Finally got my M-mount module!

[waloszek]

Hi all,
Just a short note: Finally, I got my M-mount module last week. I bought a Voigtländer 15mm and auctioned a Leitz Elmar-C 90mm (Leitz/Minolta CL) in beforehand, and I am very pleased with the results that they produce.
I was not so pleased that the plastic knob for exchanging lenses fell apart after about 15 minutes (I've never read about such issues before...). But thanks to my Ricoh contact and the dealer we could resolve the issue, and I received a new module this week.
For more details see my web site at: http://www.waloszek.de/gxr_module_mm_e.php
Best regards, Gerd

 

[nicolasGOD]

Good review ....
Too bad for the broken switch.
I received a box supposed to hold mine yesterday, but inside they put a 28 A12 module .... so have to wait until next week to get mine
If you are looking for a 50, try to get a Zeiss sonar f1,5 , this is a wonderful lens, very sharp and colourful, and it is giving a "3D" effect.

 

[waloszek]

@nicolasGOD: I hope you will get your module soon and whiteout any issues. I had the "empty box" phenomenon with the GXR body nearly two years ago. Luckily, I got a replacement the next day...

Thank you for your Zeiss recommendation. I found the lens on eBay and also stumbled across a review at luminous-landscape. It seems to be a lens that is especially dedicated to portraits. Maybe, the sharpness issue that they write about (and which is explained afterwards...) is only an issue with rangefinder cameras... Anyway, regrettably the Zeiss lens is about twice the price that I am willing to spend at the moment... (there is a cheaper, discontinued Voigtländer 1.5/50 lens (M39), which might be a good choice, but it seems to lack sharpness in the periphery).

Best regards, Gerd

 

[Rog Tallbloke]

Very nice equipment. I wonder if a dynamic approach to focussing could be adopted. Put the camera into multishot mode and turn the focus ring slowly over the approximate range while several shots are taken?

My GX200 takes a long time to delete photos individually. I don't know if this is the same on the GXR, but with a big enough memory card, RAW shooting and deleting out of focus shots could be done later using the PC and card reader maybe?

 

[waloszek]

>> Very nice equipment. I wonder if a dynamic approach to focussing could be adopted. Put the camera into multishot mode and turn the focus ring slowly over the approximate range while several shots are taken?

I think that this is possible but camera shake should be a problem. BTW, the P10 can do 7 shots at different distances automatically (forgot the name of the mode).

>> My GX200 takes a long time to delete photos individually. I don't know if this is the same on the GXR, but with a big enough memory card, RAW shooting and deleting out of focus shots could be done later using the PC and card reader maybe?

I never delete images on the card. I do it on the computer and format the card, which is nearly instantly (depending on the card's size)...

Best regards, Gerd

 

[Duane Pandorf]

>> Very nice equipment. I wonder if a dynamic approach to focussing could be adopted. Put the camera into multishot mode and turn the focus ring slowly over the approximate range while several shots are taken?

I think that this is possible but camera shake should be a problem. BTW, the P10 can do 7 shots at different distances automatically (forgot the name of the mode).

>> My GX200 takes a long time to delete photos individually. I don't know if this is the same on the GXR, but with a big enough memory card, RAW shooting and deleting out of focus shots could be done later using the PC and card reader maybe?

I never delete images on the card. I do it on the computer and format the card, which is nearly instantly (depending on the card's size)...

Best regards, Gerd

Hey Gerd, I prefer formatting my cards in the camera after downloading to my computer. I've heard other photographers having card issues with other cameras when the card has been formatted on the computer.

I've never had any issues but then ...

 

[waloszek]

@Duane:
Maybe I was not clear in what I wrote: I transfer the mages to the computer using a card reader and delete the images there. Afterwards, I format the card in the camera. Thus, I think I do the same as you do.

Can you please explain what you mean with "but then...". I am not a native speaker. I found a translation for this phrase ("but otherwise..."), but does not really help me... At the moment, it seems to me that the biggest "but" to formatting would be that you would also erase your lens settings that you store on the card. Currently, however, I have not proceeded so far...

Best regards, Gerd

 

[Duane Pandorf]

@Duane:
Maybe I was not clear in what I wrote: I transfer the mages to the computer using a card reader and delete the images there. Afterwards, I format the card in the camera. Thus, I think I do the same as you do.

Can you please explain what you mean with "but then...". I am not a native speaker. I found a translation for this phrase ("but otherwise..."), but does not really help me... At the moment, it seems to me that the biggest "but" to formatting would be that you would also erase your lens settings that you store on the card. Currently, however, I have not proceeded so far...

Best regards, Gerd

Please excuse my unfinished sentence as I was inferring that my way may not be the correct way to do things. It's just the way I do it and have never had issues with my cards. However, you made a great point about the possible cost at formatting your cards. And that is the chance at erasing your camera settings that you may have saved on your memory cards. I will have to re-think my process when I do decide to save that info.

I'm sure those of you using the M Mount would be saving your camera info to the card.

 

[waloszek]

Hi Duane,

Thank you for your reply and clarification. All in all, we both use the same methods, and for me these are the reasons why:
- Formatting is much faster that deleting individual files
- Formatting recreates the directory and thus prevent that directory errors accumulate over time, which always happens when files are added and deleted again and again.

I just hit on a possible counter argument: Flash memory has a limited life span (regarding read-write cycles) -- at least I heard this with respect to flash memory hard drives. It could be that formatting a card would increase the number of R/W cycles and thus shorten its life. However, I do not know whether this is really relevant -- at, least I never heard about this issue...

GXR M-mount module owners now face the additional issue that their lens data are erased by the formatting. Thus, they need to store them on a computer as a backup and to transfer them back after formatting -- which requires an additional step.

I thought about the option of storing the lens data also in the internal memory (a disk backup its still needed) and copying them back from the internal memory to the card after formatting the card. However, this may not be possible at the moment -- I that that all you can do is copy images between internal and external memory. Perhaps, someone will provide us with an answer one day...

Best regards, Gerd

 

[JONIE]

Hello Gerd,

happy to see your notes here again. Hope you enjoyed your holidays...
Regarding the discussed issue for M-Mount Module : in my understanding we can store six different lens data on the camera. Isn`t that enough at the moment ? I personally do not store any lens data on the card, because due to card formatting all these data are deleted as well. My way is: using 3 mysetting-sets for storing 3 different lenses. When I change a lens, I only have to change the mysetting-position, and all is done.

Cheers,
Jochen

 

[Rog Tallbloke]

Regarding read write cycles: The 'quick format' technique used by the camera simply sets the registry information on the card to say there are no files. So the old images are simply overwritten by new ones. This is not like doing a 'full format' on the PC which erases every byte of information. Solid state memory has a long life, I wouldn't worry too much about 'wearing out' the card.

 

[waloszek]

Hello Jochen,

Yes, we enjoyed our holidays, and my wife is doing a lot better now.

I had posted a reply to your post but it must have been lost... Anyway, thank you for your tip regarding "mysettings".
BTW: I recognize the cat (I sent you a private email today).

Best regards, Gerd

 

[waloszek]

@rog: I had thought of that quick format option, too. Thanks for your reply!
Best regards, Gerd

 

[waloszek]

@nicolasGOD: I ordered the Zeiss today!
Thanks for the recommendation, Gerd

 

[nicolasGOD]

@nicolasGOD: I ordered the Zeiss today!
Thanks for the recommendation, Gerd

You won't regret it, in 50MM i have the Zeiss and a canon RF 50 f1.2, the canon is fully different and good, but still the zeiss is incredible.
Here are some shots with the zeiss and my M8.2

 

[waloszek]

@nicolasGOD: Thank you for the fine samples.

> If you are looking for a 50, try to get a Zeiss sonar f1,5 , this is a wonderful lens, very sharp and colourful, and it is giving a "3D" effect.

Today, my Zeiss arrived, and although it was a little bit dark already, I took a few tests shots. On this one, although it seems to be nowhere really sharp, I tend to find your "3D" effect (which is more pronounced when the image is larger...):



Best regards, Gerd

 

[ktel99]

Gerd, don't get frustrated if you run into the "focus shift" of the Zeiss at close-ish distances (you can find all about it via Google).
This was the official Zeiss comment on the issue:

""The ZEISS C Sonnar 1.5/50 ZM is focus optimized at wide open aperture for use with film-based rangefinder cameras with the standard flange focal distance of 27.8mm. It is our experience that the sensor plane in digital rangefinder cameras can deviate from this standard, which can cause the focus shift to occur. Unfortunately, the sensor position can vary from camera to camera, so there is no way for us to guarantee the lens will be optimized for your specific camera.

The Carl Zeiss service department in Germany can provide a slight adjustment to the focus optimization and in many cases this is sufficient. If you are interested in having this service performed on your lens, please send to our address below and include a completed service repair form (attached). Upon receipt, we will forward to Germany for repair. There is no cost for this service the the turn around time is approximately 4-5 weeks from receipt of the lens in Germany.""

Who knows, maybe there will no focus shift on the Ricoh M module...

 

[waloszek]

@ktel99: I read already about it -- for example in the test at luminous landscape. What it actually means for the GXR M-mount I module, I do not know. But naively, I would say, it is not an issue for an optical SLR-style or electronic viewfinder -- what you see is what you get...
Thanks & best regards, Gerd
PS: This one looks very sharp in original size: