The wondrous Ricoh GRD2

aaron.tam

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My Leica's in repair and I've only really started using the Ricoh GRD2 for the past 3 days. I've fallen in love with it.

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I've had mine for over a year, but came to love it even more in the past couple of weeks when both my Epsons were in for repair. I was using it in situations (concerts) where I had rarely used it before. I hadn't used manual exposure in the past. But faced with a situation where because of the lighting, auto-exposure was unpredictable, I learned how to use the manual exposure on the spot (doesn't take a genius), with my beer-addled brain able to retrieve information I'd picked up in different forums, I'm sure. It is a wonderful camera.
 
I love mine too, at least as an object. It is similar build quality to the LX-3, which means it is a little electronic gem. I just got the mini viewfinder for it, a very cute way to piss $160.

Actually, this is what I said on my website:

I don’t like this camera, it is painful to use, very unforgiving, and I make a lot of mistakes with it. But now I’m in new and uncomfortable territory — and that is what makes this camera perfect for me right now.
 

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I love mine too, at least as an object. It is similar build quality to the LX-3, which means it is a little electronic gem. I just got the mini viewfinder for it, a very cute way to piss $160.

Actually, this is what I said on my website:

Hah, I see that you've put up an ad for your GRD2, what's the next purchase?
 
I am a camera slut... they're fun for a month or two, I try to master them, and then out the door!

It's like that with models too ;-)

The one I have is set up nice, the viewfinder and Gordy's strap are the way to go if you get one.
 
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I concur with Frank.

I've got mine with the Gordy strap - it's PERFECT for that camera - I was also able to snag the 21mm lens and adapter which makes this SO much fun (but not nearly as pocketable). (sorry for the large size, this is from my Flickr page):

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Cheers,
Dave
 
I always wonder why people who are selling their cameras always speak so glowingly of them? ;-)

At the risk of jinxing my sale, I think the GRD2 is very nice but not ideal for me. I like to shoot people but with a wider lens - a 35-40-50mm on 35mm is great, so even though GRD2 has a 28mm-equivalent, it actually shoots more like a 35mm lens, at least with the 4:3 proportion. You can distort faces and foregrounds for sure, but if you are thinking you can either use it to advantage or minimize it.

It is a small sensor but the image quality is quite good, low ISO color is clean and higher ISO 200-400 B&W conversions really do look like Tri-X on my Leica. The biggest practical difference for me with the small sensor is the depth-of-field is huge, which renders a lot of people pictures sort of flat and 2-D. I knew that upfront and wanted to try it -- I actually enjoyed the challenges involved but frankly I see it as a novel effect, not something I want to run with for a body of work.

Where I think the GRD2 is ideal is as a street shooter's camera. The small sensor and deep depth of field is a big advantage here, having tried to shoot street wide open with larger formats it is a crap shoot -- with the GRD2 you're going to get Leica-Tri-X quality and almost always nail the focus even at f/2.4. That's awesome!

I also like the little viewfinder and the option to compose with the LCD, which is going to be more accurate than any RF and also easy on my recently farsighted middle-aged eyes.

Not to flog my sale too much -- I'd love to keep mine but I can only afford to have so many cameras and I am a minimalist -- I don't like having too many choices. So I am not in a particular rush to unload it but I'd like to get close to breaking even.

If you're a street shooter it is worth trying. If you want "normal" portraits not so much ;-)
 

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It's lousy for kid shots too
 

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I have it's younger brother, the GRD I and am equally as in love with it.

I keep hoping that Ricoh will come out with a GRDT and GRDW for folks like me. The W would have an 18mm equalivant and the T would have say a 60mm.

The add ons are WAY too big.

B2 (;->
 
well ... at least till ISO 400, but not really above this. Normal for all minis. It's like that, the sensor gives its maximum ...
 
wonderful shots! snap mode is my favorite feature on any of the ricoh cameras. lovely tiny and very easy to carry around and if you want stealth... this is it my friends. For me, framing without moving the camera to your face is a big advantage when it comes to street shooting, plus you can use the built in flash ;-)

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I just picked up a GRDII, and have snagged the 21mm lens off the Auction Site.
Still looking for a decently priced 28mm finder, though...
 
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