Ricoh GR lens A12 28mm f/2.5
Ricoh has added a wide angle fast aperture lens module to its GXR camera system with the introduction of the GR lens A12 28mm f/2.5. Fitted with a 12 million-pixel APS-C CMOS sensor the new unit provides views similar to a 28mm focal length on a full frame camera, but is actually equipped with a lens with a real focal length of 18.3mm. Constructed with 9 elements in 6 groups the lens unit incorporates two aspheric lenses, one special low-dispersion lens and ?multiple high refraction-ratio? lenses. Ricoh claims that the design ?thoroughly corrects? a range of aberrations, so that the lens can meet the company?s ?GR? standard. Using the established GR Engine III image processor the new unit is said to be able to focus more quickly as well as analyse noise distribution in images to work on different areas with differing intensities. The white balance system works in a similar way, breaking the image into regions, so that multiple light types can be corrected simultaneously.
The unit?s sensitivity can be increased to ISO 3200 from ISO 200, and a 256-segment metering system can be configured for multi-zone, centre weighted and spot modes. Aperture values are marked from f/2.5 to f/22, but at the f/22 point an ND filter is used instead of closing the nine-bladed iris to the tiny size of hole required.
The A12 28mm f/2.5 unit is made from die cast magnesium, and offers a manual focus ring as well as autofocus operation. Manual adjustment can be performed when the AF system is active, and in full manual mode the desired sector of the subject can be magnified on screen by up to 8x.
A movie mode is also included, with 1280×720 pixel resolution.
No prices have been announced as yet, but the unit is due to be on sale in mid November.
