New Ricoh GXR Modular System

Harold Gough · Post by **Harold Gough** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 5:47 am

This is causing some excitement:

http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc/gxr/index.htm ... topcom_gxr

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0911/09111001ricohgxr.asp

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/RicohGXR/

http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/defa ... ewsID=4164

Harold

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 10:18 am

An interesting approach. They're bundling the lens and sensor as integrated units -- swap them both out at the same time. No sensor built into the body proper. This would require some serious rethinking of how to do our favorite tricks with macro.

--Rik

lauriek · Post by **lauriek** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 10:27 am

I'm not at all convinced this is going to take off - although I can see upsides to matching the sensor to the lens - presumably they'll shrink the sensor a bit in longer lenses?) - but the cost would seem to add up prohibitively.

Once you've spent a bunch on a system if you want to upgrade your body (or rather what we would currently do when we want to upgrade a body/sensor) - you'd need to upgrade all lenses to gain a better sensor. Lenses should last forever, these will become dated (unless they give them stunning sensors in the first place)

It would make a lot more sense to me to make a modular body with interchangeable sensor and image processing units, initially built with 'wide buses' to allow expansion. (Well it would make great sense for us consumers, not so sure it makes sense to Nikon, Canon et-al)