gavinlg
Veteran
grd I
BlackXList
Well-known
Something I was thinking about whilst wandering today was that I think I've conditioned myself to see 28mm in B/W.
I think like many other people I bought my GRD for the way the B/W files look, and honestly, I've never shot it in colour.
I've recently picked up a Fuji DL Super mini (also 28mm) and went straight to B/W, it didn't even occur to me to put colour in it.
Not neccesarily a negative thing, just something I noticed about how much this little camera has influenced my way of seeing.
I think like many other people I bought my GRD for the way the B/W files look, and honestly, I've never shot it in colour.
I've recently picked up a Fuji DL Super mini (also 28mm) and went straight to B/W, it didn't even occur to me to put colour in it.
Not neccesarily a negative thing, just something I noticed about how much this little camera has influenced my way of seeing.
sevres_babylone
Veteran
menos
Veteran
Thanks Kristian! To be honest though, the GRD makes this very easy, as it can be set up, to be used exactly, as one would use a Leica M.
So it is not exactly a P&S in the sense of less control.
It's a great little camera, and as has been said, it is one of the best lessons, one can buy for this kind of money - really teaching you, how to see 28mm.
This is great! Great colors and a nice composition!
grd I
Maximilian
Established
I've run into a problem, which I'm curious if other have too... I got a GRD a few years back and quickly learnt to love the 28mm perspective. That, together with me absolutely loving the work of Trent Parke and myself inspired to do the same sort of photography as him (many things in frame with light being the most important element, instead of a close look of how a specific person looks like (at least that's what I take from his pictures)), I got myself a 28mm lens for my Leica M body and dedicated myself to it.
However... even when I thought I framed pictures well with the 28, I often found out when developing that I was to far away. I did however not run into this problem with the GRD!
Even if I could see the framelines clearly without an extra viewfinder, I think the 0.72 viewfinder tricked me in thinking I wasn't getting as wide of a shot as I was. I've used a 24mm quite a bit with a dedicated 24mm viewfinder and never had any problems, but I think that has to do with that I saw right away that I had a wide angle lens on my body.
I still love my 28mm M lens and my favorite shots I've taken have all been with it, but I still today struggle with getting too many too wide shots, even though I'm aware of my "problem". One of the things I love with the 28 on an M, is that I don't need an extra veiwfinder, but I think this is also the main reason I struggle with it. On the GRD, I see right away what I am getting.
Anyone else notice this (just assuming others here have also gone down the same route as me and purchased a 28mm lens for a rangefinder after using the GRD
)?
menos
Veteran
I found, that shooting a 28mm with a Leica M and the GRD, despite the similar field of view are two very different operations.
The GRD is a very, very compact and light camera with a big optical finder with decent eye point and a lot of frame around the 28mm frame (referring to the big 28/21mm GRD finder, not the tiny 28mm one).
The Leica 0.72 finder is very restrictive for shooting 28mm - it sort of works ok, but nowhere near do I get the immersion, while shooting, as with the tiny GRD with big finder.
I therefore shoot very little 28mm with the Leica M, but do much more @ 21mm + external finder of my preferred focal length @ 35 and 50mm.
The second point, which I love about the GRD is, that it's tiny sensor delivers due to the crop so much DOF, that one can practically shoot the camera prefocussed (snap mode) all day long and be quick about it.
Working close, you would have to stop down a Leica 28mm to f8 or f16, to get similar DOF and work as fast, as with the GRD.
I shoot the GRD on living subjects only in snap mode and constantly switch snap mode distance between 1m, 1.5m and 2.5m, depending on the situation, the same, I would prefocus a rangefinder lens on a Leica M.
The GRD makes shooting 28mm really easy - it's small package with excellent lens and descent RAW files is brilliant, controls are logic and easily configurable, while the whole camera really works in the favor of a photographer.
It seems not to be designed with "snapshot mode" in mind, but what photographers would want it to work - I like that!
The GRD is a very, very compact and light camera with a big optical finder with decent eye point and a lot of frame around the 28mm frame (referring to the big 28/21mm GRD finder, not the tiny 28mm one).
The Leica 0.72 finder is very restrictive for shooting 28mm - it sort of works ok, but nowhere near do I get the immersion, while shooting, as with the tiny GRD with big finder.
I therefore shoot very little 28mm with the Leica M, but do much more @ 21mm + external finder of my preferred focal length @ 35 and 50mm.
The second point, which I love about the GRD is, that it's tiny sensor delivers due to the crop so much DOF, that one can practically shoot the camera prefocussed (snap mode) all day long and be quick about it.
Working close, you would have to stop down a Leica 28mm to f8 or f16, to get similar DOF and work as fast, as with the GRD.
I shoot the GRD on living subjects only in snap mode and constantly switch snap mode distance between 1m, 1.5m and 2.5m, depending on the situation, the same, I would prefocus a rangefinder lens on a Leica M.
The GRD makes shooting 28mm really easy - it's small package with excellent lens and descent RAW files is brilliant, controls are logic and easily configurable, while the whole camera really works in the favor of a photographer.
It seems not to be designed with "snapshot mode" in mind, but what photographers would want it to work - I like that!
Maximilian
Established
I knew someone else here would have had the same experience as me! I (obviously) agree with you that there definitely is a difference between shooting with the GRD and a 28mm lens on a rangefinder. Just wish the GRD's images looked as nice as the Leica's, then I'd be all set to go!
menos
Veteran
I knew someone else here would have had the same experience as me! I (obviously) agree with you that there definitely is a difference between shooting with the GRD and a 28mm lens on a rangefinder. Just wish the GRD's images looked as nice as the Leica's, then I'd be all set to go!
Maximilian, the GRD photographs look as good, as you make them.
I struggled a long time with exactly this point, trying the GRD again after a while and feeling, the image quality is bad, after shooting the digital Ms.
It actually is not, you just have to be a bit more careful, exposing the files and staying away from high ISO. Post processing is different as well, as of the different sensor.
I shoot the GRD III cropped in 2:3 mode, resulting in 9MP files, that easily print to 13x19" and don't look bad, compared to M8 or M9 or prints from TriX.
GRD files break easily, once you do a bit to high ISO or a bit too much post processing.
Now I have little reservation, to choose a GRDIII over a M8 or M9, when a 28mm is, what I want - the lens is really brilliant!
Maximilian
Established
Menus, I think the results you are getting with the GRD are just great and I'm very happy for you that you feel the way about the camera as you do! I really don't want to badmouth the GRD cameras, as I really do love them, but unfortunately for the look I want from my pictures, my GRD3 isn't quite getting it, no matter how carefully I expose or post process them. But that's just for the image I have in mind for my own work. Again, I love the pictures (and quality) of yours!
menos
Veteran
Haha! Otto is a cute one ;-)
I understand, what you argue - I felt the same for many months, trying and re-trying the GRDIII until it clicked only recently - it was just that: more carefully exposing (not underexposing as of bad shadow detail and certainly not highlight blowing and the little camera transformed).
I understand, what you argue - I felt the same for many months, trying and re-trying the GRDIII until it clicked only recently - it was just that: more carefully exposing (not underexposing as of bad shadow detail and certainly not highlight blowing and the little camera transformed).
Peter_wrote:
Well-known
really nice photos here! the grd thread is one of the seldom picture threads of a digicam i regularly look in.
sevres_babylone
Veteran
Best Rubber Stamp (with sidewalk) por sevres-babylone, en Flickr
Ricoh Grd3, silver efex pro, Memphis
rhl-oregon
Cameras Guitars Wonders
Here's link to a brief series, If Only:
http://roberthilllong.tumblr.com/post/33435793611/if-only-grdiii
And to the first image in the series. Low light, long exposure, handheld (sorry for blurs in the background--figure blur was intentional). Part of a series where I'm studying the effects of blacking out figures as they pass through settings. (= overexposure brush in LR PP.)
http://roberthilllong.tumblr.com/post/33435793611/if-only-grdiii
And to the first image in the series. Low light, long exposure, handheld (sorry for blurs in the background--figure blur was intentional). Part of a series where I'm studying the effects of blacking out figures as they pass through settings. (= overexposure brush in LR PP.)
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rhl-oregon
Cameras Guitars Wonders
Bridge over the Cape Fear River / F1.9 .5sec ISO 800
Late afternoon contrasts, Disney Hall LA
Late afternoon contrasts, Disney Hall LA
rhl-oregon
Cameras Guitars Wonders
Just trying to wake up the thread, like someone who won't stop ringing the doorbell...
gfevan
Member
paris-0011671 by GF-PARIS-ROMA, on Flickr
paris-0011659 by GF-PARIS-ROMA, on Flickr
paris-0011640 by GF-PARIS-ROMA, on Flickr
gfevan
Member
paris-0011622 by GF-PARIS-ROMA, on Flickr
paris-0011590 by GF-PARIS-ROMA, on Flickr
paris-0011617 by GF-PARIS-ROMA, on Flickr
rhl-oregon
Cameras Guitars Wonders
Gfevan, I like the grain, contrast, vignetting. Care to share what you're doing with settings & post processing?
gfevan
Member
bw in camera jpeg+lightroom (high contrast,grain,vignetting)
rehview
Member
I joined RFF a few days ago after reading this thread for the past month. Moriyama and bureboke have really invigorated my passion for photography. I always carry my little GRD3 with me now, whenever I'm walking alone I will have it in hand and bring it up to anything that sparks my interest. I hope you like these photos.