DC Watch has multiple pictures of different Ricoh GXR prototypes shown on the CP+ Camera and Imaging Show 2010 in Japan. One of them is the previously rumored 28-300mm GXR cartridge:
On display was also a Ricoh GXR A12 28mm f/2.5 cartridge and Ricoh GXR Leica mount cartridge:
as well as Ricoh GXR Hasselblad cartridge:
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27 Comments
Dust magnet!
talk about an ugly little bugger
Its not ugly. There are some uuugly cameras out there, bulbous, orange, impossibly to use, etc, things — and this is not one of them. The look is slightly conservative, mostly utilitarian, and not at all finished. But its OK if this is the kind of system you are interested in. I mean even if you consider the grossly deformed bodies of DSLR cameras, all gnarly and grippy, with huge prism domes, I mean, cameras aren’t exactly very beautiful the bigger and more useful they get.
No, its ugly becasue it has the same plastic as my windows 95 computer and needs to be cleaned.
What kind of sensor for the m-mount? Because an APS-C M mount could be highly interesting.
Is boxy the new style for camera bodies?
The Sony prototype looked about the same in terms of the body shape and the bulge for a hand grip. I guess it must make packaging the “guts” easier or something, but it surely would be nice if it were a tad more rounded like a Kodak Retina or a Leica.
look fine. Hopefully its AF is fast and accurate
Do they actually consider making 135mm full frame or MF modules with interchangeable lenses? Because the pictures show stuff… That would be interesting!
A12 28mm & P10 28-300mm are officially planned by RICOH.
But Leica mount cartridge and Hasselblad cartridge are concept models proposed by Japanese camera magazine NIHON CAMERA.
My understanding is that those prototypes were displayed on Ricoh’s booth at the show. This puts some validity to this rumor – otherwise why would they display it on their official booth? The Google translation is not clear – maybe I am missing something.
Yes, they were displayed on RICOH’s booth.
But they were made by Professional Photographer Fumio Nakamura, and made for his article on NIHON CAMERA Magazine.
I think RICOH wanted to appeal the potential of Unit Camera by displaying those cartridges.
Thanks for the update!
Yes !
Am I the only one seeing a 18.3mm lens – and not a 28-300mm one?
18.3mm = 27.45mm in APSC
Did someone mention this is an ugly camera? I agree!
I don’t get it with this product. There’s better already out there and there will be even better launches from companies we know so well very soon. I don’t get it, it’s a poor design and business model as to where this will fit. What a waste!
part that sucks is that every lense you want will cost double since you have to buy a brand new sensor with it
Hahaha… no comment!
Grumps,
it is a fantastic compact camera ! Samples here:
http://ricoh-gxr.blogspot.com/
Best regards.
PPL,
Well if it proves itself to be that… so be it!
It may be one of those little gems that doesn’t get what it deserves, either way, I don’t feel inspired by it… not yet at least.
The photos are wonderful on the website and I say this because of the users
Cameras are a tool, unfortunately there isn’t anything there that I want from it!
The appeal of an Leica M or Hasselblad cartidge would be the ability to use your existing lenses, therefore it would need to be a sensor cartidge plus the lens adaptor, indirectly proving the GXR concept wrong. I believe the GXR is an appealing and refreshing new direction, but doomed to fail, as it couples 2 distinct elements with very different life cycles. One can use perfectly fine 20 year old lenses but in the digital era a 3 year old sensor is well past its best. Cost aside, this is the main show stopper. Discussions about the esthetics of the camera are, imho, beyond the point.
I wouldnt see the point myself of using a large hassy lens on a small compact like this, just wouldnt make any sense at all. Leica on the other hand seems like a logical way to go, im betting lots of leica owners dont own two digital m’s and wouldnt mind a cheaper solution for a backup body, even a badly beaten up m8 is a few grand and a crisp one is more like 4 -5 which is D3s territory lol.
If the Hassy or Leica cartridge goes cheap enough then it makes sense… As both Hassies and Leicas are luxury items so extremely expensive…
By saying they are expensive, then the lenses for them wouldn’t make it a viable option in the first place and why would you forfeit the maximum quality of why you want to use MF or Leica lenses in the first place!
I have Leica lenses, I use it on the M9 (or using them on any other Leica body for that matter), I wouldn’t think I’d like to use it with something less! Hassy lenses are as big as any DSLR lens… Also I cannot imagine how silly it will look as well… but I guess each to their own.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I specially want Leica or Hasselblad lenses on the GXR. But the ability to use affordable, quality lenses on their intended sensor size on something more affordable than their original bodies. Like M cartridge with Voigtlander M lenses, or Mamiya rangefinder lenses on an equivalent cartridge.
This is partly what I am saying. You can fit Leica lenses on the EP-2 say… but you won’t get the same quality. You might think it is good, but the lenses are like 3-6k, it will be a waste! If you have existing lenses fine if that’s what you want to do… it just defeats the purpose. It’s a like having a Porche Engine with wheels that cannot handle past 80mph, it’s fun upto that limit but ultimately wasted. If that’s what people ultimately want to do with cameras, that’s fine, each to their own right? I’m not saying specifically you, even though you mention it….
Sometimes just having the option, doesn’t make the solution a good one! I can appreciate your call out on this though! I just don’t see them really making a worthwhile FF or MF sensor for the GXR.
Now that Ricoh are hinting at modules for existing lens systems (especially legacy manual lens systems), this camera makes a great deal of sense. Build in a really good EVF to the host body, and provide modules with really good sensors and fast shutters, and this will take off amongst serious photographers who have been at the game for a long time, own lots of good glass, and know how to shoot well in apperture priority and manual focus. Who cares what it looks like, really!