Ricoh GXR - Firmware Update 1.40 adds features!

[Godfrey]

Pavel Kudrys posted this to DPR, I thought the community here would like to hear about it as well:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1013&message=39233109

Tokyo, Japan, August 30, 2011—Ricoh Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Shiro Kondo) today announced the August 31, 2011 (Wed.) release of the fourth function-enhancing firmware update for the GXR, a high-image-quality compact digital camera launched in December 2009.

The GXR is a revolutionary interchangeable unit camera system in which lenses are changed by using a slide-in mount system to attach camera units to the body. The lens, image sensor, and image processing engine are integrated into the camera units so the body itself does not contain an image sensor.

Function-enhancing firmware updates are developed in response to opinions and requests received from a large number of customers via surveys submitted at customer registration time and other channels. These updates enable customers who already own a GXR to update it to include the latest functions.

This fourth firmware release expands photo-expression possibilities and enhances usability by adding new functions.

The function-enhancing firmware and instructions for using these functions can be downloaded free of charge from the Ricoh website.

Enhanced functions for all camera units

1. Greater focusing precision now possible.

·In order to increase the precision of manual focusing, the focus assist function has been added. Two modes can be selected, with the focus being checked by strengthening outlines or contrast.

·It is possible to magnify the image while shooting to make it easier to focus. In addition to magnifying the central part of the image, it is possible to display the magnified area across the entire screen. The image quality for 4x and 8x magnification has also been further enhanced, and the area to be magnified can be moved with the directional pad.

·A setting can be made to automatically eliminate the display magnification after the picture is taken.

2. Aspect ratio choices added for auto resize zoom.
Auto resize zoom can now be used with aspect ratios 1:1, 3:2, and 16:9.

3. Flash firing now possible when making the white balance manual setting.
When setting the white balance manually in the actual shooting environment, it is now possible to make the setting while firing the flash.

4. When making ISO AUTO-HI settings, it is now possible to define the shutter speed for changing ISO sensitivity at the same time as specifying the ISO maximum sensitivity. *

5. The electronic level can now be displayed when shooting with the self-timer.

6. For the vignetting setting for shooting with the cross process and toy camera options, it is now possible to select from the weak, strong, and off settings. When the firmware update is done, the vignetting setting is initialized as shown below.
Cross process: Off
Toy camera: Weak

7. ISO sensitivity settings are now more detailed.

In addition to the previous settings, it is now possible to select ISO-LO*, ISO 250, ISO 320, ISO 500, ISO 640, ISO 1000, ISO 1250, ISO 2000, and ISO 2500.

This added setting is only for the GR LENS A12 28mm and GR LENS A12 50mm camera units

Enhanced functions only for the GR LENS A12 28mm and GR LENS A12 50mm camera units

8. Bulb and time can now be selected.

B (bulb) and T (time) can now be selected as the shutter speed in manual exposure mode. With “B,” the exposure continues while the shutter release button is pressed, and with “T,” the shutter release button is pressed to start and end the exposure. For both, the exposure is forcibly ended when 180 seconds have elapsed.

Ricoh is a class act.

 

[woodmancy]

So, Ricoh are giving us the nice "peaking" capability in manual focus. I have a Sony A55 and was hoping Sony would provide a firmware upgrade to get peaking - no such luck!

Keith

 

[Godfrey]

now available...

Downloadable installation and update documentation files now available:

http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc/download/firmware/gxr/

I installed on body and both A12 camera units.

- Focus magnification is FAR cleaner, clearer and easier to focus with.

- Focus assist for manual focus makes manual focus with the A12 28 and 50 camera units much more usable.

BIG improvement. Thank you Ricoh!
Now bring on the A12 Camera Mount.

 

[Braeside]

Hi Godfrey have download and installed v1.40 here. I only have S10 and P10 camera modules.

I can't seem to get the half press of the shutter to cancel the enlarged zoom or the Focus assist. Perhaps I am missing something!

I tried Zoom Display Release ON and OFF. It does return to normal view after taking a photo with Zoom Display Release ON as expected. However it doesn't return from focus assist.

Have you got that working? - Perhaps the A units work differently or I have found a bug in the firmware?

 

[Braeside]

Duh! - I had the camera in AF, when I switched it to MF then the half press does indeed temporarily cancel focus assist and enlarged view. Still a bug perhaps, but not an important one.

Normally I wouldn't need either of those functions on the AF P10 or S10, but I just wanted to familiarise myself with them before I receive the A10 Mount.

 

[Godfrey]

Duh! - I had the camera in AF, when I switched it to MF then the half press does indeed temporarily cancel focus assist and enlarged view. Still a bug perhaps, but not an important one.

Normally I wouldn't need either of those functions on the AF P10 or S10, but I just wanted to familiarise myself with them before I receive the A10 Mount.

Yes, the half-press cancel only works in full-screen magnification, manual focus mode with the A12 50 and 28 camera units.

I don't know that it's a bug. I think it was designed to work with manual focus as a means to make focusing, framing and releasing the shutter a fluid action. I like having the focus magnification in AF persist in the half-press as it allows me to see precisely what has been focused on by Spot AF.

 

[Braeside]

Thanks for confirming that Godfrey.

Other comments:
I notice the new ISO 1/3 steps are fixed, I had hoped they might make that an option.

The way the Adj control can step through the ISO settings is a bit jinky now, sometimes you can select Auto, sometimes not.

 

[scho]

Thanks for confirming that Godfrey.

Other comments:
I notice the new ISO 1/3 steps are fixed, I had hoped they might make that an option.

The way the Adj control can step through the ISO settings is a bit jinky now, sometimes you can select Auto, sometimes not.

I wondered about that myself. Looked at all of the menus items and couldn't find an option for setting the step size.

 

[Braeside]

Hi Carl,

No it does appeared to be fixed at 1/3 stop steps on the sensitivity. I guess we can live with it.

 

[Godfrey]

I notice the new ISO 1/3 steps are fixed, I had hoped they might make that an option.

The way the Adj control can step through the ISO settings is a bit jinky now, sometimes you can select Auto, sometimes not.

I was a little surprised that they set the .3 EV step size only, rather than offered the choice of 1 or .3 EV. But it doesn't bother me ... I usually either set a particular ISO or set it to Auto Hi with 1600 as the top.

I'm not sure what you mean by the Adj control being a bit "jinky" ... ? I have the jog dial set to "Direct ISO ..." and it works just as it always did, there are simply more steps to jog through.

I love the Auto ISO with "where to start changing ISO" setting ... Doesn't make much difference with the 28 and 50 camera units, but with the A12 Camera Mount this is a great configuration setup that allows you to have it operate correctly with lenses the camera doesn't know exists.

 

[Braeside]

Godfrey when I step through the ISO with the Jog, it goes directly from 3200 to 100 missing out Auto and Auto-Hi. Not always, but sometimes.

I noticed this in the amended instructions:

The ADJ. lever can be used to adjust sensitivity while the shutter button is pressed halfway in program shift and aperture priority modes (in program shift mode, sensitivity can be adjusted even after the shutter button is released, as long as shutter speed and aperture are displayed). Note that once sensitivity has been adjusted in this manner, [Auto] and [Auto-Hi] can not be re-selected.

I'm not entirely clear about this...

 

[Godfrey]

Godfrey when I step through the ISO with the Jog, it goes directly from 3200 to 100 missing out Auto and Auto-Hi. Not always, but sometimes.

I noticed this in the amended instructions:

The ADJ. lever can be used to adjust sensitivity while the shutter button is pressed halfway in program shift and aperture priority modes (in program shift mode, sensitivity can be adjusted even after the shutter button is released, as long as shutter speed and aperture are displayed). Note that once sensitivity has been adjusted in this manner, [Auto] and [Auto-Hi] can not be re-selected.

I'm not entirely clear about this...

I'll look at it as soon as I return home. (Had a client appointment this morning, so I'm just finishing up lunch at a local cafe, don't have my camera with me at the moment.)

 

[Braeside]

OK thanks Godfrey! Haven't had much time today either.

I now probably understand about 95% of the menu items in the GXR, but I must sit down and work out the rest. That spreadsheet that the guy did was a help initially. I now have a few 'boxes' set up and MY1 - MY3 allocated.

Its odd that the AUTO green mode doesn't put things back to full auto like most cameras do. This can be handy in an emergency or if you hand the camera to a spouse to take a photo and they don't understand central spot focus... I now have a MY setting called "Wife".

Anyway, I am really enjoying the camera, even while waiting for the A12 mount to be available. I sold my Lumix TZ10 as it was surplus to requirement. The P10 can replace that when needed.

 

[monza]

Sean Reid has an A12 review posted for subscribers.

 

[Godfrey]

Godfrey when I step through the ISO with the Jog, it goes directly from 3200 to 100 missing out Auto and Auto-Hi. Not always, but sometimes.

I noticed this in the amended instructions:

The ADJ. lever can be used to adjust sensitivity while the shutter button is pressed halfway in program shift and aperture priority modes (in program shift mode, sensitivity can be adjusted even after the shutter button is released, as long as shutter speed and aperture are displayed). Note that once sensitivity has been adjusted in this manner, [Auto] and [Auto-Hi] can not be re-selected.

I'm not entirely clear about this...

Ok, I understand it now. The note is not worded very clearly.

In Program mode, if you use the ADJ lever to shift ISO in Direct ISO operation mode while holding the meter reading with a half-press on the shutter release, you can no longer re-select Auto or Auto-Hi ISO mode using the ADJ lever. You have to use one of the menu mechanisms to re-select Auto ISO or Auto-Hi ISO, unless you wait for the meter setting to time out.

This is likely due to an interaction between the Program mode shift operation and the Direct ISO setting of the ADJ lever. Remember how Program shift works: you enable the meter with a half-press of the shutter release, then slide the aperture and exposure time along the Program line holding a constant EV assuming that ISO is fixed. ISO is no longer floating in that circumstance, it wouldn't make sense if it was. If you jog the ISO setting, the camera doesn't allow you to reselect an Auto ISO mode until the meter has timed out and the exposure setting is lost, which you can override by using the menu.

Direct ISO jogging in Aperture or Shutter priority is simpler, but notice that the Auto modes are disabled there too if you jog while the meter is enabled. Again, say in Aperture mode, the aperture is fixed so jogging the ISO setting while the meter is active ... It's set an EV value to a particular ISO. You jog to change ISO and adjust shutter time while the aperture remains fixed. Wait until the meter times out and you can jog to an auto ISO setting again.

Not so difficult to understand, the issue is purely how the note was written. ;-)

 

[Godfrey]

...
I now probably understand about 95% of the menu items in the GXR, but I must sit down and work out the rest. That spreadsheet that the guy did was a help initially. I now have a few 'boxes' set up and MY1 - MY3 allocated.

Its odd that the AUTO green mode doesn't put things back to full auto like most cameras do. This can be handy in an emergency or if you hand the camera to a spouse to take a photo and they don't understand central spot focus... I now have a MY setting called "Wife".

Anyway, I am really enjoying the camera, even while waiting for the A12 mount to be available. I sold my Lumix TZ10 as it was surplus to requirement. The P10 can replace that when needed.

LOL ... I don't think I've ever used Auto green mode or Program mode, or Shutter priority mode. I've not yet saved a user configuration (will probably get into that when I get the A12 Camera Mount as that's how you save configurations for lens information, I think). I probably only remember about half the menu options at a glance. All this automation and convenience stuff tends to confuse me.

(No one but me uses my cameras, and on the rare occasion I hand the camera to someone else to snap a photo, I set it up specifically for that photo beforehand. Usually manual exposure and manual focus at that point, I've had plenty of nice "shots of me in front of some monument" ruined because whomever was pointing the camera pointed it at the wrong thing and threw an auto-setting into the toilet in doing so...!)

I set the camera up to work the way I've been using cameras since the 1970s or so: either manual or Aperture AE exposure mode. I set the aperture I'm going to use and either let the AE float, adjusting with EV Compensation, or use manual exposure end to end. With the AF camera units, I usually let the AF system focus the lens then toggle it to MF so I can make a series of exposures without disturbing my focus point. Sometimes I zoom the view to check the focus is right where I want it. I watch the ISO setting in either case ... lock it when I feel it's important to hold a particular setting, let it float on Auto Hi (ISO 1600 ceiling) otherwise.

In other words, I make using the camera as simple as possible and ignore all the fancy doo-dads. I look them up when I think there's some advantage to be had in using one of them, exercise it with test shooting for a bit so I understand it thoroughly, and then go see whether it lends me any advantage. If it does, I keep using it. If it doesn't, I unset it and go back to using the camera my normal way and forget about the doo-dad until a situation arises where it actually does have some value.

After all, all this fancy-dancy exposure tweaking stuff is really only setting one ISO, lens opening and exposure time in the end. However you get there is pretty much up to you, the result in the end is what is important.

I guess I'm a retro-Luddite at heart. I am so looking forward to the M4-2 body I bought arriving so I can play with a truly simple camera again! ]'-)

 

[Braeside]

Godfrey, many thanks for the very lucid explanation of why the Auto ISO behaves as it does, that makes complete sense now.

With my DSLR I tend to do as you do, Aperture priority. However using the small Panasonic TZ10 I quickly found that it was so tedious to change settings for different circumstances (Good light, low light, very low light), that I had to learn how to store 3 different sets of settings that I could quickly choose the settings for those occasions without fumbling through menus. I am pleased to see that the GXR allows the same functionality.

Even nicer it can optionally read the stored settings from the camera module rather than just the body, which allows me to have different settings for small sensor autofocus modules to the larger APS manual focus A12 mount.

Ricoh really have thought this through very well.

 

[Godfrey]

I agree that Ricoh have thought this camera through very thoroughly ... they're a class act.

However, I don't see that it is any more difficult for me to set ISO, aperture and exposure time on the GXR than it is on any of my DSLRs, so I don't know what the advantage to making user configs is. For setting up lens options with the A12 Camera Mount, sure! I don't want to have to re-enter the name, focal length and max aperture of a lens every time I fit one, much easier to just dial in that config.

Diff'rent strokes, I guess.

Actually, I discovered today the imprint function to mark in the image date and time values. That's a simple thing but is actually useful to me now and then. I'll remember it. ;-)

 

[Braeside]

Actually, I discovered today the imprint function to mark in the image date and time values. That's a simple thing but is actually useful to me now and then. I'll remember it. ;-)

That's very 80's - Just remember to turn it off again when you take an important shot.:ROTFL:

That's where the user settings come in handy, some special way you use the camera from time to time, it saves a lot of menu diving.

 

[woodmancy]

That's very 80's - Just remember to turn it off again when you take an important shot.:ROTFL:

That's where the user settings come in handy, some special way you use the camera from time to time, it saves a lot of menu diving.

I can't live without My1, My2 and My3. I often wonder why a sophisticated camera like my Sony A55 doesn't let you store a group of settings.
These days I am doing a lot of square black and white images. My usually format is 4x3 color. I shoot raw, but every now and then, I do a few black and white jpegs as I like the way the GXR renders those.
Even if I go for a short walk in the countryside I find myself switching between these settings, sometimes every few minutes. With the GXR its just a matter of a mechanical switch on the top of the camera.

Keith