http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/ Engadget Comments for Ricoh GXR review roundup http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/Dec 25th 2009 6:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/Dec 25th 2009 7:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/Dec 25th 2009 7:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/
The Sensor and Lens could be swapped independently. IE, the sensor modules had a mount, instead of having integrated lenses.

The benefit to this would be the ability to utilize high-quality sensors with a body that was simple and sensors that could be upgraded. It would allow you to spend al the money you want on glass, and simply upgrade the sensor at a FAR more reasonable price in the future, without having redundant glass that was dedicated to other modules.

An excellent low-light sensor and a high MP fashion sensor, a fast black and white sensor for Journalists, a video sensor (if supported by the body, is it?), etc...

This would also alow you to actually go "Semi-Pro" by upgrading to a pro body to use with your sensors (faster write, additional features, tethering, etc) and upgrade lenses and sensors independently.

If they move in the right direction, this could be THE killer app. A point-and-shoot starter kit with basic sensor/lens and body combo, and the ability to upgrade what you wanted as you were ready to move on...

They should release a sensor module with an adapter that is proprietary, but is designed specificaly to be used with an adapter that allows Canon/Nikon/Sony lenses. Get people hooked on the concept, and then change something in future mounts that restricts it to just one brand lenses...

It's a Game-Changer, but I doubt Ricoh will play it correctly...]]>Dec 26th 2009 6:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/Dec 25th 2009 7:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/Dec 25th 2009 7:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/
The other fly in the ointment is the eye-watering price. Body-only at £419/€459/$550 isn't too bad, certainly comparable to the similar Panasonic GF1, but adding the A12 unit with its tiny sensor costs a whopping £330/€370/$440. Another £600/€670/$550 for the A12 is not bad for a dedicated macro lens, but not good if you're only looking at it as a standard zoom.

But let's wait and see the street prices.]]>Dec 25th 2009 8:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/Dec 25th 2009 8:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/Dec 25th 2009 8:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/Dec 25th 2009 9:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/
"Wow, two cameras for the price of three!"]]>Dec 25th 2009 9:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/Dec 25th 2009 10:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/Dec 26th 2009 12:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/
The thing you can do with this that you an't with that is slap on the small- sensor zoom module and get a compact full zoom range package, the equivalent zoom lens on a u4/3 system would be much larger, the camera size becoming equivalent to a small dSLR.]]>Dec 26th 2009 3:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/
It's still overpriced for what it is! For the money I could buy nice compact zoom P&S and a u4/3 or start dSLR. ;)
]]>Dec 26th 2009 4:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/The Zoom lens is supposed to be very good. Remember the initial outlay is expensive as you need to buy the body and a lens. however you only need to do this once! If the image quality can compare to a DSLR in the size of a large compact they might be onto something. It's success is going to be down to the modules they bring out. Being able utilise the best available sensor/lens combination is a great idea. Ricoh also have a history of excellent optics and support. Lets wait and see what transpires, this is the first real innovation in the world of camera's for ages.
@Grusic ]]>Dec 26th 2009 8:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/
1. It's not that compact. Quite comparable to u4/3 with 14-42.

2. In the zoom module Ricoh uses plain PnS sensor. Means you essentially pay $800+ for a compact PnS. So why not to get a good $300 PnS with the same IQ??]]>Dec 26th 2009 8:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/
A fixed sensor and lens combo that one has to purchase each time they want to upgrade something? Sorry, but that doesn't seem like a good deal to me.

"The innovative Ricoh GXR does carry a rather substantial price premium, costing £419/€459/$550 for the body, £600/€670/$550 for the A12/50mm unit, and £330/€370/$440 for the S10/24-72mm unit."



]]>Dec 27th 2009 12:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/
Wait there, we are talking about upgrading a sensor and lens for not that much more than purchasing a new lens for a DSLR. The good part of this concept is you are not tied to your camera body with inbuilt sensor. For example a new sensor technology comes out, Ricoh combine it with suitable optics, what can a Nikon or Canon owner do to utilise this new technology, ahh I know, get a whole new camera, lets spend another $1500 body only shall we? Look at the future potential, of course it's expensive, it's a new concept, it will set you back approx £1000 for the 50mm lens and body. Is that REALLY that expensive, the results are comparable to a D300.... Another example, Ricoh have developed a cable which attachs to the body, the lens is the other end of the cable, you can elevate the lens and look through the viewfinder, think of what could be done with this. As I said lets wait and see what else Ricoh have in the works for the system, time will tell, I for one won't turn my nose up and dismiss it so early on, it is so much more than an expensive p&s that most people seem to be believe it is. Also the quality of the build is excellent, it feels like an expensive product, rather than a product trying to be expensive. You pay for quality. The results that you can currently see on DPreview and Wouters Blog show you what this system is capable of. IT can easily rival the Micro 4/3rds system on quality and blows it away on size. ]]>Dec 27th 2009 4:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/Dec 26th 2009 8:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/
While I do see the size benefit of this for long zooms, I just can't think of many other justifications of this system.

Although I do hope I'm wrong, and I hope this system takes off like the m4/3 cameras (which I am enjoying). I love to see new innovations and how consumers react.]]>Dec 26th 2009 6:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/
Sorry the whole idea is that you don't need to upgrade the body everytime you want a new sensor. The lens is chosen specifically with the sensor in mind. As I said, look at the cost of the lens with sensor, ie the A12, far cheaper than some of the lenses for the traditional DSLR's and 4/3rds. The only real reason to change your camera is a new sensor, you buy into a system you tend to stick with it due to the investment made, where's the difference. I think people are too quick to dismiss this concept. ]]>Dec 28th 2009 3:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/
Price argument aside, I'm all for new innovation, and I do hope it does well despite most of the initial negative reaction.

Surely there are more factors in upgrading to a new body besides just a new sensor. Many people change bodies for ergonomics, styling, screen size, and added features like continuous shooting speed among other things.

One of the great flexibilities of a true interchangeable lens system is the ability to have lenses separate from sensors so many body/lens combinations are possible. Take a look at the m4/3 standard- almost any lens from film or even digital cameras can be adapted to a m4/3 camera. The flexibility is amazing.

I'm sure the GXR has great sensors AND great glass- but gluing the two together is more limiting than most will want.]]>Dec 28th 2009 7:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/
Yes and no, the body is only £330 to buy, it has a 3inch screen, 920k pixels and classic ergonomics. The standard DSLR body shape doesn't really change, the screen won't get much clearer than the 920k, 3 inch as it would start making the camera body even bigger. The thing most people are missing is that the sensor and lens combo will give you different options, ie the A12 with the body also gives you decent video recording abilities whereas the zoom combination with the smaller sensor doesn't.

The flexibility you mention comes at a price, most people will only have a couple of lenses, 3 at most, all tied to a camera body that might have cost them £1000, limiting the amount of times they actually do change their camera system.
The whole thing with the Ricoh concept is it gives a true marriage of sensor and lens, the body can be upgraded when newer ones come out at far less costs than traditional DSLR's. Sensors are becoming cheaper and cheaper to produce, I think Ricoh is basing their new system on this, and that it actually won't cost that much more to buy a combination of the two. With new glass you are still tied into your original sensor and it's limitations, with Ricoh's system you get a true upgrade on the 2 most important parts of the camera.

For me the system will live or die on what combinations Ricoh can get out, if it is slow and limited I don't think it will work, however if they show a proper roadmap, something that we are still waiting for from Panasonic and Olympus for the Micro 4/3rds system I think they can become a proper competitor for people looking for a smaller based camera system.]]>Dec 28th 2009 8:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/Dec 28th 2009 10:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/
btw, you pick up a Ricoh body and they feel solid as if carved from Japanesium...Of course it looks plastic, which it is not, hence japanesium.]]>Dec 28th 2009 3:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/25/ricoh-gxr-review-roundup/
But with this Ricoh I will be able to buy the first uber-sensitive sensor and hook it up. By my expectation the first such sensor will probably have max resolution like 2048 x 1536, but will finally be as able as your eye to see in low-light condition quickly.

And many people talk of the build quality of the Ricoh. Yeah. Agreed.]]>Dec 29th 2009 10:45AM