A very interesting reading about GXR development

[odklizec]

DC Watch Impress posted a first part of their interview with Ricoh engineers and designers about GXR development. It's in Japanese but it can be understand with google translation. There are some very interesting details about GXR design and development. Enjoy the first part of interview...
http://translate.google.com/translate?h ... html&twu=1

Second part of interview is here:
http://translate.google.com/translate?h ... html&twu=1

I have to say that the second part is even more interesting to read! There is mentioned A12 AF speed, roadmap, lens mount unit, FW upgrades, faint traces of future developments and many other questions and answers. Some answers are really interesting if put to the right perspective

And there is one more interview about GXR design process:
http://translate.google.com/translate?h ... html&twu=1

 

[andrewteee]

Very cool. I wish I could get a more accurate translation. From what I could gather the US market is insignificant to them and therefore they have no interest in designing or creating units for that market. No hint of future units except for some mention of a 28-300mm zoom. Although one mockup was a 35mm macro. Makes me wonder if all GXR primes will be macro lenses.

 

[odklizec]

I hope next prime will be fast and low profile non-macro. There is displayed also 100mm/f1.8 mockup! But these are mockups anyway so we should not expect them in a reality. Planned 5000 units per month are definitely nothing for mass-market? I was surprised by the 3% market share in Japan (if I got it right). I thought it's much higher number? But Ricoh is very small brand compared to Canon or Panasonic. 5000 units per month for GRDIII and GXR tells everything. And it probably answers also the question of (relative) high GXR/GRD prices.

 

[socket]

Smaller sales volumes, but lower overhead, too... Isn't the Ricoh camera division only about 100 to 150 employees? Plus, low-cost 'word of mouth' advertising must help. It's not bad to be a boutique manufacturer: as we've seen, it provides the opportunity to go in unique directions.

Gotta love those styrofoam initial mock-ups. I don't see them turning up in a glass case at a photo convention anytime soon! :lol:

 

[thelps]

Thanks for posting this Pavel, I will read it more thoroughly and with care, as I think the translation needs a bit of interpretation. On an initial read I and after reading your and sockets comments you wonder if Ricoh camera is almost a hobby for these guys and they have built the GXR their way, not for the market. I am still considering a GXR, probably once that flat prime is released you are hoping for, it will tip me over to buy one!

 

[odklizec]

A second part of the dc.watch.impress interview is posted! See the initial post. This second part of interview is even more interesting reading!