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50mm dilema

pr28893

New Member
Hi
I recently bought a GXR plus P10 for a great price in anticipation of the M mount being released this autumn. I have really enjoyed using the camera. The interface is brilliant. I dont like the P10 that much though with not great image quality and focusing problems I bought the A12 28mm which is a relevation. So much faster than the P10 and stunning image quality.
My dilema is that I am itching to get another lens but the A12 50mm would duplicate the M mount Zeiss 35mm I already own. The Zeiss is a stunning lens. No one seems to have done a comparison with Ricoh and Zeiss or Leica lenses, or Nikon SLR lenses. The other dilema is the cost. When one compares the £500 I would have to pay for the A 12 compared to say a Nikon 50mm f1.8 at £112 the price of the Ricoh seems crazy, even taking in to consideration the sensor etc that the A12 includes.
 
Hi pr28893 and welcome on the board!

If you already have the 35mm lens for M mount, I would probably skip the purchase of A12 50. Or at least I would wait for the M module and some initial comments about it. The main advantage of A12 50mm will be the Macro mode, AF, maybe even the video mode, because this may be missing in the M mount module (due to a "rumor" that the M mount focal plane shutter will be open only at a time of capturing the photo = most probably no video mode). A12 50mm is definitely great module delivering some outstanding results. But if you are used in the manual focus and you are not a macro freak, the purchase of A12/50 sounds like a waste of money? But still, it would be better to wait for some M mount reviews.
 
hey guys, i am struggling with the same dilemma currently. the macro module would add a lot of possibilities and would make my setup quite complete :) i am currently wondering what the price for the M module will be.. the price of the A12 50mm is pretty high but the upside is that it is keeping its resale value at a good point.
 
Thansk for your comments.

Of course,, it does make common sense to wait for the M module. Maybe if a second hand A12 50mm comes on the market I will pick one up. Although that seems unlikely as second hand A12 lenses don't seem to come up an Ebay or anywhere else. It is a pity the A12 lenses are so overpriced. I would have thougth a target figure of £400 would have the lenses flying out of the shops.

As far as the M module is concerned, I can't imagine it will be less that £500, and RG Lewis said a rep from Ricoh thought that was the region Ricoh are thinking of.
 
I don't agree that the A12 lenses are overpriced. You need to consider the exceptional quality you get along with the APSC module in each A12 module. In addition, you should not forget about frequent feature enhancing firmwares. This is not something you will get from other companies. And if they introduce new body with the phase detection AF (which I'm sure they will), your existing A12 modules will get a significant AF boost. The price of body alone will be surely lower than purchasing new lens modules ;) Of course, this is just a speculation, but I really believe the PD-AF will be a reason for Ricoh to release new GXR body.
 
OK - maybe saying 'overpriced' is a little harsh. Certainly the results I have seen posted from both APS-C lenses are fabulous.

What Ricoh seem to have done is shot themselves in the foot by firstly releasing the camera too soon so the A12 50mm was reviewed with focus problems that should have been addressed in the original firmware (which they have now fixed) and secondly with the two small sensor lenses which although Ricoh's advertising hype says that one of the great benefits of the module system is that is is possible to match sensor to lens perfectly doesn't seem to stand up with the S10 and P10 lenses. From what I can see neither compare in picture quality with other manufacturers stand alone cameras (Eg The Panasonic LX5 and S10). Of course, I would be happy to eat my words as they not based on personal experience with the S10 (although I do have the P10 which is gathering dust at the moment)

Maybe I am wrong, but I think Ricoh should have released an APS-C short zoom to maintain the image they want for this camera as a camera that produces stunning photos comparable to a DSLR.
 
Agree. The APSC zoom should have been released along with the A12 50 instead of S10 and P10. I personally miss a slim&fast pancake 40/2 (equivalent of Panasonic 20/1.7 or Samsung 30/2). That would be just perfect! ;)
 
pr28893":10fztwhk said:
As far as the M module is concerned, I can't imagine it will be less that £500, and RG Lewis said a rep from Ricoh thought that was the region Ricoh are thinking of.

If it's much more, there will be much collective gnashing of teeth. If it reaches over $1000 for the module and body, I'll get an M8/M8.2 instead.
 
ZDP-189":2mhg2e1e said:
pr28893":2mhg2e1e said:
As far as the M module is concerned, I can't imagine it will be less that £500, and RG Lewis said a rep from Ricoh thought that was the region Ricoh are thinking of.

If it's much more, there will be much collective gnashing of teeth. If it reaches over $1000 for the module and body, I'll get an M8/M8.2 instead.
maybe you will, but there is plenty of folks out there who can not afford to fork out 2-3k on a M8 so a good worked out GXR setup with M module will compete the Leica. i really hope it will work out, if not i will consider the M8 as well (although i really do not want to spend that much..)
 
Well - I got over my dilemma and decided to purchase the A12 50mm. It is early days but I am struggling with what really does seem to be a poor lens when it comes to auto focus in macro. I have only taken a few shots and most have not been in focus as far as I can tell. I shall be patient and will see how things go as I get used to handling the lens and try it in manual focus as well. The GXR seems to under expose. I have posted a few photos (snaps) - the first a photo from my A12 28mm - still practicing, I used vivid which has a slightly surreal look. I really like the colour rendition of the second, the third in macro leaving the camera to focus. I can't find the spot the lens was focused on.
 

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Those are great pictures. I think an AF 50mm module would be a great complement to the M module. I would buy a GXR and A12 50, but there are so few of the A12s on the second hand market compared to the P10s.
 
I have no had time to try out some macro work on the 50mm and now that I have got used to the lens can see some sharp results. I have attached a photo that seems to me to be well in focus and very detailed. This was a straight dng to jpg conversion in Lightroom 3. Nor sharpening etc. The detail on the chrome of the pen and the blue pen looks amazing even with my poor eyesight.
 

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