New GRDII enhancement firmware 2.20 released!

[odklizec]

Ricoh just today announced released a new enhancement FW for GRDII!The FW is already available on Ricoh Japan web will be publicly available tomorrow(I expect initially only from Ricoh Japan web). Here is the list of enhancement (if I got them right from googlish translation)...

1) Moving AF Target (previously available only in Macro mode) is now available also for other focusing modes.
This option is already available in GX200 FW. But I'm curious if it will work also with Manual focus mode (unlike GX200)?

2) AF Moving Target can now be assigned to FN button.
Also available in GX200.

3) Manual Exposure (aperture and shutter speed) can now be registered in My Settings mode. - I'm not quite sure about translation of this enhancement, because it's already possible to save a given shutter speed and aperture in My Settings mode? Another explanation could be that if you are in Manual Exposure mode and you switch to My Settings mode, the previously set aperture and shutter speed will be preserved. That sounds reasonable and logical to me. We will see.)

4) Added some kind of Shutter Priority mode to GRDII. - Please don't be too excited about it! I'm not quite sure about this translation There is definitely something done regarding the "Shutter Priority" and something can be set both to FN and Zoom button. But I think we will have to wait for an official translation or user experience with new FW.

Here you can see (and translate for yourself) the source of this news (JP)...
http://ricoh.co.jp/release/by_field/dig ... /1126.html

and here is the googlish translation...
http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?u=htt ... en&ie=UTF8

 

[odklizec]

There indeed is some kind of manual "Shutter Priority" mode in this new FW. The word manual is very important here Not only because it's available in Manual Exposure mode, but also because you have to manually press the Zoom button (to get the correct exposure).

There is added new menu item at the end of the camera settings list...

Now here is how it works...

As you may probably know, if you are in Manual Exposure mode and the "Zoom" button is assigned to Exp. Comp function, pressing this button will set more or less accurate exposure values. It's just some kind of "quick set" option. Prior the new FW, there was fixed Aperture value (could be changed) and the Shutter Speed was calculated based of the actual lightning conditions and the given Aperture value. With new FW, you can choose between the Aperture, Shutter and Program mode behavior.

Aperture mode works exactly as previously. Aperture is fixed and Shutter Speed is calculated.
Shutter mode fixes the Shutter Speed value and the Aperture is calculated.
Program mode calculates both Aperture and Shutter Speed values.

To be honest, due to very limited range of usable (diffraction-free) Aperture values in small sensor cameras (which is around f2.4-f5.6), I personally don't understand the call for Shutter Priority mode in Ricoh cameras. I personally would prefer larger BKT range (at least +-1 and better +-2EV) or so many times and so many people requested TRUE NR OFF in JPEG

 

[Habeascorpus]

This forum was very quite these last months, so tank you Mr Ricoh to give this opportunity of new discussion.
And thank you Pavel for your always pertinent comments.
Indeed, I don’t understand people who ask for a shutter priority mode on such camera. If needed to decide a shutter speed, to use the program shifting seems more useful than going through manual mode, no?

About the AF moving target, it is not so bad idea. To answer Pavel: it doesn’t work in manual focus...

Still no sign of +/-1 and 2 BKT and true NR OFF ?
At least that gives us reason to always hope a next update !

Cheers,
Stéphane

 

[odklizec]

Hi Stéphane,

To be honest, I personally don't need JPEG NR OFF switch. I mean, I don't miss it much. I still think the DNG is better solution. If nothing else, it allows to recover more details from highlights and shadows than you can do with JPEG. But not everyone likes messing with RAW. And yes, I would like to have this option, because GRDII is currently incapable of using RAW with continuous and BKT mode. So JPEG without NR would be a perfect solution in cases I need BKT and continuous mode.

As for the actual BKT range, I really think there is no technical reason for such limiting +-0.5 range. In my opinion, it's just a relic from old GR film days, when it was the maximum bracketing range available for GR1v. Ricoh cameras uses the same sensors as other manufactures. And any other camera with BKT (even many cheap ones) can do at least +-1 range. So why not Ricoh, especially the class-leading GRD?

I keep pushing on both issues. Both "issues" were frequently mentioned in my emails with Ricoh folks. So all we can do now is to wait and hope. I personally know many people who refuses to upgrade GRDI to GRDII just because of much stronger NR applied over the GRDII JPEG files. The GRDII NR is visible even at low ISO values. What's really "funny", the GRDII RAW files are at least one stop less noisy than GRDI files. So in fact, GRDII files don't even need so strong NR (which is clearly visible even at low ISO values).

And the same apply for BKT. People who like HDR photography will buy LX3 (+-1EV BKT) or Canon G9/10 (+-2EV BKT) instead of Ricoh, with its very limiting +-0.5EV BKT. Even written down, the Ricoh BKT range looks terrible compared to Canon and Panasonic BKT values. With all respect to Ricoh engineers and marketing guys, we definitely need these two options changed/improved. And I'm on 99% sure, it's just a question of "simple" change in GRDII FW code. Definitely much simpler than to invent a sophisticated, good looking and fast NR algorithm

 

[Habeascorpus]

Good evening Pavel, and thank you for your answer.

I should confess that before having my GRD-II, I was always making pictures in JPEG with my Sony R1.
Since I was disappointed by the JPEG rendering of the Ricoh (and also after reading the users comments on this forum), I decided quickly to use the RAW mode.
And I am much happy today, even if I employ only Photoshop Elements + Adobe Camera Raw as developer.

Then, I tried making photos by RAW mode with my Sony R1, without much better results than the JPEG the camera can deliver! This Sony has really a good internal processing.

 

[Shane Phillips]

Good evening,

Has anyone noticed that after engaging the new focus feature, (the one where you can move and specify a focus area) that you cannot disengage it?

I mean to say that once you choose this by way of the adjust button menu, the camera locks up and you can no longer use the quick adjust menu? It then only stays on the focus feature.

Sure it says press display to exit, etc...but does nothing.

The only work around I have found for this is to either turn or camera/and or remove the battery.

Love the new features...but this version seems buggy.

Anyone else experience this issue?

Thanks,

Shane

 

[odklizec]

Hi Shane,

There are some bugs in this new FW (already reported and investigated). However, this one is just a "feature" The solution is to push the Adj. wheel and scroll it left or right. This action will reveal the rest of quick menu. It works like that since adding [AF Target] in Macro mode and it's considered to be a feature. I think it's like that to maximize the viewable area without the icons or other interface elements. But yes, it's somehow quirky.

 

[Shane Phillips]

Haha thanks man, that worked. Quirky indeed. So much for pushing display as indicated...

Now, if they could figure out why when in M mode, my preferred mode, and on auto or auto high iso, how the camera will most often choose iso 100 even in a low light setting, where it should pick anything but that.

Or if it does go above that in a low light situation, which is rare, it still always seems to use a lower iso than say when shooting in A mode. For example, M mode when in auto iso will choose 100 iso and A mode will choose 157iso....I am sure its been reported, but strange.

Love my Ricohs, regardless, maybe thats why these "features" are not fixed?

Shane

 

[odklizec]

I''m afraid, this is just another "feature" (described also in manual). I remember similar limitation in many other cameras from various brands. However, modern cameras can use and calculate correct Auto ISO even in manual exposure mode (e.g. LX3). So yes, Ricoh should definitely investigate this possibility. I too miss the option to use Auto ISO in Manual exposure mode.

But I would gladly live with current limitation, if there would be an option to set the ISO (manually) in 1/3EV steps. Current 1EV range is just too limiting with very large gaps between the high ISO values (ISO 400 -> ISO 800 or ISO 800 -> ISO 1600). Most of my photos are taken at ISO400 but sometimes would be very handy to be able to set for example ISO 320, 500 or 640. instead of just 200, 400 or 800.

 

[Shane Phillips]

Evening Odklizec,

Thanks man, yes! I had forgotten that was a documented feature in the manual of M mode.

Oh well, better luck with the GRD III.

Be well man,

Shane

 

[thelps]

Thank you for the notice on this firmware update Pavel,

I would have missed it otherwise.

Tim

 

[Skye]

Thanks for the information. I really don't understand why the JPEG NR problem hasn't been addressed yet. I'm trying to decide between a GRD and GRD2 right now and this is a huge problem. I really like the GRD2 upgrades but it comes down to whether or not I have faith in Ricoh fixing this issue in future firmware.... I really really don't want to shoot RAW for various reasons. Come on Ricoh!!!!

Skye