Ricoh GXR Mount A12 Hands-on

  1. Introduction 2. Specifications 3. Body and Design 4. Samples gallery ---------------- > Buy this product < Back to reviews / previews  

Ricoh GXR Mount A12 Hands-on Preview Preview based on a pre-production GXR Mount A12 with firmware 01 The ability to resuscitate classic manual focus lenses has been one of the unexpected side-effects of the development of mirrorless camera systems. Ricoh has responded to this trend by introducing the Mount A12 module for its GXR system. This module, featuring a Leica-style M mount, allows the fitting of a wide range of lenses onto a GXR body for the first time. The GXR system may originally have aimed to offer optimized combinations of lens, sensor and processor, but the customer demand for the ability to mount other lenses was too much for Ricoh to ignore. There is, after all, a certain appeal to shooting a well-built metal lens on a small camera, but very few of us are willing to move back to film in order to experience it, or to spend considerable sums on a digital Leica. Ricoh clearly isn't content to sit on the sidelines as the mirrorless systems begin to respond to this pent-up demand. The use of the Leica M-mount brings flexibility in two respects. In part because it is no longer under patent, and also thanks to its age, there are a wide range of lenses available for the M-mount. These include Zeiss, Voigtländer, Konica, Minolta and Rollei lenses, as well as native Leica designs. Just as crucially, because the M-mount has one of the shortest distances from the mount to the imaging plane, there's room to fit an adapter allowing the use of a vast range of other lens types. The GXR Mount A12 module offers a 12MP APS-C CMOS sensor but, unlike the existing modules, it has a redesigned microlens layout designed to better cope with the wide range of lenses that could be mounted on the camera but, more importantly, it has no low-pass (anti-aliasing) filter. The company says it feels it is more important to convey the full characteristics of the lenses than to suppress moiré. The module's firmware also brings several new functions to the system, including two 'Focus Assist' modes that highlight high-contrast regions in the preview to allow fast focusing. The ability to quickly and accurately focus manual lenses has been something of a challenge for cameras without an optical viewfinder. Plenty offer fast access to magnified live view but few offer the range of options of the GXR, which offers three levels of magnification, a choice of inset or whole-screen magnification, the two focus assist modes and a jump back to full preview when you half-press the shutter. For the manual-focus-only camera that this module creates, getting this right was essential and our initial impression are pretty positive. Beyond this, the Mount A12 module also includes options for correcting geometric distortion, vignetting and 'color shading,' which, along with the lens name and details, can be stored as custom settings to the camera or off to a memory card. These custom settings can then be manually recalled next time you re-mount a specific lens. The lens name and details are also included in EXIF image metadata. Also unique to this module is an electronic shutter option, for completely silent shooting at up to 1/8000th of a second. The sequential read-out from the sensor means this mode isn't ideal for fast moving subjects (it also can't be used in Bulb or Time modes), so is available only as a scene mode. Ricoh GXR Mount A12 specification highlights 12MP CMOS sensor with no anti-aliasing filter ISO 200-3200 in 1/3EV increments Focus assist view for manual focusing 1/4000 - 180s shutter speed (1/8000th - 1s in electronic shutter mode) 720p30 HD movie recording User-defined distortion, vignetting and corner color correction, recordable for multiple lenses If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used). Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions. Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of the image, clicking on the image will display a larger (typically VGA) image in a new window. To navigate the review simply use the next / previous page buttons, to jump to a particular section either pick the section from the drop down or select it from the navigation bar at the top. DPReview calibrate their monitors using Color Vision OptiCal at the (fairly well accepted) PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the (computer generated) grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally A,B and C. This article is Copyright 2011 and may NOT in part or in whole be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author.

Ricoh M-mount GXR Mount A12 module announced and previewed

RRicoh has announced a Leica M-mount unit for its modular GXR camera system. The GXR Mount A12 features a 12MP APS-C CMOS sensor with the ability to fit a wide range of M-mount lenses or a still wider choice if used in combination with an adapter. And, unlike the majority of digital cameras, it features no low-pass (anti-aliasing) filter. The Mount A12 module includes all the usual GXR features (such as toy camera and miniature processing modes), but also gains a silent electronic shutter mode, several manual focus assist options and a series of lens correction parameters. The module will be available from early September, at an MSRP of $649. We've been using a pre-production Mount A12 module for the past few days and have prepared an hands-on preview with real-world samples. Click here to read our brief hands-on preview of the Ricoh GXR Mount A12 module Jump to: Press Release Hands-on preview Preview samples gallery Press Release: Ricoh announces GXR MOUNT A12 A GXR lens mount unit featuring an APS-C size CMOS sensor Tokyo, Japan, August 5, 2011—Ricoh Co., Ltd. (president and CEO: Shiro Kondo) today announced the development and planned September 9, 2011 release of the new product GXR MOUNT A12, a lens mount unit exclusively for the GXR interchangeable unit camera system. The body color will be black only, and the planned monthly production volume is 3,000 units. 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. In addition, utilizing its unique ability to accommodate interchangeable units other than camera units, the system can be expanded to include a variety of other devices. The new GXR MOUNT A12 is a lens mount unit made especially for the GXR. Featuring an APS-C size CMOS sensor and a newly developed focal plane shutter, this unit makes it possible to mount lenses such as Leica M lenses, and it provides various types of compensation and correction functions. Main features of GXR MOUNT A12 1) The newly adopted APS-C size CMOS sensor expands possibilities for high resolution and imaging power. The adoption of a CMOS sensor with an optimized micro lens layout makes it possible to secure sufficient brightness levels even in the peripheral areas of the image. The CMOS sensor used is 23.6mm × 15.7mm (APS-C size). It enables the shooting of high-quality images with smooth tone gradations as well as high definition and low noise. 2) Compatibility with a wide variety of lenses, including Leica M mount lenses. Compatible with the Leica M mount, GXR MOUNT A12 can, of course, handle M-mount lenses, and if a conversion adapter is used many more types of mounts can also be accommodated. A checking device is included for use in confirming whether or not your lenses are physically compatible. 3) Diverse new functions maximize the potential of the lens itself In order to accommodate the photographer’s own preferences by adjusting for the distinctive characteristics of many different lenses, GXR MOUNT A12 can independently correct coloring at the corners. Color shading correction is possible in a -4 to +4 range for both R and B. Peripheral illumination correction is possible in a -3 to +3 range. A distortion correction function is provided to correct for the distortion that tends to occur in the lens periphery. The photographer can select barrel and pincushion distortion and specify “strong,” “medium,” or “weak” for each. A glass optical filter was adopted and made as thin as possible. It increases periphery image quality and suppresses field curvature. 4) High-precision focusing 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. Magnifying the screen image while shooting is an effective technique for focusing. The magnification can be done not only in the center but throughout the image. In addition, the image quality for 4x and 8x magnification has been further enhanced. The area to be magnified can be moved using the directional pad. 5) Two shutter methods are featured: newly developed focal plane shutter and electronic shutter With the focal plane shutter, settings of 1/4000 sec. to 180 sec. are possible. With the electronic shutter, settings of 1/8000 sec. to 1 sec. are possible, and the  photographer can shoot without worrying about shutter noise and vibration 6) The wide range of functionality that characterizes the GXR series My Settings enables a wide range of shooting functions to be specified in an instant. For the setting information storage, six patterns can now be stored in the body’s My Settings Box and six patterns can be stored in the SD card. This, along with the ability to change shooting conditions, further expands the photographer’s world of photo expression. In manual exposure mode, the shutter speeds B (bulb) and T (time) can be selected. 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 B and T, the exposure is automatically ended when 180 seconds have elapsed. Information on the lens used can be put in the EXIF information. In the editing of My Settings information, lens name, focal length, and F value can be entered. 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 electronic level utilizing an acceleration sensor. An image flag function to enable the quick display of specific images from among those in the camera. Up to 20 images can be flagged. For the exterior, we utilized die cast magnesium, which has a strong track record in the GR series, and we covered the surface with a corrosion-resistant "pear-skin" coating. The end result is a body with durability, light weight, and a superior feel in hand. It is possible to shoot 1280 × 720 pixel HD movies. * Note: When shooting movies of 1280×720 size, the use of an SD/SDHC memory card with an SD speed class of Class 6 or higher is recommended. 7) New options added We have created the new soft cases SC-75B and SC-75T, which are easy to open and close. With SC-75B, it is possible to shoot with the case attached to the GXR body.

Ricoh GXR and GPS-equipped Panasonics get firmware updates

Ricoh and Panasonic have announced firmware updates for their cameras. Ricoh has released firmware v1.37 for its GXR module, while Panasonic promises improved GPS accuracy for several of its recent cameras. Installing firmware version 1.2 should increase the positioning accuracy of the DMC-ZS10/TZ20, TZ22 and FT3/TS3. Meanwhile, v1.37 for the GXR modules corrects a minor error with focus mode reporting, and a glitch in manual mode for the S10 module. Ricoh For more information and to download Firmware v1.37 for the Ricoh GXR system, click here. Panasonic Click here for information and to download Firmware v1.2 for the Panasonic DMC-TZ20/ZS10 Click here for information and to download Firmware v1.2 for the Panasonic DMC-TZ22 Click here for information and to download Firmware v1.2 for the Panasonic DMC-FT3/TS3

Just posted: Panasonic DMC-FZ47 preview samples gallery

Just Posted: Panasonic DMC-FZ47 preview real-world samples gallery. We've had Panasonic's latest FZ-series superzoom for the past few days. The FZ47 (FZ48 in Europe) is based around a 12MP CCD sensor and offers a 24x zoom, covering a range equivalent to a 25-600mm lens. We shot in a variety of situations, including a floodlit football match, to show what that combination can and can't do. We've also prepared a series of images at all the camera's different ISO settings and taken test shots using several of its noise reduction settings, to give a feel for the image quality options available on this JPEG-only model. There are 32 images in the samples gallery. Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter / magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction with this review), we do so in good faith, please don't abuse it. Unless otherwise noted images taken with no particular settings at full resolution. A reduced size image (within 1024 x 1024 bounds) is provided to be more easily viewed in your browser. As always the original untouched image is available by selecting the 'Original' link under each photo. Panasonic DMC-FZ47 Preview Samples Gallery - Posted 02 August 2011

Nik Software reduces Viveza 2 pricing and opens up Snapseed

Nik Software has released an updated version of its Snapseed image processing app and lowered the price of its Viveza color and light control software. Viveza 2, launched in 2009 will now be available for €99.95 (down from €199.95), with upgrades from Version 1 also halved to €49.95. Meanwhile, the company has also released a 'universal' version of its Snapseed image processing app, allowing it to run on the iPhone and iPod Touch, as well as the iPad. Press Releases: Snapseed Now Available as Universal App for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch Hamburg – August 2011 – Leading photography software developer Nik Software (www.niksoftware.com) today released a universal version of Snapseed™, its acclaimed photo enhancement and sharing app for everyone. As a universal app, Snapseed now runs on iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices. Regardless of device, Snapseed offers a fast, enjoyable, and high quality photo experience for people on the go. The app enables a powerful photographic workflow that includes photo capture, stunning enhancements and effects, and a broad range of sharing options all using simple gesture controls. Current users of Snapseed for iPad can install the iPhone version on their iPhone or iPod Touch for free by simply downloading it to their iTunes library and synchronizing their device. Nik Software now offers Viveza 2 world-wide for € 99,95 As of August 1, 2011, Nik Software lowers the SRP for Viveza 2 worldwide to € 99,95 incl. VAT from formerly € 199,95.  For the upgrade, owners of Viveza 1 now pay € 49,95. As of August 1, 2011, the academic version also costs € 49,95. Viveza 2 is the most precise tool available to selectively control color and light in digital images. U Point powered controls allow you to precisely control where enhancements are applied without the need for complicated selections or layer masks. Simple-to-use sliders let you quickly adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, structure, shadows, group control points, and the intelligent controls allow professional editing and optimization. Viveza 2 can be installed as 32-bit- or 64-bit-plug-in for Adobe Photoshop CS3 through CS5, Photoshop Elements 6 through 9, Lightroom 2.3 (or later) or Apple Aperture 2.1 (or later). The program is compatible for Windows as well as for Macintosh and available in German, English, French, Italian, and Spanish. www.niksoftware.com/viveza Nik Software offers regularly free online-trainings for Viveza 2. Dates and additional info can be found here:www.niksoftware.com/trainings.

Kenko-Tokina launches NDX variable neutral density filter

Kenko-Tokina has announced a variable neutral density (ND) filter that can be adjusted fro ND2.5 to ND1000. The Kenko NDX filter can darken the scene by anywhere from 1.3 to 10 EV. The filter allows the use of wide apertures while keeping the correct exposure within the shutter speed range of your camera, or of very long shutter times to emphasise motion. The company suggests its use for shooting video with shallow depth-of-field, for instance. Its variable nature allows the amount of filtration to be reduced for focusing, then increased to the desired amount, without having to remove the filter. The filters can vignette when used with lenses wider than 28mm equivalent and are available in 77mm and 82mm filter thread sizes. Click here to find out more (Google Translated from Japanese)

Match Technical launches Thumbs Up EP-5S thumb rest for Fujifilm X100

Chinese accessory maker Match Technical has introduced a version of its 'Thumbs Up' accessory grip for the Fujifilm X100. The Thumbs Up EP-5S is an updated version of the grip we featured in our Leica M9 preview, and slots into the camera's hot shoe. It features a revised, 'ergonomic profile' thumb rest, includes a silicone insert to cushion the join between the grip and the camera, and is available in either black or silver. (via DCWatch)

Click here for more information about the Thumbs Up EP-5S for Fujifilm X100