Darren (Larry, et al), it is in fact very simple thing. Have a look:
1. You have a camera body. The body serves all the electronic functions:
- card
- battery
- screen
- user interface
- external interfaces
2. You have two small sensor lens modules (I think it is 24-72 and
28-300 or whatever), where 24-72 has slightly bigger sensor. I did not
see these in real life.
3. You have a number of big sensor lens modules:
- A12-50 (A12 stands for 12 MP sensor, similar to that of K-r), which in
fact is 33/2.5 macro lens. It goes to half life size. Here, as it has
been earlier said, you cannot detach the lens from the sensor. This may
be considered disadvantage. Advantages are size due to tight
optimization and the idea that you needn't worry about the dust when you
(don't :-) ) swap lenses.
- A12-28 is built on top of the same sensor but has 18/2.5 lens, which
translates to 28 mm EFL. For brevity and due to my laziness I omit the
fractions from focal lengths.
I have both of these modules and they are outstanding. The color and
tonal quality appear to beat K-5, at least subjectively in my own eyes.
Very fine instruments indeed(*).
- A16 (I don't remember the rest of designation) is built on top of 16
MP sensor similar to that in K-5. It has 24-85/3.5-4.5 or some such zoom
lens, which if I understand correctly has only discrete set of focal
lengths. I've seen very nice pictures from this lens module but haven't
tried it myself.
- A12 Mount - this is the topping of the cream. This is just a sensor, a
shutter and Leica M-mount. No electronic connections are offered for the
lens. No AA-filter (I caught moire few times, this was fun) and lo and
behold, for like USD 700 (including the body) you get yourself a proper
Leica M-mount camera(**).
That's it. There're other accessories and additions to this system -
EVF, OVF, flash, cases, etc. You can look it up.
Speaking of K-mount and adapters. I have Novoflex adapter. It is
expensive but:
1. It is very precise in terms of workmanship and thus gives me proper
infinity focus without any mental somersaults...
2. It has its own aperture actuator ring. That is, you can either handle
the aperture from the lens, should it have aperture ring, or you can do
so with this ring. It has no intermediate markings, only full open and
fully closed marks, hence it is somewhat tricky to operate, but
nonetheless you can use *any* K-mount lens on any M-mount camera, not
just Ricoh.
(*) Under bright light at nominal ISO. Unlike Pentax who has very wide
tolerance in dark tones, Ricoh optimized their imaging engine to offer
more recoverable data in bright areas. To me personally this is a huge plus.
(**) There is a little catch. The M-moudule comes with the plastic cup
of sorts. It serves to check whether the lens can damage the internals
of the camera. Ricoh lists the lenses on the web-site/in the manual or
wherever. But in general older collapsible lenses may be troublesome.
HTH.
Boris
On 9/12/2013 4:56 AM, Darren Addy wrote:
From all accounts the GXR is a very good camera system, but I don't
understand it (at all) and when you have something that is radically
different than everything else out there, the burden falls upon the
marketing department to make it clear. I look at the GXR modules on
Amazon and it is not clear to me what mounts they work with. If I come
to the GXR with K-mount lenses I want to put on it, which module do I
use? Do I need an adapter? What do I lose and what can I keep (A
metering, AF? ) No clue. When I look at "GXR mount A-12" for instance,
I have no idea what "A-12" stands for. Description says "Universal
mount handling Leica M lenses and more"? Really? "and more"? What
might the "and more" include? It's $500 and it isn't a lens. And it
isn't a body. Then I see A12 lenses like the 28mm f2.5 for $540. Do I
need the "GXR mount A-12" in addition to this?
I have a very low tolerance for feeling stupid (funny, since I feel
that way most of the time) and products like this make me feel like
I'm back in DOS land and have to crack the manual for every little
thing or I get a "syntax error". Not that I'm actually looking at the
GXR, since I don't see how hit gains me a single thing over my K-5 ii.
But if this is an example of how Ricoh is going to lead Pentax
marketing to the Promised Land, let's just say I'm not holding my
breath.
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