Ricoh GR Digital Review

Game Day at Top Dog.

I don't think I'd ever go back to an SLR, now that I've used a compact camera that is *good enough*. SLR definitely have the capability to take better photos, especially in low light. I mean, I never realized it was a huge deal to be able to take usable photos at over ISO400 since I basically started on the Nikon D100.

It's just that I never bring the D100 anywhere. It also has problems with whitebalance (probably fixed in newer cameras). I feel like I used to always have to manually pick a white balance setting. It's one of the controls available at my fingertips on the Ricoh, but I realized I never changed it off of auto in the last year, so I switched it out for changing my metering controls.

The Ricoh is probably as big as I'd like for a camera, unless there is a compelling feature like... an amazing optical viewfinder, or larger sensor/glass. Micro 4/3 system might not be enough to make me get a new camera. The Ricoh is just small and tough enough to put in my pocket without a case and be considered 'comfortable'. I can bring it anywhere.

The things that the Ricoh GRD is famous for include:

Physical controls dedicated for quick access to settings like aperture, exposure, focus, and exposure modes.
Good fixed lens for a compact. 28 mm equiv f2.4. It's fixed, but just like those old dudes with beards and strong opinions, I have grown to like that it's fixed. When walking around with my Ricoh, I can have a pretty good idea of how things would frame from where I'm standing, or where I should move to to get a better shot.
"Film-like" noise. Especially in the built in black and white mode. I used to stay away from built in 'modes', but I actually use the Ricoh B&W mode a lot.
Solid build.
Amazing user experience. It's a pleasure to take photos with.

There are actually a few features I think are cool on the followup Ricoh GRD2 (another camera that is already considered old). One, there is a closer spot focus system. Another is the two saved user configurable modes on the mode dial. I have two saved modes, but cycling between them takes a power cycle, so it's useless.

The reason I didn't get the Ricoh GRD2 when I got my camera though is that it changed the JPEG processing so that the grain looks quite different. It looks closer to shitty normal compact camera grain, rather than the bootleg film grain on my camera. When resized, my grain is harder to see, but in 100%, its super obvious, but I can write it off as "more authentic", or at least less annoying.

In fact, this guy says that he actually adds noise with his other cameras to make it more like the Ricoh GRD (ok, his intention is to make it look more like film):

noise is not necessarily a bad thing, especially in b/w. the Ricoh GRD for example has a very film-like clustered noise pattern. The EOS 5D is too clean at high ISOs and I would actually ADD film grain to my images.

Top Likes:

Easy to get in and out of my pocket. I can have it with me everywhere even if I'm not carrying a backpack.
Noise is livable considering the amount of noise there is in low light shots.
Colors, Contrast, and exposure (except when using flash) are sweet. I feel like it actually gives a different look compared to Canon Powershots. See below for more about flash.
Great auto white balance. Maybe all cameras are good at this now. I haven't had to set the WB manually before.

Top Dislikes:

Something feels weird about the thumbwheel. Maybe being used too much.
Flash exposure sucks. SUCKS! It tends to blow stuff out. There's a flash exposure compensation setting, but it doesn't seem to do much.
Flash sucks. Basically, I found myself preferring to use Song-My's camera if we were doing something like having a waiter take our picture. Just because I'd be more sure that the photo would come out ok.
The screen isn't that great. I have a shitty screen protector on it too, so that makes it worse.
Flash sucks. Hah. watch, it'll end up being user error. Maybe i have something set to the max.

Things about the way I shoot that match or are shaped by the Ricoh GRD:

I try to shoot with available light. Is this a result of having a flash I don't know how to use? Maybe, but I also like the more natural light.
I use JPEGs straight out of the camera, and every once in a while will tweak it. I've never tried RAW shooting, but I have enough trouble finding the time to go through my photos as it is. Also, other reviews have mentioned that RAW shooting is tediously slow.
I like taking photos up-close and personal of people doing stuff they feel something about. (in contrast to landscape, still life, or huge posed group shots)

Conclusion:

It's easily my favorite camera to use. The only other camera I've taken to more places and took photos with more regularly with was my Sony U20, which isn't really in the same category. Would I recommend it to everyone? No, probably not. It's was expensive at MSRP $699 when new back in 2006, and is still expensive now used. I got mine from Adorama at around $300. That's still a lot more expensive than a Canon Powershot-- which gives much more predictable, and generally good results. That's still my go-to recommendation for friends asking about cameras-- a Canon Powershot... doesn't matter which one.

Photos:

Friends on a sunny afternoon.

Election Night 2008

Electricity on Election Night 2008.

Cal at USC 2008. The famous beautiful pollution sunset.

Playing the Campanile.

Late night meat pies in New York. (Available light and drunk)

KARO is a bitch. Paris 2009.

Escape. This is in the catacombs under Paris. All those "rocks" are actually human skulls, buried thousands of feet under the city. Good thing I'm not claustrophobic.

Seagull. Saint Malo, France 2009.

Just married. New York 2009.

An example to illustrate a situation I encounter regularly: We're sitting in a dimly lit bar. Should I try available light? Or flash? The photo would have been uninteresting either way.