Ricoh has a rather small stand at Photokina, but it has something new and exciting to offer to visitors. The centre of attention is the newly announced Ricoh GR LENS A12 28 mm F2.5, a new lens-sensor module for the Ricoh GXR system. Having an actual focal length of 18.3mm and an APS-C sized sensor, the new module offers an angle of view similar to that of a 28mm lens on a 35mm camera. The samples displayed at the booth are working prototypes rather than production units, meaning visitors are not allowed to save shots on their own memory cards, but the modules are still worth trying out.

We did and found the focussing to be fairly snappy for a device relying on CDAF, although perhaps not quite as quick as the Panasonic GH2 with the 14-140mm lens. Despite the rather subdued lighting, we did not experience any “hunting”, which bodes well for the system.

The Ricoh booth isn’t just about the GXR system though. The company is also showcasing the latest iteration of its CX rage, the CX4, as well as a number of its other compacts and accessories.

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