Ricoh GXR hands-on preview

[DPNow]

Here is a summary or excerpt from an article that has just been published on DPNow:

Ricoh has made a bold and unconventional move with its new GXR compact, mirror-less, interchangeable lens, system camera. It features different size sensors in interchangeable lens modules. Can the Ricoh GXR system challenge conventional camera design based on thinking from 80 years ago? Read our hands-on-preview illustrated with a gallery of 19 unique annotated pictures.

Click here to read the whole article...

[Ian]

You can't accuse Ricoh of unimaginative design!

It's refreshing, but is it a winner?

Ian

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by Ian

You can't accuse Ricoh of unimaginative design!

It's refreshing, but is it a winner?

Ian

Hi Ian

Didn't Canon have a similar idea a number of years ago?

Very brave of Ricoh to go down that failed path, although the thinking behind it is a bit different.

I can see where they are coming from with different size sensors for each lens, to keep bulk down on long lenses, I doubt I would buy one though.

Patrick

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Patrick

Hi Ian

Didn't Canon have a similar idea a number of years ago?

Very brave of Ricoh to go down that failed path, although the thinking behind it is a bit different.

I can see where they are coming from with different size sensors for each lens, to keep bulk down on long lenses, I doubt I would buy one though.

Patrick

I can't recall something similar from Canon to be honest. I did raise the point at the press event that while conventional lenses retain their value longer compared to camera bodies, because their technology is more stable, by making the sensor part of the lens that you would be compromising the longevity of the lens. I think Ricoh have missed a great opportunity to make the sensor and image processor, the components that become out of date the quickest, modular and replaceable independently of the lens and main body.

What Ricoh seems to achieved is in delivering a single camera, and familiarity with one set of controls and user interface, that can be either a very slim compact or a Micro Four Thirds style slimmed down alternative to a DSLR. That's certainly attractive, but I think the jury is out as to whether the compromises outwiegh the advantages.

Ian

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by Ian

I can't recall something similar from Canon to be honest. I did raise the point at the press event that while conventional lenses retain their value longer compared to camera bodies, because their technology is more stable, by making the sensor part of the lens that you would be compromising the longevity of the lens. I think Ricoh have missed a great opportunity to make the sensor and image processor, the components that become out of date the quickest, modular and replaceable independently of the lens and main body.

What Ricoh seems to achieved is in delivering a single camera, and familiarity with one set of controls and user interface, that can be either a very slim compact or a Micro Four Thirds style slimmed down alternative to a DSLR. That's certainly attractive, but I think the jury is out as to whether the compromises outwiegh the advantages.

Ian

As I remember the Canon idea was to be able to upgrade the sensor
on a camera by fitting a new higher spec modul as technoligy moved on.
It failed miserably, firstly the moduls were as expensive as a camera, second new higher spec moduls would slow the camera.
Rocoh's idea is slightly different but I suspect will hit not disimilar problems.

Patrick

[Ian]

By all accounts the 33mm macro lens module (50mm f/2.5 equivalent) works very well, but the zoom module, which is based on the lens and sensor from the GX200 compact, has very little ISO latitude. Even at ISO 200 it gets very grainy.

So what we seem to have is a camera that can be very good depending on the lens module you choose, or really quite poor compared to other cameras in this class (Micro Four Thirds) if the lens module is mated to a very small sensor.

The only advantage offered by the current zoom module is compact dimensions.

It will be interesting to see how other reviewers comment on this.

Ian

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by DPNow

Here is a summary or excerpt from an article that has just been published on DPNow:

Ricoh has made a bold and unconventional move with its new GXR compact, mirror-less, interchangeable lens, system camera. It features different size sensors in interchangeable lens modules. Can the Ricoh GXR system challenge conventional camera design based on thinking from 80 years ago? Read our hands-on-preview illustrated with a gallery of 19 unique annotated pictures.

Click here to read the whole article...

One of the things I find irritating about this mirror less development is not the cameras, they look in general very good if a little on the expensive side.

No it’s the fact planned camera’s from the likes of Sony, Nikon, Samsung are all using their own new standard instead of adopting the established 4/3 system. They could all put their own take on the system, and all retain their individuality. After all that was the original intention of 4/3 to have a standard for future products, and it would make life buying a new camera so much easier.

Patrick

[mike_j]

Is it in the interests of major manufacturers to standardise? As it is they have a semi captive purchaser base, though some independents nibble at the edges. Do you think it would be impossible to standardise on a flash pin layout? Or a remote release? Or a battery from a selection of standards? No - they don't want to standardise, they prefer to sell their own items at inflated prices.

Some, like Panasonic go even further and prevent you using legitimately bought third party batteries in their cameras.

[DTD]

Interesting and different – so very 'Ricoh' Maybe a bit too much of both?

Reminds me of modular medium format systems.
However I'm not sure that's what you want in a camera that is supposed to be compact.

I have the GRD-2 with the detachable viewfinder/21mm and 40mm lens attachments – to be honest I rarely use them. In this class of camera I want it to be easy to carry and use.

[Ian]

One benefit if the Rocoh system is that they can use a leaf shutter instead of a focal plane shutter. This means the cameras should be able to be whisper quiet. I'm quite impressed eith the fastest shutter speeds they have managed to achieve (1/2000th for the zoom and 1/3200th for the macro lens, although typical DSLRs with focal plane shutters (including Micro Four Thirds cameras) offer a 1/40oth top shutter speed, and sometimes 1/8000th.

I now have an Olympus Pen E-P2 here to play with and am hoping to get my hands on a GXR in the next couple of weeks. It will be very interesting to compare the two

Ian