Ricoh GR III?

[13Promet]

I am not sure I understand what you mean. The GR has an 18mm (28mm equiv) lens on a cropped sensor. When are you going to be using autofocus? Everything is already in focus. You set it and forget it.

Not if you're shooting at close distance (0.7 to 1.5m), which is pretty common with 28mm equiv. in street photography.
I too will only upgrade from II to III for the improved AF, which is rpetty frustrating of the current model (sometimes even with good light)while most of my cameras for street p. are manual focus, but much faster to set distance compared to the GR.

 

[jsrockit]

I am not sure I understand what you mean. The GR has an 18mm (28mm equiv) lens on a cropped sensor. When are you going to be using autofocus? Everything is already in focus. You set it and forget it.

It is completely a myth to think that everything is focus at 2.8 on a 18mm on apsc. I like precise focus, not sloppy focus. Sloppy focus shows up so much
More on digital than film. I also like to be able to focus on something at 2 feet and then at 20 feet quickly, not only at 6 feet always. I’m taking from experience not hypotheticals.

 

[LCSmith]

Not if you're shooting at close distance (0.7 to 1.5m), which is pretty common with 28mm equiv. in street photography.

Right, which is when you would set the focus at that distance.

 

[LCSmith]

It is completely a myth to think that everything is focus at 2.8 on a 18mm on apsc.

Obviously I was speaking in generalizations. It just seems strange to me to worry about autofocus on a 28 2.8 fixed lens camera. Of course, none of my cameras or lenses (except for my phone) has autofocus, or even batteries, so we probably have very different styles of photography. Which is fine!

Incidentally, the original "automatic focus" was on the Leica II.

 

[CliveC]

I don't have much to add, but I really don't like 28mm as a focal length.
Revise/update the GXR M-mount!

 

[retinax]

I don't have much to add, but I really don't like 28mm as a focal length.
Revise/update the GXR M-mount!

Ha, I really like 28mm, but a 40-50mm model in addition would be great. I suppose the lens would have to be quite slow to fit into the same package though, but I could live with that with today's sensors.

 

[Scapevision]

Ha, I really like 28mm, but a 40-50mm model in addition would be great. I suppose the lens would have to be quite slow to fit into the same package though, but I could live with that with today's sensors.

I think the main benefit of the new 24 pickles is the ability to have the 35mm crop mode not affect the size as much as it did on 16 pickles

 

[jsrockit]

But you’re cropping the sensor to m43 size. I’d rather have the lens.

 

[Scapevision]

But you’re cropping the sensor to m43 size. I’d rather have the lens.

yeah we'd all rather have [insert here]
folks at Ricoh wouldn't. End of story. 🙂

 

[jsrockit]

yeah we'd all rather have [insert here]
folks at Ricoh wouldn't. End of story. 🙂

Since you work there, I’ll concede.

 

[Scapevision]

Since you work there, I’ll concede.

hell, if i did i'd have already had a 35mm lens one

 

[BlackXList]

I use the GR and GRII a lot for street photography, always in AF, and honestly haven't had any problems with the AF on either (at least problems that weren't my fault).

As well as the Ricoh's I have some Canon APSC stuff with 24mp sensors, and whilst there's definitely a difference, I think the GR/II will be fine for me for quite a while, I have multiple batteries, and the 21mm lens, and I still like the photos it produces.

 

[ktmrider]

I have a GR3 on preorder with B&H. I looked seriously at the GR2 a few years ago but ended up the the Fuji X70. Unfortunately, I loaned it to my wife last fall and it did not survive a Scottish monsoon in my wife's backpack while we were hiking around Loch Ness.

My question for those of you using the GR is: Do you use the 28mm optical finder? I noticed the 28 finder from Voigtlander is about $40 cheaper then the model from Ricoh. I assume both would work equally well.

 

[Archlich]

I have a GR3 on preorder with B&H. I looked seriously at the GR2 a few years ago but ended up the the Fuji X70. Unfortunately, I loaned it to my wife last fall and it did not survive a Scottish monsoon in my wife's backpack while we were hiking around Loch Ness.

My question for those of you using the GR is: Do you use the 28mm optical finder? I noticed the 28 finder from Voigtlander is about $40 cheaper then the model from Ricoh. I assume both would work equally well.

I believe both the Ricoh finders are manufactured by Cosina. The GV-1 (aka the Fujifilm VF-X21) is the old plastic 21mm CV finder with an extra set of 28mm frame lines, while the smaller and more expensive GV-2 is the CV 28/35 mini finder without the 35mm lines but with a crinkle paint finish.

Both are excellent, with obvious pros and cons. The newer 28mm CV metal finder is certainly great too, but comes a tad heavier and protrudes more from the body.

Other fine choices include the plastic Sigma VF-11 finder (plenty of these around used) for the original DP1, and the gigantic monstrosity that is the DP1 Quatrro's VF-31 which simply sucks you into another dimension visually. If you're lucky you might find a copy of the Nikon Coolpix A's DF-CP1 finder used or on clearance (thus with a reasonable price). It is the one that strikes the balance between performance and size best in my book.

There was also this Nikon NH-VF28 for the Coolpix P6000, sometimes available for a very low price - seemingly made by Cosina and very similar to the CV metal finder, but with an aspect ratio of 4:3.

So I've tried quite a few of them. It changes your shooting style, which is a personal preference. In the end I chose to let go and be freer with the camera's flow of movement. It's one of the nice thing when shooting a camera at the arm's length - it makes your photo "looser". If precision is the priority I'd opt for a heavier camera that actually have a viewfinder built in.

 

[retinax]

I have a GR3 on preorder with B&H. I looked seriously at the GR2 a few years ago but ended up the the Fuji X70. Unfortunately, I loaned it to my wife last fall and it did not survive a Scottish monsoon in my wife's backpack while we were hiking around Loch Ness.

My question for those of you using the GR is: Do you use the 28mm optical finder? I noticed the 28 finder from Voigtlander is about $40 cheaper then the model from Ricoh. I assume both would work equally well.

It was nice enough to use without a finder for me, even OK in bright sun. I do like a finder, but part of the appeal of the GR for me is that it fits in a pocket, and that's lost with a finder. I saw in your other thread that you want it as a secondary camera for light travel, for that I'd go without the finder. I also found I was able to hold it stead enough with my hands stretched out somewhat, ~ 50% success rate at 1/15 when standing still. I also would struggle trusting the AF to hit what I want without the confirmation of the display, but that worry may be unfounded, especially with the new model.

 

[Dogman]

Try using it first. You might discover--as I did--that it's a quick and easy camera to use "as is".

As a useful accessory, you might consider the 21mm equivalent conversion lens. I have one for my GRII and it's really quite good optically. The downside is the size (and price). If I remember correctly, the GRIII will use a different conversion lens than the GRII so be sure you get the correct model if you go that direction.

 

[ktmrider]

Thanks for the input on the optical finder. I ordered the GR3 with an extra battery as that seems to be the weak point (about 50% of GR2). I will wait and see as I used the X70 for a couple years without an optical viewfinder.

This camera will be going around the world with me this fall. It will be used when I don't want to carry a digital M and as a backup for the M.

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

My question for those of you using the GR is: Do you use the 28mm optical finder?

No.

When I bought my GR (I) I also purchased the Voigt 28mm brightline finder (which is excellent), convinced that I wouldn't gell with a camera that didn't have a VF.

I used it for about a week before the finder went into storage. The GR just works really well as is.

 

[emraphoto]

No.

When I bought my GR (I) I also purchased the Voigt 28mm brightline finder (which is excellent), convinced that I wouldn't gell with a camera that didn't have a VF.

I used it for about a week before the finder went into storage. The GR just works really well as is.

I have the optical finder somewhere in a drawer as well. The GR really does just fine without it. For a long time i was of the 'must have a viewfinder' crowd. Happily free of that now.

 

[craygc]

No.

When I bought my GR (I) I also purchased the Voigt 28mm brightline finder (which is excellent), convinced that I wouldn't gell with a camera that didn't have a VF.

I used it for about a week before the finder went into storage. The GR just works really well as is.

Hmmm... seems there's a few of us that followed this path! Although I do use it when it's a bit too bright to see the screen clearly.