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VladimirV
Lives in
London, United Kingdom
Has a website at
http://ricoh-gr-diary.blogspot.com/
Joined on
Feb 24, 2007
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alfredo_tomato: Is Ricoh taking a page out of the Sigma playbook? Instead of changing lenses, will we be be pulling another GR out of our pocket?
Richard, this is not quite their first large sensor model, in more than one was the GXR with A12 28mm and GXr A12 50mm were large sensor fixed, prime-lens cameras quite a while ago.
Most people just focused in presenting the GXR as a system camera where it was more a collection of fixed lens cameras.
You are right in that Ricoh had the GRD and film GR1 cameras way before Sigma and this is just an evolution of these cameras.
Best Android app or general app for photographers on any mobile system is Photo Mate, you should definitely check it out. Not only does it allow 100% focus but it can also convert fullsize RAW files from quite a lot of different formats to JPG, read and display large TIF files, compare two images side by side, allow you to rate images and more.
While not free it's worth every penny.
If you really need free, get Photo Editor on Andoid, free and can also display and edit pictures at 100%.
tkbslc: I feel bad that nobody seems to care about the GXR.
People who care about the GXR probably don't need to respond to this since they would have updated their firmware and are out taking pictures rather than spending time posting stuff.
Ricoh cameras are cameras for photographers who don't follow the masses and know what they want.
To thewhitehawk, you should look into this since you are missing out if you only follow the mainstream. Ricoh cameras are very well regarded and reviewed by photographers.
Hold a Ricoh camera and you will understand why this is the case.
bradleyg5: I don't understand how Ricoh is even still in business. Who is buying into this system. How are they even making back their investment?! All of there cameras are ungodly expensive, have brutal image quality, and the worst headline features.
It's like they make cameras for people who don't want a good camera, they just want a camera nobody else will have. They make cameras for people who keep them on a shelf.
It's like they come out with this retarded system and they don't even push the boundaries, it's like none of the lens/sensor combinations do anything unique. So you go, oh it's flexibility you can just buy one system and it can do all these different things. BUT the cost is so high you could just buy a whole bunch of other dedicated systems that each would be better suited.
Like how could they possibly sell over a hundred of these? of the almost 7 billion human beings on this planet, I cannot imagine more than 100 would actually pay for such a thing as this.
Once you use a Ricoh camera you will understand why people buy them. Because they are the best handling cameras out there and made for people who actually go out and take pictures rather than obsessing over specs or pixel peeping.
While I am personally not interested in this module, the GXR M Mount module has some of the best image quality you will find in any APS camera.
bgbs: I still view Mirrorless as more of a walk about camera. I can see NEX7 being used as a landscape camera as well, but that is about it. For every other kind of shooting you need a DSLR because with DSLR you invest into a whole system. You cannot use Mirrorless for serious flash photography for example. Limited lens selections are also a problem. Not much third-party accessories are available to improve photography.
I'm looking to buy V1 for casual walk about shooting when the price gets down, just because its fast and accurate AF makes it a worthy contender. The IQ out of that thing is more than enough for me. For serious work, I will still be using my DSLR.
If you really think you can only do serious photography when you invest in a system (whatever that means) or that third part accessories improve photography then you need to go out more and take pictures.
The person behind the camera and books or a class will improve photography and there is no need for a system, one camera with one prime lens is all you really need for serious photography.
jameshamm: I'm getting very good results with the Leica mount module. Do yourself a favour, borrow a good leica lens and try it on the GXR. Then see if you want to come here and complain about the concept.
@danaceb
The Nex 5N is a great camera but in terms or ergonimics and handling it's not quite there with the GXR. I love the flip screen though and the sensor looks to be very good but the missing AA filter on the GXR is something not to be overlooked and makes a big difference.
At the same time, as good as the focus peaking on the Sony is, Mode 2 on the GXR really makes manually focusing a breeze and is way more usable in my view.
But I would be very tempted to get the Sony NEX7 with the 5N sensor as a backup camera.
Zygonyx: As far as i read, one of the issues with GXR is autofocus performance. Let's hope Ricoh will have achieved significant progress in this respect with the new module.
The Af issues have been fixed in firmware a long time ago but DP review never bothered to update their review as they have done for other cameras.
The AF is now faster with both A12 modules than similar APS cameras like the Fuji X100 and Leica X1 for example.
fzand: Ricoh's strategy of creating complex modules that include everything on a relatively dumb chasis is an interesting idea, but it also presents a big cost and complexity challenge that everytime you want to buy a lens you are practically buying a new camera with all its issues regarding firmware, etc.
The idea is not as dumb as some people think.
You can buy the GXR with Mount module and have an interchangeable lens camera where you can swap the lens and sensor. If you need a small p&s superzoom camera, you get the P10 module or the S10 module if you need a slightly bigger sensor and higher quality zoom. If you need a APS fixed lens camera you get the A12 28mm or A12 50mm modules or if you want some zoom you get the new A16 24-85mm module.
Take another example why the system is very good, you travel and want a backup camera. Usually you need another camera which takes up space, needs another charger, different batteries, extra sd cards and so on. With the GXR system you just take another module and are done.
How many people would love to be able to use the Sony NEX5n sensor in the NEX7 body without paying so much extra, a new GXR body would allow you to upgrade just the body for as little as £250.
Or what about people buying the Fuji X100 or similar fixed lens cameras?
Fraser Smith: I wonder if it too will start to fall apart after a couple of years, just like my GRD III and just in time for the release of the GRD V?
Sorry, no sale Ricoh. Too little, too late, once bitten twice shy.
I wonder what you have done to get yours to fall apart, I still have and use my GRD I which is now 6 years old and has been used a lot. All I have is some paint wearing off the buttons and the LCD screen does not look new anymore but is still usable. The GRD III looks like new and again has been used a lot in all kind of conditions.
markdavisphotography: How does this system fare regarding moisture and dust intrusion? Is the adapter to body joint well sealed?
Very well sealed in my experience. I used the GXR in snow, rain and dusty conditions and never had any problems. I just carry it in either a normal bag or jacket pockets.
Ashley Pomeroy: I can't see it mentioned in the specs, but given the electronic shutter, will this have an incredibly high flash sync speed? Like the old Nikon D1 / D40 etc?
The lack of an antialising filter sounds interesting, reminiscent of the old Kodaks. I used to have a DCS 560, which had a six megapixel APS-H sensor without an anti-aliasing filter (and a very, very thin infrared filter) and the results were very detailed. Not earthquake-making, but good for something from the last century.
Unfortunately the flash sync speed is 1/180 despite the electronic shutter. This is true for both the internal and external flashes.
Mattoid: Why not make a full frame one? Everyone would by it then. At the moment it only has the lack of filter and silent shutter over the nex. But the nex has video and focus peaking. But the nex will never be full frame, so the direction to go is obvious.
Guess to get a custom FF sensor would cost too much or make the module too big (the M9 is twice the size and a 5D is 4x the size of the GXR).
As for focus peaking, the Ricoh has this, too.
Fazal Majid: This module doesn't have a rangefinder coupling cam, which makes it harder to detect lens focusing action. I've used M lenses on a m43 body with adapters, and the user interface is far worse than "native" manual-focus lenses like the Voigtlander m43 ones, where turning the focus ring automatically brings up whatever focus assist mode you selected.
Sorry to disappoint but the Voigtlander Nokton m4/3 lens has no coupling and works the same way as any other adapted lens, you have to engage the magnified view manually. Only AF lenses from Olympus and Panasonic actually communicate with the camera and engage the magnified view.
MP Burke: I thought the whole point of the GXR was that lenses were integrated with the sensors. A "module" that allows interchangeable lenses seems to go against that principle and allow dust access to the sensor. Furthermore, it doesn't solve one of the big problems of the GXR, tha lack of ultra-wide lenses. We still await a real alternative to the M9, a camera that can use Leica M lenses on a full frame sensor.
This is a misconception or maybe poor marketing from Ricoh but the GXR concept was always about being able to create any kind of modules one wants, the first camera modules had lenses integrated with sensors but this was never a requirement for the GXR system.
Roland Karlsson: Why not buy a NEX with a Leica adapter instead?
Does the GXR module give any extra features?
Moreover - APS-C Leica camera is not FF Leica camera.
It does, an electronic shutter, optimized settings for each lens plus lens information in EVIF, better handling and controls being just a few of the advantages.
Another is also the ability to just use one of the other A12 modules on it and have access to some very good and compact 50mm f2.5 macro and 28mm f2.5 lenses which the NEX does not have.
While it's not FF the high ISO of this will be much better than the noisy M9 sensor.