Ricoh GR Digital

[Ash]

Just seen an article on it in this month's Professional Photographer magazine.

Reminds me of a Bessa - no internal viewfinder.


Anyone used one? Any thoughts?

 

[Toby]

I've seen it reviewed - looks like it has possibilities as a digital street shooter

 

[c.poulton]

I thought about getting the GR Digital at one point when it was first touted. What put me off was the lack of an internal viewfinder. Yes, you can add an external one but the compactness of the camera is then compramised.

Oh, and the cost.....

 

[Nachkebia]

I have used it for couple of days (my friends) I have to say I loved it, as far as digital goes I think it is excellent little thing with amazing wide angle lens, only drawback would be slow raw mode, it takes minutes to record one raw file 🙂

 

[c.poulton]

Nachkebia

How did you find using the LCD screen to compose - was it problamatic not having a viewfinder?

 

[Nachkebia]

well, I hardly imagine looking through with such a small camera 🙂 it is very small! and it is very well build too! pictures of it look plasticy but it is actualy very rigid thing 🙂 high iso is very noisie though take that in consideration...

 

[nemjo]

well, I hardly imagine looking through with such a small camera 🙂 it is very small! and it is very well build too! pictures of it look plasticy but it is actualy very rigid thing 🙂 high iso is very noisie though take that in consideration...

Of course it has it's limits, but I find it quite usable.

nemjo

 

[ywenz]

It's a very capable street shooter. The huge DOF on this camera means I don't even need to worry about focus. You have to get used to composing with the LCD however.

 

[sf]

I looked at the GR-D, but decided after LOTS of thinking that the Canon SD700IS is a better camera. Smaller, faster, and more capable. Look at the B&W work that the SD700 is capable of :

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=39243&cat=500&ppuser=2147

the above is an ISO800 or higher image. Nice, organic looking grain.

and some macro stuff of my REAL camera taken with the SD700is:

http://www.shutterflower.com/macro RF645/index.htm

 

[Ash]

first link "You do not have permission to view the images in this category."

what's the price difference between the S700 and the GR-D ??

How is the canon better then?

 

[sf]

well, the price difference is about $150 (Canon is cheaper). The differences are :

Canon is faster read/write/shoot - less write lag. It has the same "shutter on the click" sort of concept that the GR-D has (shoots as soon as you press the button regardless of focus). Canon has ISO up to 800 and a HIGH ISO function that produces remarkably nice, grainy images. Like fast film. Very organic, very sharp. It looks like the Canon does not apply noise reduction - this allows for a great deal more sharpness at high ISOs compared with cameras that noise-reduce their images into oblivion. The the Canon goes to 23mm wide and of course it has a zoom lens as well. It take amazing video when you want it (I got a vid of 5 racoons playing on my back porch in the middle of the night with the light on). The canon is smaller. The Canon has an awesome 60fps video ability, macro function, and OPTICAL image stabilization.

Basically, it is an amazing little P&S. No reason, from what I can tell, to pay an extra $150 for the GR-D. The GR-D might have a marginally better lens, perhaps sharper at the corners (Canon has nearly imperceptable corner unsharpness). GR-D is 28mm at wide. Canon is 35mm. As is noted in the follow up post. I prefer the 35mm -75mm focal length in my shooting anyway, so it works out wonderfully. and I have optical IS when a longer shot is necessary (140mm).

I don't know, but this little Canon is my first step into actually appreciating the images that a digital camera can take - and I honestly think the images are better on the screen than those from the Nikon D70, and they are relatively noiseless and vibrant when compared with the Nikon D200.

The SD700 is about the size of a pack of cigarettes. Maybe a tad smaller. it isn't going to be as easy to handle as the GR-D because of its polished exterior and lack of any hand grip.

The canon has an optical viewfinder as well - a crappy one - and the option to turn off the display is a button on the back. NICE for keeping things on the low-down at night, in a bar, etc.

One thing about the SD700 - you'll spend a couple days getting used to one of the worst user interfaces I've ever experienced. But, once you get it, it is actually very very quick to use. Much quicker than the D70, and that was quick.

 

[Ash]

Hmm yea sounds like a good little cam. It's only 6mp though, I think the GR is 8mp??

Course, with the little promotion you just gave the canon, it seems like 2mp sacrifice that is very worthwhile

 

[sf]

wait. . . 35mm wide, not 23. THAT is a big deal in favor of the GR-D.

But, I haven't wanted for anything wider yet.

 

[ywenz]

One can't really compare the SD700 with the GRD. They're quite different. THe SD700 is a pure P&S digicam that is designed to be used fully automatic. Access to "limited" manual controls are buried in the menus.

GRD is designed to be used manually, there are two adjustment wheels strategically placed so that the photographer can manually operate the camera without ever glancing at the LCD.

The GRD also has a fast 28mm f/2.4 lens that is ideal for street photography.

THe GRD also has a hotshoe to allow attaching external flash heads or radio triggers for studio lights

B&W iso1600 on the GRD is very filmlike IMO:

 

[sf]

please note, however, that I will never, ever, leave film behind for digital. Not entirely, at least. I carry this camera in a little zipped holster on my belt - all waking hours of the day. When I go out to shoot, I bring the Bronica.

This thing is small enough to fit in the empty spaces in the bag with the Bronica, but I prefer to keep it handy for spontaneous shots.

my gallery has some images from the SD700is in it.

 

[sf]

One can't really compare the SD700 with the GRD. They're quite different. THe SD700 is a pure P&S digicam that is designed to be used fully automatic. Access to "limited" manual controls are buried in the menus.

GRD is designed to be used manually, there are two adjustment wheels strategically placed so that the photographer can manually operate the camera without ever glancing at the LCD.

The GRD also has a fast 28mm f/2.4 lens that is ideal for street photography.

B&W iso1600 on the GRD is very filmlike IMO:

oh yes, that is one true fact. THe SD700 has minimal manual controls :

you can control ISO and aperture range (macro/portrait is wide open), landscape is long. But, you can't control shutterspeed or aperture to exact levels/metrics.

 

[sf]

Really, I'd buy the Ricoh if it were less expensive, had a faster write time, etc.

The SD700 is more of a P&S with amazing image quality and reasonable levels of manual control given its nature.

WB, DOF range (portrait, landscape, macro), color mode (BW,sepia,vivid,foliage,etc), ISO, image size/quality,vids,focus (center,AI), metering(center average,spot,evaluative),exposure compensation.

 

[nemjo]

As here is said, every gipsy says his own horse the best...
But it is tricky to complain abaout the long raw writeing time of the gr - and not to mention that the canon has no uncompressed format at all.
Yes, the gr is expensive and more expensive with the optionals. But on the total one can get a 21-28 equvivalent camera.
They are absolutely different cameras except that both are small and digital...

nemjo

ps.: the gr is nicer...

 

[Kyle]

Wow, I've read about the long RAW write times for the GRD, but minutes? Is that an exaggeration?

I probably would have bought the GR-D if it had been priced around $500. As it is, its too expensive and therefore isn't as tempting for me. Maybe I'll wait until a GR-D II comes out or something.

 

[Nachkebia]

Yes it was an exaggeration Kyle 🙂