Ricoh Calling all GXR users!

Amin

Hall of Famer
I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like to see/hear more about this unique system. Please share some more from/about your GXR system with us and invite other GXR users you know to come join in the discussions!
 
I love to talk about it :D When I have more time I'll post some thoughts to share my experience. Lately, I have been through a few other serious compacts and I always come back to the GXR (or Ricoh in general). I have the A12 (50mm) and the P10. I think the A12 is an amazing unit - great clarity and detail, malleable DNGs and very good JPGs, clean high ISO performance. What I really want to see is the promised 28mm A12 unit.
 
I'm looking forward to hearing/reading more from you, Andrew! Does "A12" refer to the APS-C sensor? It's confusing that there are 50mm and 28mm units, both called "A12".
 
I find the A12 50 to be a great module (didn't think I would like it)...the 28mm is taking a bit of time but it should work out just fine as I favor wide angles. The S10 is another under-rated module that has much potential. The gift of this camera is in it's handling, nothing handles like a Ricoh, and the controls make it all so easy to use.
 
The GXR system is an excellent system but lacks the range of modules (at the moment) to show why it's so good and where it's advantages lie vs a normal interchangeable lens system.

I have tried to explain the system and it's advantages a bit here: Cristian Sorega Photography: Ricoh GXR Review - GXR System, Body & Controls

But what it boils down to is in my opinion this:

The GXR system is not a camera system but more a digital modular system that does not need to have anything at all to do with cameras as such. The system is simply the ability to connect a control module to a system module and being able to swap these system modules in order to get the best one for the task at hand. The GXR system can be anything Ricoh desires it to be by simply building the body and system modules required for a specific task.

Still, even at the moment the greatest advantage is as usual with Ricoh, the exchellent controls and thought out frmware that makes it easy to customize the camera to a degree that one can control it without even going into menus or even looking at the screen.

I'm looking forward to hearing/reading more from you, Andrew! Does "A12" refer to the APS-C sensor? It's confusing that there are 50mm and 28mm units, both called "A12".

This I did not put in my review above but it works basically like this:

The A stands for APS and 12 for the MP so 12MP followed by the focal length 28mm or 50mm.
The S10 means it's a small sensor with 10 MP followed by the focal length again 24-72mm and VR for image stabilization.
The P10 is where it gets difficult since it also has a small sensor with 10MP but here it's more for point&shoot with limited manual controls (no full aperture controls for example, only 2 steps) and an even smaller sensor.
 
I also am curious about the GXR. While in NYC recently I stopped by B&H and took a look at one. The salesman said they were new and he did not know much about them. I handled one and found what others have said to be true; it feels good in the hand and has a well constructed feel to it. The EVF was crisp and clear, and the focus speed seemed more than adequate with the S-lens attached. The 50mm unit was smaller than I had imagined it would be. I would love to take one out for a test run.
 
I'm quite intrigued by the GXR concept too. Matching Ricoh controls and ergonomics with a large sensor sounds like a pretty sweet deal. My only reservation is that I wish they'd taken the concept one step further and kept the APS-C sensor and lenses as seperate units i.e. body unit + sensor unit + lens. The small sensor modules make sense as a combined lens/sensor but I just don't know about mating the larger lenses permanently to a sensor. I'm sure that there is a spiel about perfectly tuning a lens to the sensor, but is the inference then that all interchangable lens cameras are bad compromises?
 
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