Marketing Magazine (via Rice High via Noisycamera) interviewed the Ricoh UK marketing director said that Ricoh will “fill the gap” in 2012. Of course he didn’t unveil what Ricoh means with the word “gap”. But it’s easy to guess that we are talking about a new high end module, probably with full frame sensor? Would be nice! My dreams about a cheap Leica M9 could become true! 🙂
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IMHO as of today, there is only one, but MAJOR gap, and that is the fullframe CSC (fullframe mirrorless),
Soon Fuji X will probably try to enter that segment, i can only pray that Ricohpentax would follow
It can be a lot more compact than a D700 (which is a beast of a camera to carry around all day). Take a Leica M9 (which has a 35mm frame sensor) minus out all the rangefinder bits then add in live view – voila a compact 35mm frame camera. Plus add all Japanese engineering and miniaturization expertise/magic (ala GXR and Pentax k5) and you will have a small mirrorless 35mm frame camera. Ricoh is willing to play in the boutique marketplace (much like Fuji does with the X100 and the future X ILC), why let Leica have all the fun.
Yes an affordable FF mirrorless is a gap…but as Dummy said, not an easy one to fill. And by “affordable” it would likely mean “It’s only $2800. Hey, that’s cheaper than an M9, right?” I just don’t think the confluence of compact, full-frame, and autofocus is going to happen any time soon. Manual focus maybe, but I suppose we’ll have to wait to see how the GXR-M does saleswise before we start really hoping that someone will take that kind of niche leap.
(And nobody bring up Contax G…that system is wonderful and compact, but didn’t have to cope with the angle of incidence problems inherent in digital sensors.)
IMO the real “gap” in the market isn’t a gap at all, but the lack of a system that does everything well. M4/3 has some good cameras and some good glass, but is hobbled on several fronts by the small sensor. Sony has decent cameras with great sensors, but all but one of their cameras is heavily simplified and their lens lineup is big and awful. Samsung has decent cameras and a great lens lineup, but sensors that are several years behind the times in terms of noise performance. Oh yeah, and then there’s Pentax Q and Nikon 1. All of those systems present several positives but some serious tradeoffs. (And two of them are just plain ridiculous.)
Sooo… give me a system with two body options (one like the E-P3 and one like the NEX-7), Samsung’s lens lineup, and the NEX-5n sensor. Gap filled!
+1 @dummy @fants
Technology has improved in previous decade. No need for FF camera to make great pictures. With current Sony sensor tech, Nikon PDAF on sensor and quality that some m4/3 lenses have, one could be pro with a camera with 4/3-sized sensor and lenses. It’s just a question of a manufacturer putting it all together.
i’m guessing pentax will make an aps-c milc or compact full frame dslr.
there is not as strong an argument for aps-c dslrs and full frame mirrorless, imo. at least they are not as cool.
a bw sensor module is another gap waiting to be filled..
With a niche of about 10 people, worldwide. However, IF someone would do it, it’s Ricoh.
Who said anything about cheap? Boutique/niche cameras are by definition expensive. A 35mm sensor will always cost significantly more than an aps sensor. Just like a 645 medium format sensor will cost significantly more than a 35mm sensor. If you want a Walmart camera then go buy a Canon Rebel and Nikon equivalent. If you want 35mm frame or medium format then be prepared to pay up – it will always cost core. Grow up!
The biggest gap for me is a FF M-mount GXR module, aka poorman’s M9. Dosn’t have to be super cheap, in the same price range of the D700 would be pretty reasonable.
Ricoh: There are dozens of gaps to be filled. If you pick any two of them, I will buy your stuff.
1. Full frame sensor for your GXR.
2. Video module for your GXR.
3. Combination flash/viewfinder for your GXR.
4. Projector module for your GXR.
5. Wifi / iPhone module for your GXR.
The list goes on and on. Ricoh has one of the most creative ideas in photography in the last 10 years, and they have used it to make a series of outdated cameras.
It is like having the fastest laptop in the world, and using it to play “angry birds”.
Ricoh has always had interesting products – I remember a camera with built in browser a while back. That was cool.
GXR-M is cool too, and it works as promised. And if they come up with GXR-M-FF module, I would buy that too.
Outdated cameras? That’s Leica with their optical range finders. If anyone misses “good old days”, I sure don’t.
Dream camera? M mount with full frame three layer sensor with live view and high resolution viewfinder. Ricoh, are you listening?
New M mount module with 1.3 crop, and 18MP.
And a new higher resolution EVF.
Would have my $2000 tomorrow.
Did they ever fill that gap?
I second what Huggs asked. Looking for info on this and it’s not yet found. Thanks