Ricoh dreaming about a GXR II

Luke

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Milwaukee, WI USA
Name
Luke
Well, the Ricoh/PENTAX machine has been dead quiet on the rumors front and nothing new has been released for the GXR in quite some time. Have they quietly put the GXR to rest or will be there be new modules. Or will a new GXR II come out. Maybe they could make it bigger and with a built-in EVF. Big enough to accommodate some full frame modules? Just think about a FF 28mm module and a FF 50mm module in a Ricoh package with those controls.

*alarm clock goes off interrupting Luke's sweet dreams*
 
The way they sold off all parts of the existing GXR system tells me its likely dead. If they were gonna update it, they'd have made SOME effort to make the new body or bodies backwards compatible with the existing lensors so I don't think they'd have discounted EVERYTHING so heavily. Maybe the existing bodies and a couple of the really cheap lens units (the really small sensor zoom units would have been the first to go for me), but I think they'd have maintained prices on the 12mp 28 and 50 units and particularly the M adapter and the big newer zoom with the 16mp APS. So I think its dead and gone.

Doesn't mean they won't bring out something completely new with some similarities to the GXR system, but I just can't see them maintaining that system if they were willing to blow out EVERYTHING that was part of it...

-Ray
 
The GXR was (and is) a cool concept because the sky was the limit in terms of possible lens and sensor (lensor) module, but Ricoh was the wrong company to push that limit very far and I doubt that any other company would have attempted it. It's unique selling point of combined lensor modules was also it's unique non-selling point. I kinda like it because it is a bit weird, but weird doesn't tend to sell in large numbers. One observation I made with my GXR is that the Ricoh controls which seem to work well on their tiny compacts didn't translate well to a larger body. Two proper multi-function dials would have made all of the difference.

Anyway, seeing the GXR survive would be cool but to sell it in any meaningful numbers in 2013 would require a total refresh, probably even with lenses that can be detached from the sensor (gasp).
 
I doubt that another modular system will have broad appeal: it is just not as sleek as a fixed lens camera (e.g. GR vs 28/2.5).

I just hope that they will have a GR like body, but with FF M mount. Look at how much speculation (and hope) for the mini-M. And Ricoh has the least baggage in terms of lens support.
 
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