Ricoh rewards GXR owners with even more features

There are two types of firmware update in this world. Some--OK, most--just fixes some bugs in earlier releases, making your camera more stable and reliable. A rare few have loftier ambitions, however.

A new firmware update today for the Ricoh GXR is in the latter group, adding a variety of new features, and refining others. Ricoh seems particularly generous in this respect, having now released five separate firmware updates for the GXR alone that brought new or improved features to the table. (We'd love to see a few more manufacturers pick up on this trend, as it's a great way to reward existing customers, make it easier for them to justify buying late in the product's life cycle, and to build brand loyalty in general.)

Ricoh GXR firmware v1.50 makes ten changes, according to the release notes, and the last of these suggests there will likely be still more such firmware updates in the future.

Courtesy of Ricoh, the changes in v1.50 are as follows:

• AE/AF target shift in scene mode
  The photographer can now use AE/AF target shift even when shooting in scene modes such as high contrast B&W, soft focus and cross process. (AE/AF target shift cannot be used in portrait, sports, landscape, nightscape, miniaturize and toy camera modes.)

• ISO sensitivity setting step switching available
  The setting steps 1EV and 1/3EV can now be selected. When 1/3EV is selected, ISO settings are available at a greater level of detail than before.

• ISO bracketing function added
  By pressing the shutter release button once, images can be shot with a selection of three ISO sensitivity settings.

• Interval shooting function expanded
  A two-second setting is available to minimize shooting time between intervals. It is also possible to specify the maximum number of pictures to be shot.

• When manual mode is selected, ISO Auto and Auto-Hi is now available.

• A new function maintains the same shooting settings.
  By keeping the shutter release button pressed halfway after taking a picture, the photographer can continue to shoot with the same settings (focus, exposure, white balance, etc.).

• Sleep and auto power off time setting functions can now be set in one-minute units.

• Ability to record only the RAW image.
  The function for recording a JPEG image simultaneously with the RAW image has been expanded so that it is now possible to record only the RAW image. This is suitable for a work flow based on the premise that image finishing is to be done on a PC after shooting. Since a JPEG file is not simultaneously recorded, this option is also useful when the photographer wants to increase the number of images which can be recorded on the memory card or wants to optimize camera response time.

• Copyright information can be entered in the Exif information.
  Copyright information such as the photographer’s name can be entered and written to the image Exif data. The recorded information can be checked on the playback screen detailed information display.

• Firmware version upgrades can now be done from the menu.