Ricoh A12 GXR review

The Ricoh GXR A12 28mm f2.8: The fourth lens/sensor combo for GXR

With compact system cameras beginning to make their mark on camera sales, the enigma that is the Ricoh GXR launches its fourth lens and sensor offering: the GR A12 28mm f2.8. First launched in 2009, the Ricoh takes a new twist on the interchangeable lens system cameras, and offers not only the ability to swap lenses, but to swap the sensors and image processors too. It thus offers photographers the ability to alter the GXR body into a compact camera, rangefinder-esque model or superzoom, depending on the type of lens unit selected.

The new model boasts Ricoh’s GR label, which is given to lenses that ‘exceed a specified level of overall performance, with particular attention being given to MTF values, distortion, and colour aberration’. The lens boasts a bright and fast f2.8 aperture, as well as a fixed focal length of 28mm (35mm equiv). Combine this with the APS-C-sized CMOS sensor, that you would usually find in a DSLR, and the Ricoh looks like it should be a good bet.

On the body (which will set you back £306 on its own, £612 for this lens unit) photographers will find the usual array of buttons, dials and switches as a beginner to intermediate DSLR. The top of the camera sports a Mode dial which is self-locking, needing the user to depress a button to move the dial. This helps any accidental slips of the wheel, although it might slow operation down if you quickly need to swap between Manual and movie modes, for instance.

Also on top is one of the camera’s control dials. Perfectly placed for your right index finger, this dial will alter the settings in the manual modes. The hotshoe for external viewfinders and the like, On/Off switch and on-body flash, complete the top.

Round the back of the camera, the large and clear LCD dominates. The lack of an on-board viewfinder might deter some photographers, but the option to buy an additional VF is always there. The second Control dial, found above the LCD, works both as a scroll dial and by depressing gives hotkey access to WB, ISO, size, AF/AE and colour, making the Ricoh even more user-friendly. Another clever feature on the Ricoh is the ability to change the functions of the d-pad, allowing you hotkey access to any of your most frequently used settings. We loved having the ‘+’ and ‘-‘ keys set to exposure compensation for ease and quick corrections. The zoom key, on the body for the lens units with a zoom option, is disabled for the fixed lens options.

Where the Ricoh is intended to come into its own is out in the field. It’s a much more compact and lightweight option than a DSLR, meaning there’s no worry about lugging large amounts of kit up mountains or when chasing after the kids. Obviously, a lot of this depends on the lens you use. While the 28mm might be a great option for portraits with that fast aperture, and landscapes with that fixed length, a day at the zoo might call for a different lens unit, therefore adding to your kit bag. We tested the A12 unit in a variety of situations, including low light indoors, a trek along field and beach and even some studio and macro shots.

Shot to shot, the Ricoh appeared to be a speedy camera, but attempt to check your shot on the LCD straight after shooting and you’re told you can’t, as it is still writing to the memory (possibly due in part to the fact we were shooting RAW and JPEG images to the card). So, although you can take multiple shots quickly without much lag, if you like to check your results rather than just point

and shoot, it will take you some extra time.

The 28mm is perfectly suited to capturing street scenes on the move, and candid portraits can be discreet thanks to the unobtrusive size of the camera and lens combined.

Landscapes were also a breeze, with wide angles easily captured. Macro and wildlife compositions needed a little extra thought, and found us composing with our feet rather than our zoom. It was an enjoyable experience.

Loading up the shots back at the DCE office, we were generally pleased with the faithful colour reproduction. Reds appeared a little washed out on images of berries against foliage, but all other hues were captured well. Noise was handled well and the smoothing didn’t appear noticeable. Grain started to creep in around ISO 1600, which is excellent, due largely to that large sensor and the fixed lens, which is obviously of high quality.

Costing over £300 for the GXR body and over £600 for the A12 28mm f2.8 lens and sensor unit, the Ricoh GXR is no low-cost camera. Logically it makes sense for the lens units to be so expensive – after all, they also house the sensor and image processing engine. However, whereas with other camera systems third-party or low-cost lenses can be found to bolster your body and kit lens, there is no budget alternative for the Ricoh.

If you can afford the £900 for the A12 28mm f2.8 kit, then the photos will not let you down. There are a few handling issues left to resolve with the GXR body itself, but for photographers with a bit of experience, you can achieve some great results.

For most the cost of extra lenses will simply be too much, and the concept of choosing a new lens and sensor for each shooting scenario, too alien.