectly horizontal by means of an on-screen indicator or audible signal.

You can also choose from a selection of accessories, including wide and telephoto lens converters and optical viewfinders. Unfortunately, it also carries an SLR-level price tag.