Using my DW6

[SimoninEaston]

Dear seasoned GXR/DW6 users,
playing around with this combo in preparation for using them in earnest, I notice that the GXR appears to smart enough to know I've attached the accessory lens - the zoom scale at left of the display reads '24' when the S10 is without the DW6, then magically reads '19' after I pop on the HA3, fitted with the lens - interestingly, if I pop the HA3 on without the lens, it stays at '24'...
It only does this when I have selected 'DW6' from the Conversion Lens options in the Setup menu. If I do not select this option, the zoom scale stays resolutely at '24' regardless of whether the lens is actually fitted or not.
So my question is: Is it OK to leave the Conversion Lens option set to 'DW6' even when the DW is removed? (I do not have the other optional, telephoto, lens and do not plan to get one...)

 

[Tom Caldwell]

Simon,

I have the S10 but confess it was only a purchase made to get "yet another" cheap(ish) GXR body and what is a very useful module thrown in. Despite finding the S10 a very useful module I have not paid it the attention it deserves and cannot really help your query but will chime in to support it as I would like to know as well and this might spark a "S10 revolution" of re-interest.

I had a curiosity to look just because of the mention of "DW6" as I had no idea that there were add-on lenses made for the S10 module. I was interested enough in the first instance to get the self-opening cap for it though.

Ricoh has had the unfortunate predeliction to make the extension lenses model specific for probably the very excellent reason that they are designed to work with each lens individually and to make them generic would reduce their performance. Howeevr after buying the add-on lenses for two early models I soon tired of the expense compared to the limited use I had for them. Besides if you add the lens to the camera body the result is "cool looking" but the portability of very compact camera goes out of the window at the same time. Besides if cool looking carries any weight then the lens hoods (at least on the ones I know) are decidedly non-cool looking compared to the tube and the lens adapter accessory itself.

Therefore on later models my interest did not match the necessary cash outlay required.

However on the original GRD itself there was a simple contact that signalled to the camera that there was an accessory lens installed. Not a full electronic connection but a simple switch alone. So I thought that the S10 module might have something similar but an inspection shows no obvious means that might relay anything to the camera body that might allow it to miraculously "know" that it had to adjust for the additional lens. Therefore the self-adjusting effect is a mystery. Unless this is done optically and automatically by means of the contrast detect firmware that the GXR uses. If so it is very ingenious and another unheralded wonder of the GXR firmware. If this is indeed correct then I presume that it is ok to leave the DW6 selection made as all it might do is to make a focus distance check every time the camera starts up in an effort to determine whether the DW6 is in place.

My guess only and I would be interested in any other opinions myself that might clarify how this works.

TomC

 

[SimoninEaston]

Funnily enough it was the "24mm-72mm" module that first inspired me to purchase a Ricoh - I bought a Caplio GX100 a few years ago and moved to the GXR so I could enjoy up to "300mm", available from the P10 too - kind-of having my cake and eating it! Am loving the Ricoh interface and it was a bonus that when I swapped from the GX100 to the GXR I found there's no real difference.
I've been playing more with the S10/DW6 combo and can't find any real reason to switch away from the Optional Lens setting (as described above), while the S10 is in place.
It's a different matter when I switch to the P10, as I imagine most folk would expect. If I keep the Optional Lens setting at 'DW6' while the P10 is in place, things aren't right. It makes sense to me, primarily as the DW6 won't fit on my P10, at least while the DW6 is screwed onto the HA3! I don't know if I can fit the DW6 onto the P10 using a different adaptor - perhaps someone can comment! Mind you, I don't think I'd be tempted to use the DW6 with the P10 - what'd be the point when I could so easily simply slip the S10 on? The way the units are easy to change is a revelation and the fact that there's no worry about exposing the sensor to the elements is genius!!

 

[Tom Caldwell]

Simon,

I presume that you don't have the A12 50 module. You throw away the zoom facility but the sensor goes to aps-c and the lens is a good one. Reputedly the best of the lensed modules.

I only have adpaters and lenses for my GRD.

Tom