Ricoh GXR

Photo answers review

Photo answers rating

Imagine an interchangeable lens camera system where the lens is essentially the heart of the camera, and the body is more like a shell carrying only the most rudimentary camera features. This idea literally turns camera design on its head and it may sound like fiction, but with the new Ricoh GXR this concept is now a reality. The GXR begins what can only be described as a new camera format – one where sensor, processor and lens are combined in a single unit. Each lens and sensor combination is put together with the aim of getting the best out of the lens’ optics.
The GXR with a lens attached is smaller than both its main competitors – the Panasonic GF1 and Olympus EP-2. For a regular camera review we’d be looking predominately at a camera body, but for the GXR it’s the lens units that hold most of the technical specifications, so first off let’s take a look at these. There are two lenses available at the moment – a 24-72mm f/2.5-4.4 and a 50mm f/2.5 Macro. This is a modular system so you’ll be able to choose your first lens yourself rather than accepting what’s in the box.

The principles behind the move to incorporate sensors into lenses make perfect sense in many ways, but you still have to ask yourself, ‘Why reinvent the wheel?’. GXR lenses are very easy to change, thanks to their slot-in mechanism, and the fact that they’re sealed to stop dust reaching the sensor is also attractive, especially when considering changing lenses in poor conditions. However, the problem of having sensors tied into lenses is that as sensor technology improves, GXR users will have to upgrade all their lenses and keep the old body, rather than simply buy a new body and keep old lenses, which is a much cheaper way of upgrading.


Performance and ease of use
The GXR is a solidly built camera that feels good in the hand, despite being the smallest interchangeable lens digital camera available. The control layout is similar to a conventional compact, except that there’s a mode dial on top of the body with a safety lock to hold it in the desired position. Other than that, anyone looking to upgrade from a compact will find themselves in familiar territory, but with the added bonus of interchangeable lenses. The body itself lacks a viewfinder, but this does help to reduce overall size, and if one is important to you, a digital viewfinder that sits on the hotshoe can be purchased separately.

The GXR is easy to use with well laid-out controls and easy-to-follow menus. The menus, of course, take a little getting used to but are nothing too drastic. A useful feature is the Direct button that allows you to access most of the current exposure settings on a single screen. Then there’s the ADJ dial that allows you to access further settings such as white balance, ISO and image quality, putting everything you might need to change in a hurry at your fingertips.

Focus speed on the GXR can vary between lenses but on the whole can be frustratingly slow, especially when shooting macro handheld, because by the time the lens has focused the camera will have been moved slightly. To activate the minimum focus distance with either lens you have to press the Macro button on the back of the body. This switches between the impressive minimum focusing distance of both lenses and a standard distance of 30cm. This switchover takes a little getting used to but once you’re familiar with it, it becomes second nature.


Final verdict
The GXR is undoubtedly an interesting concept that has the potential to take compact cameras in a completely new direction. On the flipside, tying sensor and processor technology into lenses rather than camera bodies is a gamble because of the way it ultimately affects upgrade potential, and the fact that some features are only available with certain lenses can be frustrating. For instance, HD video recording isn’t available with the 24-72mm lens, but is with the 50mm. Overall image quality from the GXR is good and specs across the two lenses currently available are pretty good. The GXR system isn’t cheap though, especially when you factor a couple of lenses and a viewfinder into the equation. It is, however, an interesting concept that could be perfect for some photographers given the small size of the camera and dust-free sensor.



Ricoh lens S10 24-72mm f/2.5-4.4 VC £329
This is the kit lens equivalent, thanks to its mid-range focal length of 24-72mm. It is also the cheapest lens currently available for the GXR. The 24-72mm packs a 10MP CCD sensor that offers a very impressive 1cm min. focusing distance. Only VGA Video recording is possible with this lens. There’s no sign of HD, but on the plus side it’s quick and easy to set up. The ISO range is 100-3200, with a respectable 5fps continuous shooting speed.


GR lens A12 50mm f/2.5 Macro £599
The GR lens offers superior optics for improved image quality. The 50mm macro boasts a 12.3MP CMOS sensor with a 7cm min. focusing distance. This may seem paltry compared to the 1cm min. focus distance of the 24-72mm, but will actually provide a much better subject-to-sensor ratio for macro work. HD is possible up to 720p. Surprisingly, the ISO range is narrower at 200-3200, with a 4fps continuous shooting speed.



Specifications
Street price: £748
Effective resolution: 24-72mm 10MP, 50mm Macro 12.3MP
Sensor type: 24-72mm CCD, 50mm Macro CMOS
Crop factor: N/A
Lens mount: Slot-in lens and sensor
Exposure modes: P/A/S/M and six scene modes
Metering modes: Multi, centre, spot
ISO range: 200-3200
Shooting speed RAW: 24-72mm 5fps, 50mm 4fps
Card type: SD, SDHC
LCD monitor size: 3in 920k dot
Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3, 3:2, 1:1
Live View: Yes
Autofocus: Yes
Integrated cleaning: N/A
Built-in stabilisation: Yes
Weight/size (wxhxd): 160g/113.9x70.2x28.9mm