Ricoh releases Leica M module for GXR; will a Pentax K module be next?

<p>I'm not saying this would be a good thing or a bad thing, but wondering aloud if it's something they'd be likely to do, now that they own the K mount...</p>

<p>http://www.dpreview.com/previews/ricohgxrmounta12/</p>

<p>-no low pass filter? ...what next (pentax?)</p>

<p>I'll switch to pentax if they can FF that module;) m4/3, nex and, now, ricoh...I'm glad I kept a few M lenses. </p>

<p>The GXR concept was a radical "out of the box" thought (and kudos to Ricoh for that), and with interchangeable lenses it reaches its true potential.</p>

<p>They have been talking about this module for a while. But I have not heard anything about a Pentax one. So I'm going to guess that it isn't on the map (at least currently). But who knows, the Ricoh/Pentax merger may change things significantly.</p>

<p>Doesn't the idea of interchangeable lenses fly in the face of the basic GXR concept?</p>

<p>It was my understanding that the concept was that, by matching a lens to a sensor, you could achieve optimum image quality from both. I'm not sure I really believe that, but that is my understanding of the concept.</p>

<p>If you make a GXR module that accepts interchangeable lenses, haven't you given up that optimization/matching, leaving only the additional expense? How does an interchangeable lens GXR module differ from any other compact, large sensor digital camera, other than being a lot more expensive?</p>

<p>I understand that Ricoh wants to expand the market for the GXR, but I don't understand why I should want such a module.</p>

<p> </p>

<blockquote>

<p>It was my understanding that the concept was that, by matching a lens to a sensor, you could achieve optimum image quality from both. I'm not sure I really believe that, but that is my understanding of the concept.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I've never believed it and I've never seen anyone credible discuss the technical details of the "matching." I remember a person asking if they used offset microlenses (like the M9) in any of the sensor/lens modules and never saw any confirmation. Surprisingly dpreview's M module preview does mention redesigned microlenses.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I understand that Ricoh wants to expand the market for the GXR, but I don't understand why I should want such a module.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>If you have a large collection of M lenses and you don't want the 2X crop of M4/3 you're left with the 1.5X crop of either the Sony NEX or the Ricoh GXR M module. The Ricoh has the option of an EVF while the Sony does not (at least until the leaked NEX-7) and the Ricoh controls are more photographer centric rather than Playstation based.</p>

 

<blockquote>If you have a large collection of M lenses and you don't want the 2X crop of M4/3 you're left with the 1.5X crop of either the Sony NEX or the Ricoh GXR M module. The Ricoh has the option of an EVF while the Sony does not (at least until the leaked NEX-7) and the Ricoh controls are more photographer centric rather than Playstation based.</blockquote>

<p>Or an M9 or MP.</p>

 

<p>Well, at $1000 for the pair brand new, it's cheaper than a used Epson RD-1, and a lot cheaper than a used M8.<br>

Now someone needs to figure out how to transplant the rangefinder from a screwmount Leica...</p>

 

<p>It seems worth pointing out that adapters are available to mount many kinds of lenses on Leica M bodies. I just checked Novoflex and they make M body adapters for the following lenses: Canon FD, M42, Contax/Yashica, Leica R, Minolta MD, F, OM, and K. None of these adapters have electronic contacts or aperture controls. Within that limit, the M module already is a K module. I'm not going to try to go through all the scenarios in which someone would or wouldn't want one -- just pointing out that the option exists.</p>

<p>Would Ricoh make a K module with autofocus, open metering, and aperture control? I doubt it, because they don't want to cannibalize their own SLR sales (along with the obvious technical challenges). But that's just my WAG.</p>

<blockquote>

<p><em>"Would Ricoh make a K module with autofocus, open metering, and aperture control? I doubt it, because they don't want to cannibalize their own SLR sales (along with the obvious technical challenges)."</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>I thought of that as well... but on the other hand, the GXR is such a completely different product than the Pentax DSLRs that it might not be seen as competing with them. They could also potentially market it as the "K-mount mirrorless" that people seem to be begging for on these and other forums.</p>

<p>Even though it's sort of a departure from the original "intent" of the GXR system, I suddenly find the GXR much more appealing than I did before.</p>

<p>Isn't <em>that</em> 12MP sensor a bit "average" today? I think I'll wait and see what the NEX-7 does...</p>

<p>But it doesn't have an AA filter. It's probably going to perform differently (possibly better in terms of sharpness) than other 12 MP sensors. There have been a number of instances in the past where two cameras from two manufacturers used the same sensor, but one had a weaker AA filter than the other and thus rendered sharper images.</p>