Build and Handling
Like the other GXR units in the range, the P10 slides onto the front of the camera body. Both the camera body and the P10 camera unit are made of magnesium alloy and lock firmly and securely into place.
Before the GXR body can control any new camera units it must first have its firmware updated. This task is effortless as Ricoh has loaded the firmware into the P10 unit so that it automatically installs the first time the camera is attached to the GXR body.
As the body component contains all the buttons and controls, the handling of the camera remains largely unchanged from our test of the existing two camera units.
Without zoom and focusing rings, the 28-300mm lens is operated as it would be on a regular compact camera, with a rocker switch used to zoom in and out.
In Step Zoom mode, the lens stops at the 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 105mm, 135mm, 200mm and 300mm equivalent focal lengths. However, Stepless mode allows for around 30 different positions along the zoom range. Zooming through the entire focal range in this mode is reasonably fast, taking a respectable 1.5secs.
Compared to the other top-end compact cameras, the GXR P10 is comparable in size and specification to the Canon PowerShot G11. However, it is far larger than the Ricoh CX3, with which it shares the same lens and image sensor.
