Ricoh GXR

The latest development of this quirky camera system is both interesting and disturbing. A little cut and paste description first

1.	Camera unit RICOH LENS P10 28-300 mm F3.5-5.6 VC* (name tentative)
	•	With an original Ricoh noise reduction function and a back-illuminated CMOS sensor, this camera unit expands the photographer's range of expression by making it possible to shoot high-quality images in scenes ranging from low light to bright light.
	•	Featuring a high-magnification 10.7x (28-300 mm) optical wide-angle zoom, this unit has 120 frame/second high-speed continuous shooting ability plus a wide range of other functional capabilities such as RAW image recording, image settings adjustable to nine levels, multi-target AF, and much more.
	•	Start of sales planned for the summer of 2010.
	*	The "VC" designation indicates that this unit has the vibration correction function developed independently by Ricoh.
2.	Camera unit GR LENS A12 28 mm F2.5 (name tentative)
	•	Featuring a newly developed 28 mm fixed-focal-length GR LENS, this camera unit achieves high resolution and high imaging power.
	•	A 23.6 mm x 15.7 mm (APS-C size) CMOS sensor is used. The combination of this sensor with the GR ENGINE III image processing engine enables the camera unit to shoot high-quality images with smooth tone gradations as well as high definition and low noise.
	•	There is a manual focus ring that can be used for precise focus adjustments.
	•	Start of sales planned for the winter of 2010.

The APS-C sensor coupled with a 28mm equivalent lens is really not surprising, considering Ricoh was one of the earliest to have 28 mm wide compacts. Most disturbing is the release date, a tentative Winter 2010.

What could be holding up the final product? Problem with developing a 28 mm lens? Unable to pair it with the sensor optically? Difficulty with software algorithm?  It would make development of more large sensor modules doubtful.

The P10 module seems to be basically a souped up CX3 with RAW capability, which is a good thing, and presumably also with PASM modes. Disturbing is it looks like they are cobbling current small sensor technology into a supposedly high end high priced compact system. I hope it is not an act of desperation to make up for non-existent modules.

Junk Food



Golden Arches presents Deep fried curly processed potato.

Eating junk food is such a perverse past time, couch potato picking on potato snack. What else is worse is a billion people are struggling hungry daily.

The biggest tragedy in this whole situation is junk food is irresistibly addictive.  No wonder it's such a growth industry, as is sadly, it's twin; the slimming industry.

Details

Hot Weather Blossoms

Simple Foods

Mee Siam from Royals Cafe. A  classic dish with a  rich twist of coconut milk.



Korean Hotplate of  Octopus and Chicken at Parkway Parade Banquet Foodcourt



A bit of indulgence after being chili free for a month

Soup

It seems simple, dunk a few things in water, heat and serve. Yet just tweaking the balance of ingredients and application of heat means a soothing comforting potion, rather than simply just flavoured water.

The coffeeshop Food'R'Us which serves this, just gets it right. Not too thin and not too heavy that it becomes a herbal potion. They also serve simple set meals which are quite affordable, for the area anyway.
There is also the very famous Hougang Geylang Lorong 29 Hokkien Fried Prawn noodles. Frightfully sinful and with heart clogging richness, it is popular.

The coffeeshop is part of Le Peranakan Hotel, which lies along the foodie stretch of East Coast Road.

Chinese New Year

People's Park Complex is 40 years old, and still towering over Chinatown. A perfect little gaudy guide to those navigating the narrow streets, which are filling up with a new wave of immigrants.
There is a whole load of different sights sounds and smells which various visitors add to, especially since it is the weekend before Chinese New Year.

Celebrating by loading up with junk food and tacky souvenirs. Fun isn't it

Ricoh CX3

Back to normal broadcast.

Ricoh has released their latest Point and Shoot camera for the masses, well, not quite the masses since most people don't know Ricoh makes cameras. Still they do churn them out with clock work precision, every 6 months. I started with the R5, then skipping 5 siblings, I got the CX1. Of course I had to dump the elder boy on MY elder sibling first.

The difference with this release is the Back Illuminated Sensor. Ricoh went shopping at Sony's and got this, which supposedly gives it better light sensitivity. The samples seem better than CX1, but just got to wait to try it out. I have had some grief with the CX1 in dark lecture halls and auditoriums where photos at ISO 800 became bad impressions of impressionist paintings. Flash photography results in horrible uneven lighting, something I have always hated about Ricoh cameras.

Coupled with the new heart is a newer brain, it inherited extra brain power from the GRD III, and, and, wait for it, an option to modify the in camera noise reduction! That is good for a Raw-less camera. So now you can do either Impressionism or Pointillism, your pick. Though not holding out much hope for flash photography, it is not an issue for me. I am not a flasher.

The final interesting feature is that Ricoh has joined the HD video race at 720P. Now I can spam the world with high def trash on YouTube, buahahahaha!

So am I tempted yet? A firm not-so-sure. It has the 3 distinct advantage plus a few miscellaneous bonuses (Cat face detection??), but I guess I still have a big crush on the GXR.