Review: Olympus E-P2 and Ricoh GXR

BY TERRY LANE

Last updated 12:16 26/11/2009

The Ricoh GXR.

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Just in time for Christmas, we are presented with two new cameras - well, one newish camera and one that is startlingly original in both concept and design.

Olympus has unveiled its Micro Four Thirds E-P2 and says it will be in the shops in Australia early in December. Olympus enthusiasts have been eagerly awaiting this addition to the E-P1, released just a few months ago. In the event, the fans have been disappointed.

The expectation was that Olympus would fit the E-P2 with some of the features of the competing Panasonic GF1. The wish list included a higher-resolution LCD screen, full-HD movie mode, faster autofocus and a low-light focus-assist lamp. None of these appear in the new camera. It is essentially an E-P1 except it comes in black.

The only new feature is a slot under the hot shoe for an external electronic viewfinder or an external microphone for video. There are some new "art filters" of doubtful usefulness and motion-tracking autofocus.

The E-P1 is already an excellent little camera, delivering outstanding DSLR image quality from a compact body and with interchangeable lenses, so there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the E-P2. It is simply that more was expected.

Ricoh, on the other hand, has come up with more than most could have imagined, let alone expected. We had a chance to handle one of only three pre-production GXR cameras two weeks ago. This camera has been kept such a closely guarded secret.

The GXR is called "an interchangeable unit" camera. It consists of two parts: a body component that holds batteries, the LCD screen, all the controls and the memory card; and a slide-in unit that contains the lens and digital sensor.

You read that correctly. Every lens comes with its own sensor, which the company claims solves any issues of compatibility between lens and sensor that might occur in a conventional interchangeable-lens camera.

When the GXR goes on sale next month, there will be a choice of two "units": a conventional compact unit with a small, 10-megapixel sensor and a 24-72mm lens (image stabilisation is by sensor shift) and a killer "unit" - a 50mm (film equivalent) f2.5 macro lens matched with a 12.3-megapixel APS-C sensor.

The body unit will cost about A$680 (NZ$860); the 50mm unit A$1300; and the compact zoom unit A$680 (prices are approximate). Optional accessories include an electronic viewfinder.

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Handling the GXR with the 50mm lens (33mm but the angle of view is the same as 50mm on film) felt just like a 35mm camera of yore, except we could have an instant review of the photo on the high-resolution LCD. We are impressed.

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