It’s a big Pentax-Ricoh day! The Pentax K-01 hasn’t been announced yet (coming in a few hours) but the new 40mm pancake is already visible at BHphoto (Click here). And Ricoh announced the new A16 module. You can read the full specs and see image samples here: http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc/gxr/unit6.html.

Stay tuned to see the full K-01 press release soon!

We just heard form a new source that Ricoh will launch a new GXR A16 M mount that replaces the current A12. The A16 has the same sensor as the NEX5n, but tweaked and with no AA-filter! Shipping in early 2012 already.

P.S.: We are not talking about the just announced A16 zoom module!

Thanks Manny

Ricoh announced the release of the 24-85mm GXR module with 16 Megapixel APS-C sensor. But they didn’t unveil the aperture, the availability and the price. But the administrator of Ricoh Diary (Click here) tells that the new lens will have a f/3-5-5.5 aperture and sales will start on January 20. And he also tells: “Further it should be relatively big as it will not collapse like the Olympus m4/3 kit zooms for example. The release was planned for the end of this year but the flooding in Thailand caused delays with the Sony sensor production so it has been pushed back slightly, the current planned dates are as follows:
– Full press release on 5th January 2012
– Displayed at the PMA & CES 2012 from the 10th to 13th January 2012
– Sales start 20th January 2012”

It sounds like the module will have the same sensor of the Sony NEX-5n!

Thanks Mistral

Ricoh announced the release of a new APS-C 16 Megapixel 24-85mm GXR module. It will be available in early 2012 (very likely in January). You can see the new Ricoh GXR module graph at Ricoh Japan website.

There is no info about the price and lens aperture yet!

Thanks Ivan

With a bit a suprise Christian Sorega announced that Ricoh will soon (Monday 28) announce a new zoom module. Accoridng to Photorumors this could be a 24-80mm f/2.8 lens.

P.S: The japanese blog Egami found a Ricoh patent descirbing a new module with image sensor stabilization.