I am thinking that they might "silently" upgrade it, when they "suddenly" run out of the A12 M mount sensors. They would not have to announce it as a new product, merely an "upgrade".
When? Your guess is as good as mine.
The product in itself has long term appeal and is worthy of an upgrade, for sure. Maybe they are thinking of how far they can take it. All I have to say about that is... ...the people want full frame. I could even make do with a modern 12MP full frame, but would prefer a 16<20 MP full frame.
I am sure that the tech guys at Ricoh have some wishes and wants too. Let's hope they get to fulfill them.
kosmoskatten wrote:
We should all keep busting their chops for the improvements that they "need to implement":
Better EVF, slimmer profile, higher resolution, less lag.
GXR II with tilt LCD and slightly shifted MENU/Fn button cluster for more ergonomic operation. Faster file handling and frame rates, bigger buffer in RAW.
Improve battery life, perhaps a battery with more oomph while they are at it.
+1 on all the above and especially want to highlight "less lag" for both the EVF and rear display. It'd be nice if body and Camera Units/Mounts approach the NEX level of responsiveness but any move towards that target will be welcome and is needed. If they implement electronic first curtain shutter in new modules, be sure to add the option to close the physical shutter on power off. I feel reassured every time I power my camera off when I hear that sound.
Maybe also add:
- allow for new options for zoom and front scroll button assignments
- allow for optional disabling of JPG generation when shooting raw
Aside from fundamental things like new body/EVF which are certainly nice to have but don't affect the camera in my hand, I'm struck by how short my want list for improvements to the current camera is. Perhaps I should finish my morning coffee and others will come to mind.
The two I contributed could be done with the today's product. No doubt turning off JPG when shooting raw has been asked for by others.
atran wrote:
The stock of the A-12 M-mount is pretty scarce I think at least in the states.
Add Pro Photo Supply in Portland, Oregon, to your list of places to source the module from. They are one of Ricoh's authorized dealers in the U.S., and had stock when I purchased mine, when all the big names were out. I was able to get the body, Mount, and EVF. Popflash (I buy from them as well) bundles might be a few dollars cheaper when they have them.
They only ship to U.S. addresses and you can't check their stock on-line, it's a brick and mortar store. They do turn orders around quickly; mine shipped same day I placed the order. Free ground shipping I believe is included in the price and their price is the same as B+H, not inflated as you see on eBay.
So far that's my only experience with them but it was a good one.
michaelwatkins wrote:
Add Pro Photo Supply in Portland, Oregon, to your list of places to source the module from. They are one of Ricoh's authorized dealers in the U.S., and had stock when I purchased mine, when all the big names were out. I was able to get the body, Mount, and EVF. Popflash (I buy from them as well) bundles might be a few dollars cheaper when they have them.
They only ship to U.S. addresses and you can't check their stock on-line, it's a brick and mortar store. They do turn orders around quickly; mine shipped same day I placed the order. Free ground shipping I believe is included in the price and their price is the same as B+H, not inflated as you see on eBay.
So far that's my only experience with them but it was a good one....Show more →
Thank you Mike, I will look into that when I get back to school. But I am hoping for BH to get some in stock though because I also notice there's an ETA of 7-14 days for the ZM 35/2
I really wish I had a crystal ball that I could look into and see when Ricoh will upgrade the various GXR components, including the A-12 M-mount. Of course this is true with buying any kind of technology item, but I would not like to buy right now only to have Ricoh upgrade next week. OTOH, if it is going to be October before they do it, well, that is another matter...
The GXR looks so good to me in the ergonomic areas where the my NEX 5N really bothers me. I keep accidentally hitting buttons on the back of the NEX, and it drives me nuts...
Since no one has mentioned being able to use Contax G lenses on the GXR, I guess I'd have to use something else to replace my beloved CZ 90mm on the GXR.
Partitura: I am fairly confident that a A16 M mount won't happen this side of the summer. It is not an outspoken product by Ricoh, nor is it on any official road map. The rumors and inside info all rely on circumstantial evidence. My source has so far been right on all products (A12/28, prelease info on the GRD IV, A12 M mount and APS A16 Zoom) but as for the A16 he has had very little to say except he was first expecting it to come soon. Now he says nobody seems to know when.
I also have a G90/2.8 on the shelf. I should sell it, I am thick on long RF glass but I forgot about that lens. It can be rebuilt to M mount by some company in Japan.
Yeah, I think I'll go ahead and take the plunge. Have to sell at least one lens, though, to do it. Decisions... Thanks for the info from your source.
I've heard about the Japanese place who converts CZ to M mount. Also there is a person on Rangefinder forum who is talking about someone in the US who is considering modifying CZ to M. So I'm not going to sell my 90...
the best EVF, but a new design: built in, like the NEX 7, but able to be withdrawn from the body a few centimetres and tilted, just as the present clip-on one can.
Flip-out screen (I don't use them much, if you have a decent flip up finder, but plenty here including douglas do, so why not?
Yes to Michael's suggestions, except I have no feelings about JPEGs being recorded at the same time (I only import Raws into my image processor and 16Gb cards are cheap)
The slightness of our lists suggests that Ricoh has got the big thing right.
Publicly, I humbly offer myself as beta tester #2!
Photorumors posted a vague (purely text) rumor about a new GXR body with "rotating" LCD. Someone should email Ricoh about making it a touch screen too.
Thanks everyone for collectively clarifying this for me. Henrik, your "random speculation" seems to me to be logical and well-considered. I think I'll continue to use the ZM 25/2.8 intensively on my NEX-5N and determine whether the results are satisfactory for my purposes (I rarely shoot subjects at distances greater than three meters).
I handled a GXR in the store the other day and was very impressed with how the camera felt in my hands. But, whilst I'd be gaining a lot from the GXR -- superior user interface and build quality, no AA filter, sensor optimized for wide M-mount lenses, "Predator" peaking mode, hot shoe (to name just a few attractive features) -- I'd be losing (when I was shooting with the GXR) certain features that make the NEX-5N so appealing: tilt + touch screen, OLED viewfinder, Hawk's adapter.
Hmm, now that I've written out that "good things about the GXR" list, I realize how much I miss having a real hot shoe that allows me to use off-camera flash. I currently use the NEX-5N's accessory flash to trigger a slave attached to the off-camera flash but it's a kludge. The GXR suddenly became even more attractive...
Sooo... ...it seems a GXR.2 is actually in the pipe with articulated LCD. That is great to hear, especially since it was from a Ricoh rep at CES. I wonder what else they are looking at improving on the body. Surely they are aware of the EVF being sub par on today's market. Keeping my fingers crossed. The current GXR body always has a place as a spare or even better; I could divide the system into AF modules on the GXR and M lenses on the GXR.2.
Sweet... I will have to call up the swedish Ricoh rep and ask if I can beta test the .2, I am supposed to be on the list for beta-testing as from november.
As for the K-mount, they were "still discussing it" apparently.
I have sat down and tinkered with some images recently and I am very pleased with the performance of the GXR M mount. It really brings out the lenses nicely. As with most cameras/brands the wide angle lenses are the picky ones. The Voigtländer is pretty good actually, but when you shoot it against the ZM18 the latter does everything a little bit better. I can imagine that the 21mm RF lenses will work wonders on the M mount, definitely.
As for the 50mm and up (I have no 35mm) I could not ask for more with them 12MP already. It really brings out the lens character. I really like the ZM50 on it, and I absolutely love the Summarit 75 for portraits - though they sit quite close in focal length and have very similar drawing I should think of one of them as redundant but I can see myself using both.
As for the Elmarit M90 the jury is still out, the difference is obvious. It is very clinical and until I have used it for landscape/cityscape as I had intended I am not sure of how I like it. Very sharp, very neutral, great contrast but quite characterless. A very technical lens. I am familiar with the look from before from this lens and it is interesting to see it on digital. I kind of like the sterility in a way but for portraits there is no way I'd choose this over the ZM50 or Summarit M75. I think the newer Summarit 90 would suit better for portraits as well.
Unfortunately there is very little to choose from in this range of lenses (90mm and up) and I know I would love the 135/3.4 APO Telyt on the GXR but the cost is prohibiting. One option would be to adapt the R180/3.4 APO with an R to M adapter for really long reach, then I could buy back the Leica 60R macro as well...
Next week I'll be shopping for a new printer as my old faithful has been out of commission and I look forward to seeing what I can cram out of it.
It is confirmed that the Fuji X Pro 1 will not have focus peaking at all at launch. That is too bad. Also, rangefinder frame lines will have limited magnification options on longer glass, starting with the 60mm already so OVF is out of the question for anything but really wide glass. The ZM18 would work fine on it I am sure though.
Exciting to hear confirmation that GXR will spawn anew. In a way I'm a little apprehensive about what the GXR.2 might look like, the first go-around being so successful... can they make a two-peat?
Perhaps I should offer up a ritual sacrifice of some refrigerated Provia just in case.
kosmoskatten wrote:
...Unfortunately there is very little to choose from in this range of lenses (90mm and up) and I know I would love the 135/3.4 APO Telyt on the GXR but the cost is prohibiting...
Henrik, you really should try the Tele-Elmarit-90 (thin version). As I said, it's small, light and I like the way it draws — and I don't think it's expensive these days.
As for the 135/3.4 APO Telyt, my feeling is that the the older Tele-Elmar 135/4.0 is superb and used to be known as being an "APO" lens in all but name. Actually, my feeling is that the Tele-Elmar has better bokeh, which is important when shooting at full aperture. When I bought it, the used price was US$600 and and was a good deal compared to the current 135/4.3.
Hi Mitch, I was not aware that you have the Tele-Elmar 135/4. That is interesting as you seldom get to read about it or see it "in the flesh". It is, of course a more viable option but I haven't seen what it can do.
Michael: make sure you get the Pentaxgram right during your filmslaying.
My guess is that they will keep the interface fairly intact and just add a the articulated LCD. The button layout is similar to other GRD cameras and well proven, they won't just throw that away.
I am actually looking more forward to a new GXR.2 body than the X Pro 1 as it stands today with what is known. If the GXR.2 addresses the very few shortcomings and they squeeze out an improved EVF there is little else I can ask for except better battery life. I have three batteries though, you can get the equivalent battery for GXR very cheap over here. I would have bought a few more but will wait until I know what battery resides within the next body. Guessing it would be the same though.
As for buffer and shot to shot speeds I think it is more on the lens module side but here's hoping that would improve as well.
I'm not a GXR user right now and I will probably not be one for at least one year, since I have got myself a NEX 5N and right now I have a ZM35 and a Elmar-C 90 for it. My biggest problem with the NEX ( without EVF ) and these lenses is that I have no chace to nai infinity focus at reasonable f-stops ( 5.6 for ex. ). I guess I am going over most of the time, but my normal adapters clearly allow me to go over while the Hawk does not allo to reach infinity ( the ZM35 gets somewhat decent at f8 and 150m distance ). Now I was wondering if the A12 M-module as better with infinity stop that the adapted things ( never had such problems when adapting C/Y to Canon but I guess the same difference makes a higher percentage with the shorter lens registration of the M-mount. ). Is there hope in the GXR in this regard ?
