My 2012 camera upgrade: Ricoh GXR

[Rog Tallbloke]

I sold the Ricoh GX200 I've been using for the last year for the same money I paid for it, and scooped a Ricoh GXR with P10 lens/sensor unit off the 'Bay by adding another 35UKP – a nice deal. So I treated myself and bidded for a S10 lens/sensor unit to go with it. This modular approach promises weight savings for keen UL photographers.

Here's how it looks with the S10 24-72mm equiv unit.

I just up loaded a couple of shots taken with old and new cameras to the UL creatures thread.

Now I need to save hard to buy one of the A12 or A16 units, which will give me full DSLR image quality in my pocket. The extra few ounces this camera weighs over the older GX200 is well worth the carry I think. 383g with the camera back, S10 unit and cap, battery and bits all ready to go. The P10 unit which came with the ebay deal gives me 10X zoom and only weighs an additional 160g if I want to lug it along. Tha A12 28 and 50mm units weigh around 260g each. The 24-85 A16 zoom unit weighs 350g and uses the latest 16 megapixel full APS-C sized sony sensor.

I took this one with the P10 zoom lens

And this one with the S10 in macro mode

.

[Adam Kilpatrick]

Nice work Rog

Are you thinking of getting the Leica M Mount module? If I had that kind of money I would. You could mount some cheaper, russian glass on it in the meantime before you start stocking up on Leica and Zeiss glass.

Just a thought

[Rog Tallbloke]

Hi Adam,
I wish my wallet was fat enough! I can't afford the M mount module, let alone the glass!
I'll save and wait to see what Ricoh bring out next. There is a rumour of a Pentax K mount module using the 16MP Sony chip. That I would pay for, as I have some nice Ricoh and Tokina PK fit lenses from my old film SLR kit. For backpacking, the A12 28 would be sufficient along with the P10 zoom.

[Franco Darioli]

Now that Ricoh own the photo side of Pentax I can see how that rumour started…
Franco

[Rog Tallbloke]

Hi Franco,

Well I hope it's true. I have a nice 50mm f1.7 Ricoh pancake, a great Tokina 28mm f2.8 and a useful Ricoh 35-70 zoom. I doubt I'd ever want to carry my old Sigma PK fit 70-210mm zoom, but it's on the shelf if I need it locally.

These focal lengths would increase by ~30% on a PK mount sensor unit, but would still be useful.

[Author]

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