Useful set up hints for the GXR A12M

[dreilly]

I thought this might make a good thread as people get their A12M modules and begin to tailor them to suit their shooting styles.

Here's the thing I found today:

On the second menu, Set Func 1 or 2, choose Enlarge All. This sets the function button to bring up an enlarged view (the magnification is set elsewhere in the menus, I use the lowest setting) that takes up the whole screen. The resolution on this is excellent and combined with the focus peaking, it really helps focusing. When you push the shutter button half-way down it toggles to the full view and back again when you release the shutter button.

Very useful!

 

[burancap]

Old thread here, but with the big Henry's sale -I think there must be a whole wave of new GXR owners on site! Maybe we can pick this thread back up?

I bought a pair of backs, the S10 and A12 M modules, and one VF-2.

While awaiting delivery, I downloaded the respective manuals and I find myself a bit overwhelmed after a first pass! For as simple and customizable as the GXR and other models are claimed to be -boy, the manuals are tough! I am going through them again, and again.

Question: Are the saved settings stored in the back or the module(s)? I ask as I would think you might wish to have different settings for different modules -so the latter made sense to me...

Thanks!

 

[Pete B]

I just got a second M Module for mine and all the settings were the same so they must be saved in the body.
Don't bother with the manual at this stage. I think a lot of the functionality might be limited with the M module so you can save yourself the headache as much of the manual doesn't apply.
The OP is just about all you need to know. I set my aperture wide open and have the body on P much of the time, and use the OP's method to focus.
The thumb dial top and bottom is exposure compensation.
Switching the stalky switch left or right alters the iso.
Pushing it in enables you to select various adjustments e.g. alter the position of the magnified view for off-centre focusing.
When you've mounted a lens you'll probably throw the manual away.
I used to have a Nikon DX system for travel. Very bulky. I dreamed of a little system like this with high quality glass and excellent sensor. Thanks Ricoh/Leica/Voigtlander 😀
Pete

 

[rhl-oregon]

Question: Are the saved settings stored in the back or the module(s)? I ask as I would think you might wish to have different settings for different modules -so the latter made sense to me...

In the bodies, not the modules. So 2 bodies will effectively allow you to double your custom as well as your standard settings. But I disagree that you should just mount the M module and lens and start firing away. The customizable options are rich, and it's worth going over them with camera and manual at hand, so that you don't spend months shooting in a way that makes everything harder or more simple-minded than it needs to be.

I have 2 bodies and another one coming from Henry's. One is for the 50 2.5 module/the P10; the others are for different M-Mount settings/lenses and will have different set-ups for ISO, focus, and so on (so that I don't have to keep exposing the lenses and sensors to dust, so that I don't have to keep rewriting my custom menus).

Have fun. But study up too. The camera can do a lot, and the menus are quite well laid out, and repay thoughtful set-up.

 

[kdemas]

Mine just came in the mail, battery charging. Looking forward to giving it a shot.

 

[el fotografo]

Thanks for the tips everyone.
I ordered a body and A12M module from Henry's on Monday and received an email today the said they have been shipped.
I've been on the fence deciding which small sensor camera I should get and hopefully this is it.

 

[Godfrey]

In the bodies, not the modules. ...

On shutdown the settings are written to both camera unit AND body unit. There is a setting that allows you to determine where they are read from on power-up.

This lets you create MySet configs specific to each camera unit which are auto-loaded at power-up.

The A12 Camera Mount also allows you to save MySet configs to the storage card, which you can back up onto your computer. They are erased when you format the card. You can also create as many of them as you want this way, loading them onto the card when you need them.

Yes, there are a lot of options and customizations. I've been using the GXR so long now since i set it up and I've forgotten all the details ...

 

[rhl-oregon]

I defer to Godfrey the GXR scholar! Thanks for the lesson. I'll go practice this now.

 

[Godfrey]

I defer to Godfrey the GXR scholar! Thanks for the lesson. I'll go practice this now.

LOL! I've been using the GXR since May of 2011, and had the A12 Camera Mount the moment they got to the USA. I have somewhere in excess of 12,000 exposures made with it in my Lightroom catalog. It's been quite a successful little camera for me.

Back to the MySet settings for a moment:

With the A12 Camera Mount, since I almost always use only the raw capture files and rarely if ever carry more than three lenses at a time, I use the MySet configs to embed lens information into the EXIF data and configure the minimum exposure time before Auto-ISO begins the hike up the sensitivity, based on focal length. Between the camera body storage and the card storage, I can have up to 12 configs set up, which covers all my M-mount lenses as well as a couple of adapted SLR lenses I use.

When I'm going shooting, I use the Settings menu to recall which three lenses I'm going to use and set them from shortest to longest on My1, My2, and My3.

One of the side effects of using MySets this way is that every time the camera powers off or you power it off, it reloads the MySet when it powers back on. That has the nice side effect of making sure that if you modified things a lot for a particular odd shot then walked for a few minutes without thinking about it, the camera would be back at the defaults for the next shot ... typically a good starting point.

Another bit about the MySets used this way is that if you wish to use a different shooting mode (mine are set up using Aperture priority, but I often switch to Manual exposure), you use the shooting menu command "Switch Shooting Mode" to swap instead of the mode selector dial. This preserves your EXIF data and doesn't change the MySet defaults you've selected.

There are lots of interesting and highly nuanced settings on this camera. It's a serious camera with lots of depth to it. Reading the manuals is a bit of a chore since there's a body manual, a camera unit manual, etc etc, but some time in exploration is well worth it.

G

 

[GaryLH]

I use the sd card as well as the on camera myset values as well.. I use mine to customize the lens config info including length, manufacture, lens correction info. The lenses I use the most are stored on the body and the ones that are not come in thru the sd card. I just put them on a small old sd card like a 64mb card, since I did not have a lot of lenses that needed an approach like the one that Godfrey uses.. Once the setup from the sd card is uploaded, into the camera specific location, u can use your normal sd card again.

I think I may have stared about early 2012 w/ my usage of the a12 module... It maybe a 12mp, but u are going to love the images from it..

Gary

Ps.. The menu setup can get confusing and hard to find what u need in a hurry.. It is a good thing for the custom settings..

 

[Pete B]

One of my M modules has an older firmware. How do I update it? My two bodies and the other unit are 1.51
Pete

 

[Godfrey]

One of my M modules has an older firmware. How do I update it? My two bodies and the other unit are 1.51
Pete

- Go to http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc/download/firmware/gxr/
- Download the firmware update for v1.51
- Download the instructions
- Fit the A12 Camera Mount to the body
- Install the firmware per the instructions

G

 

[dreilly]

Funny, but nice to see this thread come alive. Finally! I sold my GXR gear, but that half off sale is pretty tempting, I must say. It's an extremely versatile camera, I will give it that. And silent mode is awesome!

 

[burancap]

Great stuff everyone! I am deep in the pangs of tracking fever -hoping the goods arrive in time for the weekend.

I have been back through the manuals and I agree with Godfrey. I think part of the problem is the separation of the various manuals. Perfectly logical, but a bit difficult balancing any two.

With the kit in my hands, I am sure everything will make perfect sense!

 

[Godfrey]

Great stuff everyone! I am deep in the pangs of tracking fever -hoping the goods arrive in time for the weekend.

I have been back through the manuals and I agree with Godfrey. I think part of the problem is the separation of the various manuals. Perfectly logical, but a bit difficult balancing any two.

With the kit in my hands, I am sure everything will make perfect sense!

What took me the most time to figure out was the MySet configuration. Once I understood that you choose the destination first and then the source when trying to do a recall, the light bulb flickered on. 🙂

G

 

[burancap]

With the kit in my hands, I am sure everything will make perfect sense!

Or ... maybe not! 😀

All pretty good, but I am struggling with focus on the M camera unit.

I am experienced with Sony's implementation on the Nexi and perhaps I am too used to that, but I have tried both variants offered with peripheral adjustments -no dice, yet.

 

[burancap]

OK...

I set Fn1 to FOCUS ASSIST and Fn2 to ENLARGE ALL as in the OP.

Much improved and I like the way the rear controls feel enabling and disabling these settings using touch/touch. I always seem to struggle with my Nex in that regard because of my sausage fingers.

Looking forward to daylight!

 

[aleksanderpolo]

One thing I found helpful is to assign both the continuous mode and bracket mode to the lever (you can assign more function to the levers) and set them to on by default. The continuous mode take precedence (they cannot both be on, logically) so normally it is in continuous mode. Pressing the lever and turn off the continuous mode will automatically switch to bracket mode.

 

[CVickery]

Great thread...I picked up a GXR with P10 and M module from Henry's. Very pleased with what I'm seeing. Probably will try to pick up the VF-2 though.

 

[CliveC]

Great thread...I picked up a GXR with P10 and M module from Henry's. Very pleased with what I'm seeing. Probably will try to pick up the VF-2 though.

Let me know if you spot a good deal. I'd like one as well.