Ricoh has announced the impending release of a brand new digital camera system, the GXR, which features a basic camera body plus interchangeable lens/sensor/processor units that are fitted via an innovative slide-in mount.

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November 10, 2009: Ricoh has announced the impending release of a brand new digital camera system, the GXR, which features a basic camera body plus interchangeable lens/sensor/processor units that are fitted via an innovative slide-in mount.
Claimed as the smallest and lightest interchangeable-lens digital camera on the market, the GXR is based on Ricoh’s successful GR Digital and GX compact digicams. Like these models, the camera body supports the advanced manual controls provided by DSLR cameras but is small enough to be pocketable. The body unit contains the battery, card slot, LCD monitor and main user interface. Into this base, the user can slide a camera unit containing a lens, image sensor and image processor.

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The GXR fitted with the GR Lens A12 camera unit, which includes an APS-C sized CMOS sensor and 33mm prime lens with macro focusing. (Source: Ricoh.)

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Sliding a camera unit into the GXR body is as easy as changing a memory card. (Source: Ricoh.)
The system will launch with two camera units. The first couples a GR prime lens with a 12-megapixel APS-C sized CMOS sensor and GR Engine III image processor. The second comes with a cheaper Ricoh Lens S10 24-72mm f/2.5-4.4 VC camera unit, which appears to use the same sensor as the GR Digital III and GX200 and the same lens as the GX200. The Smooth Imaging Engine III image processor fitted in the GX200 has also been used in this camera unit.
A comprehensive First Look has been posted on the Photo Review website. Click here to read it.