Ricoh GXR... interchangeable lens+sensor ... wtf?!

[randomlinh]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spbMQ960j8U

Am I the only thinking this seems a bit expensive? I mean, it is a very nice thing not to have to worry about dust on the sensor at all, but... seems like a huge waste.

So dang strange. They even managed to make the Oly E-P2 EVF look small. I was really looking forward to the announcement to have some more entry into the compact/large sensor field, but this looks like a niche w/in a niche


Though, if they start decoupling the lens and sensor, ala RED style, then it'd get interesting

 

[arrfep]

I saw that on DPR. IMO, it's a poor implementation of a brilliant idea. I mean, since the dawn of the digital age, people have been talking about the possibility of an interchangeable-sensor camera. I'm not sure why Ricoh decided you'd have to permanently attach the lens to the sensor module; that seems to defeat the purpose of having an interchangeable lens system. The weird thing is that they seem to be doing it this way for the sole benefit of keeping dust off the sensor, I guess. I suppose one could argue that they're trying to maximize IQ by matching a lens to a sensor it's optimized for, but I don't buy that. The DSLR world seems to get buy just fine using hundreds of different lens on a single/similar sensor.

Anyway, I'm interested in seeing where this goes. I doubt the big 5 will ever do anything remotely like this, but you never know.

 

[Koing]

Would have been much cooler if the sensor and lense were separate ala Red style

Koing

 

[ElFenix]

you guys know that medium format cameras have had interchangeable bodies/backs/lenses/grips forever before red did it, right?

interesting idea, strange implementation. though permanently attaching the lens to the sensor allows them to design the lens to almost touch the sensor.

for the small sensor the sensors are really inexpensive, and even an aps-c sensor has a cost under $50. shutter is most likely the aperture mechanism and electronic shutter, so that's basically no additional cost. a/d conversion is done on sensor for cmos anyway, to no additional cost. in lens stabilization is a per lens cost anyway. so maybe that combined with the benefit of being sealed and optical designs that can get as close the sensor as possible does make sense.


frankly i hope it works for them as camera design has gotten boring over the last 8 years. we've got the same SLR selection we've had since the 1970s, tiny little me-too cigarette box cameras (a trend which started with the canon ixus at the latest), and super-zooms (which borrow heavily from the olympus IS film line up along with some minolta models).

 

[randomlinh]

you guys know that medium format cameras have had interchangeable bodies/backs/lenses/grips forever before red did it, right?

good point, I always forget about medium format. The digital backs are insanely priced. RED might be too, but damn, it can do video as well =)

But even if the sensors were cheap, it just seems very wasteful given we can "get by" really well with what we have now. I do see it being very useful in dusty/dirty environments where sealing the two together would be a big benefit.