GXR 28mm or wait

Landshark

PhotoDog
Location
SoCal
Name
Bob
I was about to order a Ricoh GXR A12 28mm lens today because I feel the need for a wide angel APC-s lens, 28 is almost there, I would prefer 24 or 21, so I started wonder if I am just better off waiting until next year, when we see what Sony or Fuji have to offer. Just thinking.
 
I say go for it, but I can be a bit impulsive when it comes to camera purchases. :)

Seriously, I think it is a great piece of kit. The big advantage for me when looking at the 28 versus upcoming products from Fuji or Sony is size. The total GXR package with 28mm module is the same size as an E-P3 with 14mm pancake mounted.
 
Given the gear you have, it seems you're reasonably able upgrade when something really nice comes along. So if you really want it, I'd go for it. We can spend our whole lives waiting for the next great thing, which is always right around the corner, and is usually great, but not usually all that much better than what we can get, and USE, now. Or, you could get the Nex with the 16 (24 equivalent) - not a GREAT lens, but not as bad as its reputation, and then you could get the 24 f1.8 when it comes available soon. If I had any appetite for their lenses I'd be all over Nex right now - they're doing some really cool stuff with their bodies and the lenses will probably be very good in time, but its pretty clear they won't be small enough for me to want to go that way. If that doesn't scare you off, I'd check 'em out. If it does, get the 28 - Ricoh doesn't seem to be in any hurry to release more GXR primes... And none of us really have any idea what the Fuji ILC is gonna look like or what it'll do or what lenses they're gonna make available for it. I'd go for it and then, if the Fuji stuff is worth upgrading to, you should be able to do pretty well selling the Ricoh gear. Or just wait a month - Fuji has said they'll be announcing something in January, so maybe that'll be soon enough to decide???

-Ray
 
Ideally what I want is what I had with my Contax G2s, two bodies one with either 75mm or 90mm and one with either 24mm or 21, the 4/3 cameras now have that but the APC-s chips have now spoiled me
 
speaking of the E-P3 their 12mm F2 is sort what made think what else is coming, and I only have two daughters to keep handing down equipment to.

It's funny, I sold the Oly 12mm to fund the GXR with 28 purchase. I liked the lens, but sometimes it felt a bit wide for what I was shooting (maybe because I am a pretty new photographer?). I preferred my wife's Panasonic 14mm pancake FoV. Also, the 12mm made the E-P3 somewhat less pocketable due to the lens' length. I really just kept going back to the 12mm because I knew it was probably a bit sharper in the corners and I did kind of dig the snap focus ring.
 
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