Ricoh GR Lens A12 28mm F2.5 Review by ePhotoZine With Rating 3.5/5

Featuring a GR Lens and an APS-C size CMOS sensor, the Ricoh A12 features a 28 mm equivalent GR Lens with a 6-group, 9-element configuration and a 23.6 mm x 15.7 mm (APS-C size) CMOS sensor. Here's the summary of review by ePhotoZine, giving the unit a rating of 3.5 out of 5:

"The wide angle lens isn't ideal for portraits, being more suited to landscape shots. Macro photos aren't especially suited to the lens either, however it gets reasonably close for a wide angle lens, focusing with subjects 20cm away from the lens. The lens performed extremely well in a variety of conditions, producing very little lens flare, lots of detail and a lack of purple fringing in the photo of the trees above, except in the very far corners. ISO noise performance - The camera gives a good range of ISO settings from ISO100 to ISO3200. ISO100 and ISO200 results are very good with low noise and good detail and colour. ISO400 shows an increase in noise. ISO800 and ISO1600 show another increase in noise, although results are still very usable. ISO3200 shows more noise again, but the results are usable with a film-like quality to the noise. AWB produces images with a slight yellow cast under tungsten lighting and using the tungsten preset produces much more accurate colours. Under fluorescent lighting the camera produces good results with just a slight colour cast.

The Ricoh GXR plus 28mm lens module costs £250 for the GXR body and the 28mm f/2.5 lens and sensor unit can be found for around £419, making it £669 for a 28mm f/2.5 digital camera with APS-C sensor. A similar specification Digital SLR such as the Pentax K-r with kit lens is around £399 or less and a Micro Four Thirds camera with kit lens is available from around £350, both cameras feature built in image stabilisation. The Ricoh GXR with 28mm f/2.5 module is a reasonable camera to use with the camera providing quick shutter response and a solid, well designed body. The cost of the camera puts it well above the price of a similar camera system, such as a Digital SLR or Micro Four Thirds camera. You could buy a Micro Four Thirds camera with kit lens for £350, then a Panasonic 20mm f/2.0 lens for £259 and still have change left over for other accessories. Image quality and camera control are both very good, but the camera's slow focusing speed with this lens unit and the high price make it difficult to recommend."