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Average rating:
4.37
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Ricoh GR Digital8.0 megapixels | 2.5" screen | 28 mm
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Average rating:
4.37
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Opinion: Easy to use, fast operation. The noise do not bother me, not even in color-mode.
I like the camera's ability to produce good B&W-pictures the macro is great too.
In colour its images have a nice film-like look, although not quite as good as the Minolta Dimage EX 1500 wide/zoom which is excellent in that regard.
The Grd can be very silent as long as one stick to snapmode instead of the usual autofocus.
At least for me I've found that centre-metering works best and spot in combination with macro-focus in difficult light that the Grd can struggle to handle properly without some input.
Build quality is good with exception for that battery/memory card door which not is gonna break too easy I think, but still have a flimsy fiddly feel to it.
Problems: This is a good camera but which both could and should have done better in some areas.
AF sometimes locks on the background though it is obvious what the target should be.
There are not any focus-points to select between either + the AF is a little loud unless you uses snapmode.
Raw-writing is a little bit slow. Just about 9secs as fastest and it depends on what card are being used.
Panasonic seems to work well though.
AWB should be better and could have been firmwared out - Something that Panasonic did with their LX3.
Auditive wise it is a very noisy camera I've to say. Though the shutter don't make much noise and can be pretty silent as well if one uses snapmode instead of the usual AF. Startup/shutdown is always going to be noisy though.
For stealthshooting I prefer my Ricoh Caplio 400G wide (based on the G4 wide) which I found to be very silent after initially having bought a used one for some simple underwater pictures that I want to take sometimes.
Also, the zoom on the 400G is covered by the sealed housing and people don't know if it is turned on or not as a result. Especially since I removed that silver-ring at the front of the zoom to make it even more discreet.
Also The metering of the GRD is sub par compared to many other models. As soon as it faces mixed light with shadows and light up areas it start to blow these highlights and it is not always easy at all to work around and have even cost me a good picture or two because I've had to fiddle help the camera to get it right.
Opinion: An inspiring camera. I really would like to get hold of one again, tho' the used market still demands a fair whack for it.
Beware: the IQ can sometimes appear rather rubbish. Similar to the cult Olympus E-1 the GR-D will produce outstanding work if you use it right...if you use it for what it is not intended (snap-shots, colour low-lights, action) then you have the wrong camera.
Recommended for those, who decide against the Sigma DP1.
Opinion: My little always with me gem. Will never give it up ! So well built, so easy to use. SNAP mode is top feature for street photography and GRD so small, nearly invisible...
Problems: -- none ---
Opinion: Very nice little camera with a very good user interface and (nowadays) a nearly unique way of taking photos without all the digital uglyness (like artifacts caused by heavy noise suppression) in them. You pay the price for that with quite a bit of noise when using higher ISO settings, though. But even this noise is not really offending and works well with BW photos. It may well be *the* digital compact for BW work.
If you set it to snap focus, the thing is very fast for a compact -- if you disable the display (it will still light up when pressing the shutter) it's great for fast shots. You can carry it around switched on without draining the battery too much and shoot within a fraction of a second anytime. The auto focus isn't bad, too.
The lens is great, it delivers clean pictures from corner to corner and is reasonable fast with the aperture wide open.
The camera feels very good and secure in the hand and the shutter has just the right resistance to it to try hand-held shots even with longish exposures.
Problems: No real problems yet, but to pick a few nits:
1. It would be nice to be able to configure the "zoom" rocker to switch ISO instead of only WB or EV compensation. When you're in manual mode the EV isn't useful anyway (you change the exposure instead) and having instant access to the ISO setting would be much more important. You can still use the ADJ wheel/button for that of course, but this is one button press more...
2. The buttons on the back are a bit on the small side and almost flush with the surface, so they are hard to press without looking. Some tactile hints would've been great here. You can get used to it, but I'm still pressing the case next to a button now and then when in a hurry.
3. The focus drive is not exactly quiet. In fact it is loud enough to turn some heads in otherwise very quiet environments (luckily with the snap focus option the camera is nearly totally silent).
Opinion: Solid build & good manual controls. Serious issues (complaints) with colour, video quality & placement of one button. My 4th digital compact and first Ricoh. I cannot recommend this camera. Although purchased cheap as an out going model for $450 ($999 when first released) my daughter's $150 Canon has better colour management and video quality. Provided software not compatible with Vista. Wide adapter & viewfinder accessories way over priced. Not recommended.
Problems: Jpeg colour is flat and unrealistic. Bright colours are dulled down and on a recent trip to Japan with overcast skies this problem was accentuated. Totally disillusioned with my new pride & joy. Friend's Nikon & daughter's cheap Canon infinitely better. Video quality a joke. Flash button right where your thumb wants to sit. Supplied software not compatible with Vista.
Opinion: This camera is pure fun!
It is quality product, it can deliver, but please do not buy it
as ordinary point-and-shoot or main camera for weddings.
It's very quiet in operation but at the same time be prepared for some charming noise...
Problems: Weather sealing is very high on my wish list...
Opinion: I have been using this camera for around 2 years now,
it is a wonderful camera with a great feel to it.
the ease of use and control that you have at your fingertips is great.
The image has a little too much noise at higher ISOs.
The RAW Images are good but the camera doesn't come with any RAW software
viewer and it takes too long to write. 10-15 seconds is waaaay too long.
I heard that there is a download you can get to write in both RAW and Jpeg simultaneously but I haven't been able to find it on the Ricoh site.
I look forward to getting the GRII.
Problems: the flash broke, I heard this happens alot.
Opinion: OK... I guess I should post a camera review because I always check here before I
buy any Digital equipment. So Here goes.. I have had the Ricoh GR for a year and
a half. The GR is very quick and responsive and fun to use.
It has one of the fastest shutter lag times out of any point and shoot. (this is
primarily why I bought it) When you push the shutter, it takes the picture. That is
important!! I would rather have a soft picture of the Hindenburg exploding, then the
ground burning 10 seconds later in focus...
With a viewfinder on it, you can have a virtually silent rangefinder that no one
pays any attention to. Perfect for anyone interested in street photography. It has an
intervalometer which has many uses for street, science and even movies.
Most importantly, the images look like film... The black and white images look so
much like the silver film I used for many years. I shoot a lot at 800 ISO on B&W JPEG
with the lens wide open, The images look like Tri-x. (You can get this look with any
camera by the way! You just have to work at it. The GR just does this by default in
MHO.) I think the camera compresses the digital grain in just the right way with the
jpeg algorithm, that it looks like film. The lens is awesome. Wide-open at 2.4 it is
very good. At 2.8 it is tack-sharp. At 4.0 the depth of field is nearly at infinity.
There are a lot of point and shoot digital cameras out there. They all have their
place. Everyone needs to take snapshots. I love taking mindless fun pictures of my
friends and family. I usually grab another small camera for that.. The GR is a bit
different. It is a serious photographic tool... But hey, so is a Lomo or a Holga if you
use it correctly!
Problems: None yet
Opinion: camera with a unique grain/noise. I mostly use it for b/w photography, since it has a very strong red cast when shooting color (after I sent it in for reparation (the lens broke).
The sharpness of the 28m f2.4 lens is good. Noise is visible even at 64iso, but it gives my photographs a specific 'cinematic' look since it's such a filmlike grain. I almost always use manual settings. Aperture and shutterspeed are set easily using the two dials. Because it's such a small and discrete camera its very useful for b/w streetphotography, which is fun.
I bought it secondhand for €200 and did not regret it for a single moment.
Problems: - Lens is vulnerable and feels a little 'loose'. Have to handle it with care.
- Rubber grip peels of.
- RAW writing time is more than 10 seconds per photo. Way too long for streetphotography.
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 | 22.3 megapixels 3.2" screen Full frame sensor |
