Ricoh filed a patent 2012-93611 in Japan for an impact resistant lens cap. Here is the translated description taken from the Japanese Patent Office:

Fig.1 is an explanatory view in which showing the outline view of the camera as an imaging device with which the lens cap and lens barrel concerning the present invention are applied, and showing the stored condition of the movable body tube at the time of un-equipping with a lens cap.

Fig.2 is an explanatory view in which showing the outline view of the camera as an imaging device with which the lens cap and lens barrel concerning the present invention are applied, and showing the advance state of the movable body tube at the time of un-equipping with a lens cap.

Fig.3 is an explanatory view in which showing the outline view of the camera as an imaging device with which the lens cap and lens barrel concerning the present invention are applied, and showing the stored condition of the movable body tube at the time of wearing of a lens cap.

Fig.4 is drawing of longitudinal section showing an example of the camera with which it is equipped with the lens cap concerning the present invention, and is drawing of longitudinal section showing the stored condition of the movable body tube at the time of lens cap un-equipping.

Fig.5 is an enlarged drawing of the lens cap shown in Fig.3, and is the outline view which looked at the lens cap from the transverse-plane side of a camera.

Fig.6 is the outline view which looked at the lens cap shown in the Fig.5 from the back side.

Fig.7 is an outline view showing the state where removed the outside cover shown in Fig.5 and the inner cover member was viewed.

Fig.8 is a cross sectional view for describing the fitting relation of the inner cover member of a lens cap and outside cover component which are shown in the Fig.5 and Fig.6, and is a figure showing the state before the external force by a shock is added to an outside cover.

Fig.9 is a cross sectional view showing the state where the external force by a shock was added in the outside cover shown in the Fig.8.

Fig.10 is a partial expanded sectional view expanding and showing the head part of the lens barrel shown in Fig.4.

Fig.11 is a partial expanded sectional view of the head part of a lens barrel showing the engagement relation of the a pair of engaging pawl component and movable body tube which are shown in Fig.7.

Fig.12 is a partial expanded sectional view of the head part of the lens barrel for describing an operation of the lens cap concerning the present invention, and is an explanatory view showing a lens barrel and a lens cap when external force is not added to the lens cap.

Fig.13 is a partial expanded sectional view of the head part of the lens barrel for describing an operation of the lens cap concerning the present invention, and is an explanatory view showing a lens barrel and a lens cap when external force is added to a lens cap.

Fig.14 is a partial expanded sectional view of the head part of a lens barrel showing other examples of the engagement relation of the a pair of engaging pawl component and movable body tube which are shown in Fig.7.

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Pentax patents telephoto lens that can be taken apart for easy transportation
2. Hoya Corp. filed a patent for a water-resistant, interchangeable lens camera
3. The latest patents from Olympus, Ricoh and Canon

• Adobe Creative Cloud is now live, here are the different pricing options:

• Ricoh will continue to exists as a camera brand and they promised "some very high-end Ricoh products" to be announced this year.

• Canon filed a patent application in Japan for automatic tracking of celestial objects by shifting the sensor. Canon recently announced the EOS 60Da DSLR camera tailored for astronomy photography.
• Canon also filed a patent that will allow photographers to obscure some of the embedded EXIF data for privacy.

• Novoflex announced new lens adapters for Fuji X-Pro1 camera. Some samples using Leica M lenses on the X-Pro1 camera with the Kipon L/M-FX adapter can be found here.

• On the same day Olympus announced their TG-1 iHS , Fujifilm released their own rugged FinePix XP170 camera.

Many major camera manufacturers announced their financial results this week:

• Sony reported a record annual loss of $5.7 billion.
• Panasonic reported record loss, shares hit 3-decade low.
• Olympus is also expected to post larger-than-expected loss.
• Fuji also posted declined revenue and income for the 2011 fiscal year.

In the mean time Nikon reported better than expected financial results for 2012.

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Financial results from the major photography companies are out
2. Third party Kipon M-mount lens adapter for Fuji X-Pro1 will start shipping this month *updated*
3. What to expect @ PMA 2010

Nikkei.com reported that Ricoh Pentax will announce another low-priced miorrorless camera (priced at  ¥50,000, around $600). Pentax already has the entry level Q model and the recently announced K-01 mirrorless camera, while Ricoh has the mirrorless GXR system.

Via Digicame-info

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Rumor: Pentax K-01 APS-C mirrorless camera to be announced next month
2. Pentax mirrorless camera to be announced on June 23?
3. Ricoh is working on a new mirrorless camera developed by Pentax

I was always curious to try out the Ricoh GXR system and with the announcement of the A12 Leica M-mount unit, I was able to borrow one and use it with my Leica lenses. Here is my quick review:

General

First, I have to say that this GXR A12 M-mount setup makes sense only if you already have Leica lenses and are looking for a backup or just want a smaller body. This combo may appear also to Leica M film shooters who are looking for a "cheaper" digital solution. The GXR body ($349) and the A-12 M-mount unit ($649) totals around $1000 which is more expensive than other mirrorless solutions for Leica M lenses with similar sensor, like the $600 Sony NEX-5n for example (there are several different M-mount adapters for Sony NEX).

Some basic specs of the Ricoh GXR A12 unit:

• 12.3MP APS-C size CMOS sensor
• ISO range: 200-3200 (including HI and LO)
• 1280x720p HD movie recording capabilities
• 1/4000 maximum shutter (1/8000 when electronic shutter is used in SCENE mode)
• Maximum of 4fps RAW continuous shooting
• No Anti-Aliasing (AA) filter
• 3.0-inch 920k dots, anti-reflection coated, display
• 86 MB internal memory
• Magnesium alloy body
• 1.5x crop factor

The Ricoh GXR system has good ergonomics and feels solid. Both the camera and the unit have magnesium alloy body which adds some weight: the body + unit combo weights about 13 oz | 370 g which is on the heavy side for a mirrorless camera.

Similar to Leica, Ricoh did not go for proprietary RAW format - the GXR system uses Adobe's DNG file standard. The DNG file size is around 16MB.

One of the reasons for the good image quality of the A12 unit is the lack of Anti-Aliasing (AA) filter. The sensor inside the Ricoh M-mount cartridge has optimized micro lenses that improve the image quality, especially in the corners when using wide angle lenses:

"Taking into account the use of lenses such as the symmetrical wide-angle lenses of the film era, this sensor optimizes on-chip micro-lens performance and suppresses peripheral light falloff and color balance changes."

This is how the Ricoh GXR camera looks with the A12 M-mount attached - the unit release lever is located on top of the grip:

The mode dial has a lock, which I found very useful - I think every small camera should have that:

On several occasions I accidentally hit the zoom buttons with my thumb (with the A12 unit, those buttons are used for exposure compensation by default):

The Ricoh GXR body has a small built-in flash:

The GXR A12 unit contains also a "lens checker" that lets you test if some old wide angle lenses do not get too close to the sensor. You should check your lenses before using them with the A12 unit. You may also find this table of compatible Leica M lenses helpful.

Here is the Ricoh GXR + A12 camera with various Leica M lenses attached (Leica Elmarit 28mm/2.8 ASPH, Summilux 50mm f/1.4 ASPH,  Summarit 90mm f/2.5 and Hektor 135mm f/4.5 lens):

What I don't like in the Ricoh GRX + A12 combo:

• 12MP is enough for most situation, but the MP count is lower compared to the latest cameras with APS-C size sensor (Sony currently has 16MP and 24MP APS-C sensors). There are some unconfirmed reports that Ricoh can actually upgrade the sensor in the A12 unit with a newer 16MP version.
• The GXR+A12 camera offers only 1280x720p HD movie recording. In HD you can get up to 15 minutes continuous video recording (the video file cannot go over 4GB).
• Not a great battery life.
• There is no image stabilization.
• There is no sensor cleaning mechanism.
• Use of wide angle lenses is limited because:

1. There are not that many ultra-wide M-mount lenses (Leica currently makes the Super Elmar 18mm/3.8 and the Tri-Elmar 16-18-21/4 WA lenses, Zeis makes the Distagon T* 15mm/2.8 lens and Voigtlander has the Heliar Ultra Wide 12mm/5.6 lens). Consider the 1.5x crop factor when calculating the 35mm equivalent focal length.
2. The design of the wide angle lenses brings the back lens element too close to the sensor (you must use the "lens checker" to confirm if you can use a given WA lens).

Menu

The Ricoh GXR camera's menu is clean and easy to navigate:

The DIRECT screen options gives quick access to the basic camera functionality (there is a dedicated DIRECT button):

Focusing

The Ricoh GXR + A12 system does not have auto focus but it provides two different ways to help you focus manually with M-mount lenses: focus peaking (very similar to the one in the Sony NEX cameras) and focus magnification. The focus peaking has two different modes. In Mode 1 the edges of the subject in focus will be highlighted:

In Mode 2 you can see a high contrast, grey scale version of the subject where the areas in focus will also be highlighted:

The second way to focus M-mount lenses on a Ricoh GXR camera is image magnification (by pressing and holding the menu button). You can select the magnification ratio by simultaneously pressing the self timer button. When using  focus magnification, you can still see the "highlighted edges" of the in-focus areas:

For faster access, the fn1 and fn2 buttons can be assigned for focus assist magnification.

In bright sunlight, it is difficult to use the focus assist functions, even with the grey scale option. This is where the optional EVF ($219) will probably come handy.

Of course you can also use the DOF markings on the M lens for zone focusing.

ISO performance

The ISO performance of the Ricoh A12 unit is on a par with today's APS-C size CMOS sensor used in a mirrorless camera. ISO levels of 800, even 1600 are usable. The next three samples were taken at ISO 1600 with a Leica Summilux 50mm lens at f/1.4 (click on image for larger view, full size JPG available on flickr, no post processing):

Next are 100% crops taken at different ISO settings with the Ricoh GXR+A13 unit and Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux lens wide open:

Ricoh GXR at ISO 200

Ricoh GXR at ISO 400

Ricoh GXR at ISO 800

Ricoh GXR at ISO 1600

Ricoh GXR at ISO 3200

For comparison, this is how the Leica M9 looks at ISO 2500 with the same Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux lens wide open:

Leica M9 at ISO 2500

Sample images

Here are some more sample images taken with four different Leica lenses. I did not like the in-camera JPG processing - I got better results with Adobe Lightroom. The JPG files were produced straight from Lightroom from the original DNG files without any adjustments. The full size in-camera jpg files from the camera are available on flickr. My favorite Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux lens was also my preferred on the GXR system, even though the equivalent focal length is 75mm (because of the 1.5x crop factor):

Leica Elmarit 28mm/2.8 ASPH samples:

Leica Summarit 90mm f/2.5 samples:

With some luck in manual focusing, you can even try shooting wildlife with the Leica Hektor 135mm f/4.5 lens from 1958:

Ricoh also offers an optional VF-2 external LCD viewfinder with 920,000 dots for the GXR system ($219), but I did not have a chance to try it out:

Additional Ricoh GXR accessories:

• Ricoh GF-1 external flash
• Ricoh SC-75B soft case + neck strap
• Ricoh SC-75T unit cover

Ricoh also offers the following GXR lens units:

• A12 28mm f/2.5 camera unit
• A12 50mm f/2.5 macro camera unit
• S10 24-72mm f/2.5-4.4 VC camera unit
• P10 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VC camera unit
• and the recently announced A16 24-85mm f/3.5-5.5 unit

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Ricoh GXR A12 unit for Leica M mount lens now shipping in the US
2. Ricoh GXR Mount A12 for Leica M mount lens to be released soon
3. Ricoh to announce Leica lens cartridge for the GXR system

The newly established Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company will take control of the future design, development and sell of Ricoh digital cameras. Initially that unit was responsible only for the Pentax brand. Ricoh bought Pentax for $124.2 million back in July, 2011.

Press release:

Re-organization of Imaging Systems Business including Digital Camera Business

Tokyo, February 9, 2012 — Ricoh Company, Ltd. (President and CEO: Shiro Kondo, hereinafter Ricoh) announces an organizational change to its imaging system business including security system business and consumer digital camera business.

Since October 1, 2011 when PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY (President：Zenji Miura, hereinafter PRI) was established, Ricoh managed its global imaging system business under two brands, RICOH and PENTAX. Specifically RICOH brand digital cameras were designed, developed and sold by Personal Multimedia Product Company (hereinafter PMMC), an internal organization of Ricoh, while PENTAX brand digital cameras were designed, developed and sold by PRI.

In an effort to strengthen customer relationships and provide innovative products and services, Ricoh will re-organize its structure.

1. Effective date：

• April 1, 2012（plan）

2. Scope：

• Worldwide

3. New functions of each business unit：

• PRI: Consumer businesses such as digital cameras for B2C market (This includes Ricoh development resources to improve capabilities and support Ricoh branded cameras )
• Ricoh PMMC: B2B businesses including security system business, and imaging solutions business for B2B market

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Ricoh establishes Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company
2. Open letter from Hoya to valued Pentax customers and partners
3. Ricoh is working on a new mirrorless camera developed by Pentax

Just few hours before the Penatx K-01 announcement, Ricoh released a new unit for their GXR system with a 16.2MP CMOS sensor and 24mm-85mm lens. Some sample images can be found here.

Tokyo, Japan, February 2, 2012—Ricoh Co., Ltd. (president and CEO: Shiro Kondo) today announced the development and release of RICOH LENS A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5, the fifth camera unit in the GXR interchangeable unit camera system.

Introduced in December 2009, the GXR is a revolutionary interchangeable unit camera system in which lenses can be changed by mounting camera units that integrate lens, image sensor, and image processing engine into a single unit.

The new RICOH LENS A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5 brings together a newly developed 24-85 mm wide-angle zoom lens, an APS-C size CMOS sensor, and the proven Smooth Imaging Engine IV to create a unit with high image quality, high power of expression, and high flexibility.

Main features of RICOH LENS A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5:

Newly developed 24-85 mm wide-angle zoom lens with an APS-C size CMOS sensor with approximately 16.20 million pixels

• This newly developed lens features a 9-group, 11-element configuration. The utilization of three double-sided aspherical lenses as well as high-refraction lenses effectively reduces various types of distortion across the entire zoom range. The result is high resolution and imaging power from edge to edge.
• The configuration of nine rounded aperture blades enables both highly precise aperture settings and beautiful bokeh.
• This camera unit features a 23.6 mm×15.7 mm (APS-C size) 16M CMOS sensor. In combination with the image processing engine Smooth Imaging Engine IV, this image sensor makes it possible to shoot high-quality images with smooth tonal gradations as well as low noise and high-resolution.

Diverse shooting functions and high operability

• Dynamic range compensation reduces overexposure of highlights and underexposure of dark areas. For backlit and high-contrast scenes that cannot be handled with exposure compensation, doing the dynamic range compensation in specific portions of the image makes it possible to shoot the subject at a brightness level close to that seen by the naked eye.
• ISO sensitivity can be set in 1EV or 1/3EV steps.
• With the new ISO bracketing function, the photographer can shoot and record three images with different ISO sensitivities.
• When the new function for maintaining the same shooting settings is set on, by keeping the shutter release button pressed halfway after taking a picture, the photographer can continue to shoot with the same settings (focus, exposure, white balance, etc.).
• The function for recording a JPEG image simultaneously with the RAW image has been expanded so that it is now possible to record only the RAW image. This is suitable for a work flow based on the premise that image finishing is to be done on a PC after shooting. Since a JPEG file is not simultaneously recorded, this option is also useful when the photographer wants to increase the number of images which can be recorded on the memory card.
• It is now possible to turn ON/OFF the white saturation display that shows areas where bright portions will be rendered white and where color shade gradations will be lost.
• The tilt indicator function has been enhanced. In addition to the conventional horizontal indicator, this function can now also detect camera movement direction tilting.
• Copyright information such as the photographer’s name can be entered and written to the image Exif data. The recorded information can be checked on the playback screen detailed information display.

Highly precise focusing possible

• For the AF area size for spot AF, either normal or pinpoint can be selected.
• A focus-assist function has been included in an effort to raise the accuracy of manual focusing. The photographer can select from two modes and check the focus by strengthening outlines and contrast.
• The shooting screen can be magnified for convenience in focusing. The magnified area can be displayed in the center or across the entire screen. In addition, the image quality for 4x and 8x magnification has been further enhanced. The area to be magnified can be moved using the direction pad.
• The power of expression that is a hallmark of the GXR series
• Picture settings for image quality and color can be customized with nine levels for easy creation of a diverse range of images.
• My Settings enables the settings for a wide range of shooting functions to be recorded in advance and specified in an instant when needed. For the setting storage, now six patterns can be stored in the body’s My Settings Box and six patterns can be stored in the SD card. This expands the world of photo expression by enabling GXR users to exchange their shooting settings.
• B (bulb) and T (time) can now be selected as the shutter speed in manual exposure mode. With “B,” the exposure continues while the shutter release button is pressed, and with “T,” the shutter release button is pressed to start and end the exposure. For both, the exposure is forcibly ended when 180 seconds have elapsed.
• New scene mode options have been added for the easy enjoyment of a wide range of photo expression. The five new options are soft focus, cross process, toy camera, miniaturize, and high contrast B&W. The photographer can create a unique image by just pressing the shutter release button.
• An image flag function has been added to enable the quick display of specific images from among those in the camera. Up to 20 images can be flagged.
• It is possible to shoot 1280 × 720 pixel HD movies.

New options added

• A newly designed lens hood (LH-2) especially for this camera unit.
• A lens cap (LC-3) that opens and closes simultaneously with the movement of the lens. It does not need to be removed when shooting.
• A wrapping sheet (WS-1) that can wrap the GXR when the camera unit, external viewfinder, and other options are attached.

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. New Ricoh 16MP 24-85mm GXR unit in early 2012
2. The new Ricoh 16MP 24-85mm GXR unit will have f/3.5-5.5 aperture
3. Ricoh GXR A12 unit for Leica M mount lens now shipping in the US

The Pentax full frame DSLR and mAPS-C mirrorless camera rumors are back. I received several new tips on those products.

After it got acquired by Ricoh, Pentax is reportedly determined to provide a full range of cameras, including a new full frame DSLR and the upcoming K-01 APS-C mirrorless camera. A Ricoh representative  recently said that they “will plug a gap in the market” in 2012. The full frame Pentax camera is rumored to be announced later in 2012 (either in May or for Photokina in September).

The new Pentax K-01 mirrorless camera is supposed to be build like a brick, literally - you should be able to place on a table in landscape or portrait position without a tripod. Pentax has said in the past that they like to do things differently:

"if we decide to do something in this respect has to be different, and it is not easy in the current context, to do something that is different and good…”

All Pentax FA lenses will work on the new K-01 with the exception of few models.

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Rumors of a full frame Pentax DSLR and a new APS-C mirrorless camera suface again
2. No full frame DSLR camera from Pentax any time soon
3. Pentax is working on a mirrorless full frame and medium format cameras?

Rumors for a second mirrorless camera from Pentax are intensifying again. Here are the first detailed specs from digicame-info:

• to be announced at CP+ show in Japan in early February
• the model name is K-01
• K-mount
• will come with a new lens: DA 40mm f/2.8XS
• there will be three new lenses
• three different colors: Black & white body color, white and black, black and yellow
• optical viewfinder
• there will be also an EVF, not clear if it will be built-in or optional
• same sensor as in the K-5 (16.3MP)
• same LCD screen as in the K-5 (3.0 in, 921k pixels)
• full HD video
• shutter speed: from 30 to  1/4000 seconds
• contrast AF, AF 81, Split
• built-in pop-up flash
• 121mm width, 79mm height, 59mm depth
• weight: 560g with battery

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Pentax mirrorless camera to be announced on June 23?
2. This is how the Pentax K-01 should look like
3. Pentax NC-1 mirrorless camera will come in two colors

Soem readers asked me why I did not cover Pentax in my  CES coverage last week. The problem was that Pentax was part of the PMA@CES exhibition that was at a different location and was surprisingly quiet - there were only 3 people at the Pentax booth when I got there.

The Ricoh/Pentax news from CES (reported by AP) is that Ricoh may launch a new GXR body with variable-angle LCD and a Pentax K-mount GXR unit.

In another interview with Ephotozine, Pentax representative gave a hint about their rumored second mirrorless camera:

Q: What are the future plans for Pentax, is a new mirrorless camera on it's way?
A: 2012 is going to be a very exciting year, and that news is already out there, [referring to the mirrorless camera], although we can't go into details. Also we will be looking to grow strongly in the Digital SLR market.

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Ricoh GXR A12 unit for Leica M mount lens now shipping in the US
2. Ricoh is working on a new mirrorless camera developed by Pentax
3. Ricoh GXR camera + A12 Leica M-mount unit review

The website p3newsreviews reported that they spotted a "rugged appearing, possibly mirrorless, viewfinderless camera sporting what looked like a k-mount limited or pancake lens" at CES.

Rumors about a second mirrorless camera from Pentax has been circulating for over a year now. My guess is that the recent purchase by Ricoh changed the plans for that camera.

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Rumors of a full frame Pentax DSLR and a new APS-C mirrorless camera suface again
2. Will there be a second interchangeable lens camera system from Pentax?
3. Some more Pentax rumors (full frame DSLR, mirrorless camera)

The Ricoh GXR A12 unit for Leica M mount lens now shipping in the US. B&H currently has it in stock for $649.

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Ricoh GXR Mount A12 for Leica M mount lens to be released soon
2. Ricoh GXR camera + A12 Leica M-mount unit review
3. Ricoh to announce Leica lens cartridge for the GXR system

Here is a better translation of the key points from the interviews with several camera manufacturers about their future plans (thanks Erik):

Olympus

• Working on a new mirrorless camera that is very “Olympus-like”, but not PEN.
• The viewfinder is the key.
• E-5 replacement is in the works.

Canon

• Does a mirrorless camera really need exchangeable lenses?
• Can we make a compact or DSLR that can beat the mirrorless cameras? (they believe they have it)
• Higher sensitivity rather than high resolution (probably refers to quality over megapixels)

Sigma

• Expanding the DP-series line-up of cameras
• SD-series cameras will use APS-C sensors
• Mirrorless camera lenses in the works

Sony

• Smaller E-mount lenses coming
• One hundred mega pixels not a strange thing soon
• Everyone will use electronic shutters

Nikon

• Replacements for D3 and D700 coming
• Specialize on High sensitivity, High resolution and high speed
• Compact camera focused on how you use it to fight the smart-phone camera usage

Fujifilm

• We will win with high-end cameras like the X100 and X10
• Much faster autofocus and entry-level camera is coming
• A mirrorless that beats full-frame cameras

Pentax

• Once you have tasted high-resolution you can’t go back
• 100% viewfinders for low-end cameras too
• Mirrorless for full-frame and 645

Ricoh

• Sensor unit that can use Pentax lenses
• GR digital with zoom lens
• Compact made for black/white photography

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Recap of the Impress Japan interview with various camera manufacturers
2. Sony to let other manufacturers produce E-mount lenses
3. Olympus confirmed: pro Pen camera in the future

According to Christian Sorega, who initially broke the news about the New Ricoh 16MP 24-85mm GXR unit, the aperture of the new lens will be f/3.5-5.5:

"As you can see in the above image it will feature a Sony 16 MP sensor and have a 24-85mm zoom with a f3.5-5.5 aperture and the lens will not be GR labelled. Further it should be relatively big as it will not collapse like the Olympus m4/3 kit zooms for example."

This product was also delayed as a result of the flooding in Thailand. The official announcement is expected to be on January 5th, sells should start on January 20th, 2012. The new unit will be on displayed during the PMA show in Las Vegas (January 10-13, 2012).

Via Mirrorlessrumors

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. New Ricoh 16MP 24-85mm GXR unit in early 2012
2. Ricoh announces a new A16 24-85mm f/3.5-5.5 GXR unit
3. Ricoh GXR A12 unit for Leica M mount lens now shipping in the US

Patent 2011242520 from Olympus describes several different wide angle lenses: 8mm f/3.5 fisheye, 12mm f/1.8, 12mm f/2.8, 10mm f/2.8 and 12mm f/2.0:

Patent 2011239020 from Ricoh is for a GXR unit with image stabilization:

Patent 2011232461 filed by Canon in Japan is for calculating the flash shooting distance based on the color temperature. From the patent application:

With the strobe device used as a light source, the guide number had determined the flashing tube by main capacitor energy. Therefore, the operation and the display were able to do easily range of the sensitivity (gain) which is the film information of a camera, and the strobe light which becomes correct exposure according to a diaphragm of a lens. Therefore, since a user was made to know range before speed light photography, it was able to reduce that underexposure occurred in a taken image.

Canon patent 2011239063 illustrates a camera with a half mirror:

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. The latest patents from Olympus, Fuji, Canon and Sony
2. The latest patents from Olympus and Canon
3. The latest photography related patents from Canon and Olympus

Update on yesterday's post: today Ricoh Japan announced a new GXR unit with 16MP APS-C CMOS sensor and 24-85mm lens. The unit will be available in early 2012. No further details were provided.

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. The new Ricoh 16MP 24-85mm GXR unit will have f/3.5-5.5 aperture
2. Ricoh announces a new A16 24-85mm f/3.5-5.5 GXR unit
3. Ricoh GXR A12 unit for Leica M mount lens now shipping in the US

The latest Ricoh products (and two Voigtlander M lenses)

Christian Sorega wrote on his blog that a new GXR zoom module is expected to be announced tomorrow:

"As a treat for the people joining this meetup Ricoh released some information about the upcoming GXR zoom module. The official announcement will be on Monday so you have to wait till then for all the details but you can get a very good idea what to expect from reading my last London meetup report."

The new zoom module is expected to be 24-80mm f/2.8.

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Micro Four Thirds module for Ricoh GXR
2. Ricoh confirms the Leica mount module for GXR
3. Ricoh to release Micro Four Thirds module for GXR ?

Ricoh announces the CX6 compact digital camera featuring high-speed autofocus as fast as 0.1 seconds and zoom assist monitor for easier telephoto photography:

Tokyo, Japan, November 15, 2011—Ricoh Co., Ltd. (president and CEO: Shiro Kondo) today announced the development and release of the CX6, a new digital camera featuring a high magnification 10.7x (28-300 mm) optical wide-angle zoom lens that achieves even shorter autofocus (AF) times through the introduction of a new AF system.

With the adoption of a new system enhancing both the hardware and software of the hybrid AF system introduced on the CX5, the new CX6 achieves AF focusing times as fast as 0.1 seconds. You will be sure to capture that fleeting shutter chance.

The high-brightness LCD monitor is approximately 1.7 times brighter than　the previous model for better visibility outdoors. The CX6 also adds a function for automatic adjustment of brightness based on the level of brightness of the subject, and this make it possible to minimize the loss of visibility that can occur due to changes in the shooting environment. In addition, for telephoto shooting, the new zoom assist monitor function displays a small image on the LCD monitor so that you can always check the framing of the shot.

The new aperture/shutter-speed priority modes enable you to more richly express the atmosphere of the subject, and the snap movie function lets you more easily enjoy shooting movies. A release button especially for movies has also been added, and a wider range of functions (autofocus, zoom, etc.) are available for movie shooting.

The CX6 compact digital camera takes the design concept of “A tool you will want to use every day” another step forward. Available in three colors: Black, Silver, and Pink.

- - - -

New: Holga iPhone lens filter kit SLFT-IP4 (link)

Holga have now decided to cast a little of the photography magic on the iPhone world with this awesome special effect lens kit. Simple to install this kit slips onto an iPhone 4 or 4S just like a case. But a case with a difference! Once fitted you now have access to 9 different and crazy special effects and filters without any software or app installed. Cunningly designed like an old school telephone just dial in your preferred special effect and behold the Holga craziness that follows! This Holga Kit is available in a choice of Red, Blue, White, Black or Silver.

- - - -

• New: Olympus LC-63A lens cap for XZ-1 with automatic opening mechanism.
• According to this website, Sony has moved its camera production to a factory in a different location in Thailand.
• Sony to boost image sensor capacity again.
• Olympusgrassroots.com website was created by former Olympus executives and calls for the return of ex-CEO Michael Woodford among other things.
• The latest market share report from BCN Japan (via Ricehigh):

ILDC (Mirrorless) Brand Share:

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Olympus losing market share, Sony reports worst loss in 16 years
2. Recap of the Impress Japan interview with various camera manufacturers
3. Ricoh “will plug a gap in the market” in 2012

In addition to Sony and Nikon, Ricoh will also delay the GXR A12 unit (Leica M mount) as a result of the flood in Thailand. This is what Adorama published on their website:

"Due to the flooding in Thailand the production schedule for this item has been delayed till Feb 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: You can place this item on order and as soon as it arrives we will ship it
We do not charge your card until we actually ship the product."

Update - here is a quote from the PEN weekly newsletter:

"Ricoh announced the flood in Thailand brought short supply of its M-mount units for Ricoh GXR including the GXR MOUNT A12. While the firm is not producing the digital cameras in Thailand, the flood is affecting the facilities to which Ricoh practically commissioned production or purchases products from."

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Ricoh GXR Mount A12 for Leica M mount lens to be released soon
2. Ricoh GXR A12 unit for Leica M mount lens now shipping in the US
3. Ricoh confirms the Leica mount module for GXR

The Ricoh GR Digital IV camera is now in stock for the first time at B&H:

The white version is expected in January 2012.

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Ricoh GR DIGITAL IV to be released on October 21th
2. This is the Ricoh GR Digital 4 digital camera
3. Ricoh GXR A12 unit for Leica M mount lens now shipping in the US

In addition to the PDN report (see also this Nikon related post), here are some additional images from the show's floor.

What's inside the Panasonic GH2:

Fuji X10 with a lens hood:

The lens unit of the Fuji X10:

What's inside the Sony NEX-5:

and the Sony a55:

Sony NEX-7:

Sony NEX-5n:

Premium Carl Zeiss and G-Series lenses:

The Canon EOS 1Dx body:

The 3.2" LCD screen of the Canon EOS 1Dx:

Canon 7D video rig:

Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens:

Canon printer in action:

HP DreamColor printer in action:

Minox DCC 5.1 camera ($199):

Pentax Q mirrorless camera:

The Q lenses are really small and light:

This year Ricoh cameras were part of the Pentax stand:

Ricoh GXR + A12 with optional EVF and Voigtlander lens:

One of the Lensbaby lenses for Micro Four Thirds cameras:

Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 2/25 lens with Canon mount, the price is expected to be around $1,700.00:

Carl Zeiss lightweight zoom LWZ.2 lens for HDSLR cameras:

What's inside a Zeiss lens:

Polaroid cameras:

Linhof 617 medium format panorama camera (kit price: $10,258.95):

Posted by PhotoRumors.com
This RSS feed is copyrighted and cannot be republished in any way without permission.
Follow PhotoRumors on Facebook and Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Few pictures from PDN PhotoPlus Expo 2010
2. 2011 PDN Photoplus show report
3. What to expect @ PMA 2010