Daily Inspiration #280 by Devid Mosca

October 30, 2011 Daily Inspiration, News 22

Hi Steve,

I would like to share with you my enthousiasm for the lovely combo I’ve recently purchased, Ricoh GXR mount + Zeiss ZM 35mm f2. I was looking for a solid small combo with high IQ and a budget suitable for my pocket, a “poor man” M9 alternative, to use were I have no chance to take SLR + lenses with me. I had NEX5 before. Great sensor with his lenses, but I was somehow unsatisfied by the combination with the Biogon: the “Zeiss” look and colours were not as expected and corners were extremely soft. I’ve found GXR to keep the lens original colour and drawing very well, incredibly sharp edge to edge even wide open. I’m really falled in love with this lovely combo, compact but very very solid. The GXR construction seems like a small 1Ds. Also manual focus aids of GXR is well implemented. Customization has in mind really pro needs. I’ve customized Fn1 button for magnification and Fn2 button for peaking mode2, the monochromatic one (both effects disappear by half-press of shutter button, and coming back after releasing!). Shifting from one to the other mode, depending if day light or low-light condition. I’ve never missed the EVF, even in the sun. My girlfriend starts to be jealous of my relationstion with this camera…

I hope this can be interesting for you.

Thank you for your interesting website. I’m keeping informed also through your Google+ contact.

Regards,

Devid Mosca

Bolzano (Italy)

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22 Comments

  2. Thank you for all the comments. I appreciate positive and negative one. I wrote to Steve just to help (maybe) somebody that has my same doubts. This is just my opinion. I see 35mm ZM working better with GXR than with my old NEX5. That’s all. NEX5(n) is a superb camera with his E lenses, better in high ISO than GXR, better EVF ect, but the Ricoh microlenses looks to manage better M-mount wide angles (see also Steve’s NEX7 review in comparison to GXR). And if you want to go wider (21mm ZM or M or 15mm CV) seems to be more problematic, looking to other tests. If you want to see more pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/57171024@N02/sets/72157627730051749/
    Anyway my new toy, give me satisfaction and makes me want to go out and take pictures, and that’s enough for me.
    More pictures and less chat 😉

    Bye, Devid

  3. Ok let’wait for that Leica EVIL, it will be no better than the GxR or the NEX 7 for that matter but it will be Leica, Red Dot included and we will Rave about it…
    Cheers

  4. .
    Children, children ..calm down and look at the PICTURES.

    There’s no need to fight over the hardware ..David is just showing you the PICTURES he’s taken. And he’s taken them with his preferred choice of camera and lens.

    Why scream at each other? ..Have a look at the nice logs and cobwebs, pretty cows and mountains, and nice piece of wood with grass with a cup tied on.

  5. How can a cam designed for E-system lenses match up with a mount which incorporates all technical specifications for the Leica M bajonnet? Mystery, transformation onto a higher level of ingenious or just a simple coincident?
    People which are using the M mount get the experience that only 1 module changes the cam from an AF to a MF cam with the best glass adaptable under the sun. And as a free of charge promotion, no hassle with filters, add-on optical viewfinders for super wide lenses and no nasty cyan, magenta or red colordrift. That’s why people get excited. Beside the weak lenses the NEX is a fascinating system but not in terms of compatigility with the M standard…..why should it?

  6. Really love the GXR color. very impressive that given the same sensor size as the NEX5, GXR is able to preserve more of the corner quality.

    A little more expensive than the NEX5 combo, but well worth it.

  7. I love it how you GXR users speak of the M-Mount module as if there are No other alternatives. Who has the best offset lenses for RF wide angles without stupid profiles; Nex 5N, Who has the best viewfinder option; Nex 5N and who has the fastest MF aids? ;Nex 5N, best actual resolution/ISO performance and dynamic range: Nex 5N. Also the Nex5n easily matches Ricoh in ergonomics nowadays despite it being the clichéd cheap shot against it.

    GXR body+M mount module + EVF=1,217.00 USD

    Nex 5n+ OLED EVF+ M mount adapter= 973.94 USD

    I understand why the GXR is a popular, well liked camera, but seriously there are other options that are damn good.

    • >> Who has the best offset lenses for RF wide angles without stupid profiles; Nex 5N
      Wait… NEX-5 (described in this article) and 7 (tested in another article) aren’t good with these lenses but 5n should be miraculously better? Interesting belief, can you support it with out-of-camera images?

      >> Who has the best viewfinder option; Nex 5N
      Do you mean this clumsy thing above the camera? Maybe some people consider it best when it’s integrated (NEX-7 or cheaper Lumix G3).

      >> Also the Nex5n easily matches Ricoh in ergonomics
      That’s a matter of personal preference, and let’s be thankful that different ergonomics exist to satisfy different people (and I prefer X100’s ergonomics, by the way).

    • Man, you really have issues. Posting your hateful comments all over the web. Unknot your knickers, it’s simple discussions about insignificant USD 1k gadgets, that’s all. In the last 12 months we have seen about half a dozen NEX come and go, that’s why each and every one of them will be forgotten in a few months as there will be newer NEX(T) around, and this is what makes them eventually unremarkable. Gadgets spit out by an electronic giant which has to grow top line year after year with cameras being simply a means to an end. Designed by marketing guys and accountants and based on consumer survey inputs to figure out what masses buy. No passion and enthusiasm in the design and execution, quite unlike Leica, Pentax, Olympus, Ricoh. So all I can say is: NEX(T), PLEASE.

      • What’s taking Nikon so long in replacing the D700? It ame out in July 2008, which means it’s totally useless now.

        I think I’ll hang on to it for another few years, and just use it to take photographs. 🙂

        • I have a quirky Sigma DP1 from the same year. Still amazing IQ in the right hands and a prime lens of superb quality, warts and everything 🙂

          • I don’t know what’s keeping these people (Nikon). Why don’t they bring out an improved version of an already great camera every six months?

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