Ricoh GXR/A12 50mm Review: Digital Photography Review

Top of camera controls

The GXR's top panel will be immediately familiar to users of GRD or GX cameras. The main mode dial locks into place (that little button has to be pressed to turn it), but the key controls here are the twin control dials (well, one dial, one lever), that together allow almost total control of the camera without ever seeing a menu. The GXR, like many Ricoh cameras, appears to have been designed - and this isn't as common as you'd hope - by people who actually take pictures themselves, as the control (and crucially, the level of customization on offer) is exemplary.

Mode Dial

Position	Function
	Auto Mode Basic 'point and shoot' mode where pretty much every setting defaults to automatic. Note that unlike many 'auto' modes you can still change most settings (ISO, file size/quality, white balance, focus etc) - only the Aperture and Shutter Speed are out of your control (there's no program shift in auto mode).
P	Programmed Auto (Flexible) The Program AE on the GXR has 'program shift' functionality. This means that you can select one of a variety of equal exposures by turning the front control dial left or right. Example: • 1/160 F3.2 (turn CCW a click) • 1/125 F3.5 (turn CCW a click) • 1/100 F4.0 (metered) • 1/80 F5.0 (turn CW a click) • 1/60 F5.6 (turn CW a click)
A	Aperture Priority Auto In this mode you select the aperture and the camera will calculate the shutter speed for the exposure (depending on metered value; metering mode, ISO). Aperture is displayed on the viewfinder status bar and the LCD monitor, turn the front dial (or, optionally, the ADJ dial) to select different apertures. A half-press of the shutter release causes the cameras exposure system to calculate the shutter speed, if it's outside of the cameras exposure range the shutter speed will blink.
S	Shutter Priority Auto In this mode you select the shutter speed and the camera will calculate the correct aperture for the exposure (depending on metered value; metering mode, ISO). Shutter speed is displayed in the viewfinder and the LCD monitor, turn the front dial (or, optionally, the ADJ dial) to select different shutter speeds. A half-press of the shutter release causes the cameras exposure system to calculate the aperture..
M	Full Manual Exposure In this mode you select the aperture and the shutter speed from any combination of the above (and additionally Bulb shutter). Turn the front dial to adjust aperture and the rear (ADJ) to adjust shutter speed (these can be swapped). The viewfinder/LCD display will indicate how close you are to the metered exposure (+/- 2 EV).
MY 1 MY 2 MY 3	Custom Mode You can save up to three sets of custom settings for immediate recall.
SCENE	Scene mode Designed to match the camera settings to several specific shooting scenarios. Confusingly this is also where you'll find the GXR's movie capture features: Movie Portrait Sports Landscape Nightscape Skew Correct Mode The exact movie options available will depend entirely on the lens unit attached: with the A12 50mm F2.5, for example, you get three movie modes (HD 1280, VGA and QVGA). The movie mode offers only very limited control over settings such as exposure - you can't, for example, select aperture or ISO sensitivity.

Buttons / Switches

Button/switch	Options / description
ON/OFF	Main Power Switch • On • Off
	Front dial ('up-down dial') Used to change exposure settings and navigate menus. In play mode turning the dial changes magnification. The dial is also used in the direct menu to change the currently selected setting.

Camera unit release lever

On the front of the grip, just below the shutter release, is the locking lever for the interchangeable lens units. Pull this to the left to unlock the unit before sliding it out.