Ricoh GRD settings and attachments

[principe azul]

Can't afford an M8, Micro Four Thirds isn't where I want it to be yet, and a last-minute rethink about a DSLR fizzled out when I realised I'd never take it with me on the way to the pub or going out for groceries.

So my digital solution is to get back to using my Ricoh GRD (mark I) every day and shoot at least 10,000 pictures and really get photography into my head and "the best digital" out of my head. Then maybe the Samsung NX will be out with a 15/2 and I can go buy it... 🙄

Two questions.

1. I want the GH-1 filter adaptor. It takes 37mm filters and comes with a lens hood. Can anyone tell me if the lens hood (doesn't look like a screw in) would work with a 37mm-39mm step ring?

(Wasn't planning on the 21mm converter, but this flickr thread about WA converters is interesting.)

2. Any advice on how the settings work - sharpness, saturation, contrast etc.? I've played with them a little but am not sure of their effects over a range of jpegs in different lighting, dynamic range etc. so have played safe by leaving them all at default. I want to know, for instance, whether sharpening set to +2 will tend to give bad results if I still need to sharpen more in a photo editor.

A little eye candy attached - Fiat Abarth. Sad to say this is my best shot from a 7-mile cycle ride this evening.

 

[VladimirV]

Can't afford an M8, Micro Four Thirds isn't where I want it to be yet, and a last-minute rethink about a DSLR fizzled out when I realised I'd never take it with me on the way to the pub or going out for groceries.

So my digital solution is to get back to using my Ricoh GRD (mark I) every day and shoot at least 10,000 pictures and really get photography into my head and "the best digital" out of my head. Then maybe the Samsung NX will be out with a 15/2 and I can go buy it... 🙄

Two questions.

1. I want the GH-1 filter adaptor. It takes 37mm filters and comes with a lens hood. Can anyone tell me if the lens hood (doesn't look like a screw in) would work with a 37mm-39mm step ring?

(Wasn't planning on the 21mm converter, but this flickr thread about WA converters is interesting.)

2. Any advice on how the settings work - sharpness, saturation, contrast etc.? I've played with them a little but am not sure of their effects over a range of jpegs in different lighting, dynamic range etc. so have played safe by leaving them all at default. I want to know, for instance, whether sharpening set to +2 will tend to give bad results if I still need to sharpen more in a photo editor.

I agree with you about the m4/3 system at the moment although I would not really go for an M8 since I find the Epson RD1 better.
You should wait, Ricoh is rumored to release a competitor to the Olympus E-P1 and this might be the camera for you.

The GRD I is a fantastic camera though and especially in b&w mode there is not much better available at the moment although the GRD 3 with it's f1.9 lens is definitely very interesting.

To answer your questions:

1. You can add a step-up ring on the lens adapter but it depends on the ring and what you attach on it if the hood still works, you attache the hood over the adapter and it won't interferre with the screw mechanism. The lens adapter has a 37mm screw mount and you can attach either the Ricoh 21mm and 40mm lenses or various adapters (you can see some examples on my wordpress blog in my sig.)

2. I find that the default settings are quite good but I use these settings:

b&w: Contrast +2, Sharpness +1 and for the TE modes (sepia etc.) Color Depth -1
color low ISO: Contrast 0, Sharpness +1 and Color Depth +1 (gives nice warm images)
color high ISO: Contrast +2, Sharpness +1 and Color Depth -2 (this also works on overcast days and gives you almost no color noise and only luminance noise).

Setting the contrast to +2 will impact the dynamic range however so if you prefer images with a nice tonality set it to +1 instead.
The JPGs from the GRD I are very good and can be pushed a lot in post-processing, you will be impressed how much you can recover from a JPG when using the recovery or fill light options in ACR.

If you set the sharpness to +1 you will not have to sharpen anymore in post-processing but can always add some USM to the images.

With these settings I almost never use RAW and only use it now for landscape images at low ISO and color.

 

[gavinlg]

I love that fiat. Seriously love those things.

 

[principe azul]

VladimirV,

Thank you very much - that's exceptionally helpful, and I'll check your blogs as well.

Thanks for the heads-up about the Ricoh. I get the feeling there's some manufacturer interest in mirrorless cameras, so it will be worth waiting, even if we don't get a Nikon D90 sensor (the camera I was looking at) in a Leica-sized body for £750.

fdigital,

I took the photo through a showroom window. But here is the showroom with lots more eye candy for you to have a look at.