Ricoh GXR Also Gets New Firmware

Ricoh has published a firmware update—or rather, four different updates—for its GXR camera system, which affects both the handle and the three different modules.

The latest version of the firmware, 1.18, corrects a series of bugs which had the potential to be very irritating.  For example, the focal length wasn't correctly reset when you swapped the 50 mm macro lens module for another.

There are no real new features, though, unless you count the increase to 3200 ISO in S mode on the 28-300 mm lens.  All of the benefits of the previous firmware are all there, including direct control over sensitivity using the 'ADJ' control, a fast focus on the 50 mm lens and so on.

All of the new firmwares are available in a ZIP file that you need to decompress yourself.  That leaves 16 different files: those that begin with an I for the camera itself, J is for the 50 mm macro lens, K the 24-72 mm lens and N for the 28-300 mm lens.  Interestingly, there's no L or M, and while one letter is presumably reserved for the new 28 mm lens that's planned for the end of the year, we don't know anything about the other ...

Once you've got the files, you need to copy them onto an SD card, put it into your camera with the battery fully charged and then press the + button and the playback button at the same time to launch the update.  It's all very standard stuff, but remember that you need to do it for each element of the system.  If you've got the whole thing (the GXR plus the 50 mm, 24-72 mm and 28-300 mm lenses), then it'll take three separate updates.

We know that your next question is probably going to be: 'OK, that's fine, but when are you actually going to review the GXR?'  Well, we have a GXR, as well as the 50 mm and 24-72 mm lens modules in the lab.  Our main problem is that we're not sure what to compare it to: is it a point-and-shoot, a camera with interchangeable lenses or something else entirely?

For the time being, we're thinking of testing the GXR + 24-72 mm alongside compact cameras and the GXR + 50 mm with other SLR-like cameras.  But we welcome your input on the matter ...


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