Отзывы о Цифровой Фотоаппарат Ricoh GR

<промежуток класс="">я попал в большие неприятности в сети групповой чат камеры, заявив, что если вы не фотограф, то вам нужно Рикох гр. Я поддерживаю это заявление и теперь изменить его, - ты нужен Рикох гр III'.<БР />
Да, это дорогое оборудование - костинг как элемент уровня цифровой зеркальной или беззеркальной камеры с набором линз. Но... мой, Боже мой - на выходе из этой камеры довольно хорошо (см. тестовые снимки ниже).<бр /><бр />во-первых, качество изображения не отличается от своего предшественника, который был исключительным камеры - за исключением того, что он еще более редки, поскольку у вас большой 24mpx датчик (против 16mpx датчик в гр/GRII). Еще раз, нет АА фильтра, но и для ситуаций, где вы могли бы быть обеспокоены муар камера имеет фильтр виртуальные АА можно установить (функция, имеющаяся только на верхней части диапазона камер Пентакс, если не ошибаюсь). На вершине, что динамический диапазон сенсора отличная. Мне удалось сбросить тени неимоверно и по-прежнему не вносит существенных помех. Закрыть фокусировки объектива означает, что вы можете создать хороший боке, если вы используете его широко открыты. Линза может быть установлена на 18мм (28мм в эквиваленте), но ваше творчество не является.<бр /><бр />во-вторых, эргономика камеры были значительно улучшены. Исчез раздражающий бар рокер для EV компенсация на предыдущих моделях, которые сидели на большой палец и за что я (и другие) были всегда находят то, что случайно добавили +3 К наши выстрелы. Вместо этого, теперь у нас есть правильные колеса. Существует также большой ЖК-экран, который является сенсорным, который можно использовать для фокусировки или фокус+съемка. Я никогда не любила сенсорные экраны, но по каким-то причинам я не могу работать, на этом фотоаппарате это фантастическая особенность. Углубиться улучшения, и они включают в себя стабилизацию изображения, с WiFi, с Bluetooth, авто-НДА фильтра, и многое другое (чего я не успел проверить). Сам корпус (который меньше, чем его предшественники) имеет такое же прекрасное качество сборки с приятной текстурированной поверхностью. Мой предыдущий GR и этот гр III очень напоминаете исключительное качество сборки камеры Leica, которую я имел. Наконец, система меню, для такой маленькой камеры, легко ориентироваться и имеет исключительный уровень кастомизации.<бр /><бр />не обольщайтесь, это гораздо "больше" камер, чем кажется - в основном в верхней части диапазона к Pentax формата APS-C камеры поместить в крошечном корпусе с исключительно тонким объективом.<БР />
есть еще некоторые недостатки. Батарея меньше, а количество выстрелов на одной зарядке меньше. Если это все, что беспокоит вас, то это не камера для вас. Сделать запасной или два! Компания Ricoh уже слишком, на мой взгляд, не существующие широкоугольный адаптер совместим - так, если, как я, Вы имеете для предыдущей модели - вы должны купить новую версию. Тело меньше по сравнению с предыдущей моделью - некоторые могут найти эту проблему - и это вызвало необходимость удаления встроенный вспышкой. Я никогда не пользовался встроенной вспышкой на моей гр. так что для меня это не проблема, но это может быть проблемой для вас. Специальную тав настройки диска переключения режимов исчез на GR III, но это займет всего несколько секунд, чтобы посвятить один из трех пользовательских кнопок на эту функцию, так что на самом деле это не большая проблема (я поставил У1 моя тав по умолчанию).<БР />
я уже использовал камеру для моей профессиональной работы и хотя это первые дни это оказывается очень удобно для того чтобы упаковать карман-возможность камеру, которая позволяет снимать фотографии такого размера более чем достаточно для воспроизводства в книгах, журналах и газетах, а также больших требований. Это означает, что у меня всегда есть резервная камера со мной, и я могу рассчитывать на печатные издания, фотографии и веб<.БР />
но суть даже в запрашиваемой цене, это не просто камера для профессионала. Это прекрасное произведение фотографического оборудования для любого серьезного энтузиаста фотографа и я подозреваю, что в то время как другие камеры могут приходить и уходить, вы будете использовать это в течение многих лет.

Подождал какое-то время, чтобы получить это, и я рад, что я сделал.<БР />
Если вам интересно, не отказаться ли от £800 на мой немедленный ответ - "да", но это потому, что я покупаю его исключительно для уличной фотографии и повседневной камеры; это не собирается заменить DSLR/беззеркальных системы, но не на много.<БР />
это невероятно обманчива внешность и размер и объектив один из самых резких я уже привык, хотя я использую объектив Sigma арт для работы, и я бы, пожалуй, сказать, что это острее, чем.<бр /><бр />автофокусировки-это смешно быстро и я только начал возможность использования оснастки с упором, который просто идеально подходит для работы на улице, и от съемки бедра.<БР />
я приятно удивлен тем, насколько легкий это для использования с сенсорным экраном, в то время как в то же время не чувствую себя бесполезным, но его не хватает ручного управления, чтобы сделать его чувствовать себя, как премиум-класса и более традиционные камеры.<бр /><бр />срок службы батареи ограничивает, но я взял пару запасных отсюда за 15£, и это было прекрасно. Я бы сказал, Если вы хотите снимать 400+ выстрелов в день, то это может быть проблема.<бр /><бр />в целом, я не могу рекомендовать эту камеру достаточно, однако я знаю, что конкретно я хочу для которых это просто камера для уличной работы и то, что я могу носить каждый день в кармане или в сумке. Это исключительная камера, которая обманывает, чтобы быть компактным.

имели все рикох гр через годы, это лучшее, что они произвели. никакая другая камера имеет карман способность, качество изображения и то, что многие забывают упомянуть качество сборки. имея много топ диапазона камеры это так же построен как лучший, нет он построен не из пластика, как некоторые рецензенты, кажется, думают, но это все металл с пластиковым покрытием.Не думаю, что вы можете так же легко использовать ваш телефон, эта камера имеет возможность делать профессиональные А2 фото,. Я напечатал их много, и продавали их клиентам. это высоко профессиональная камера, это то, что вы платите.

Я использовал это на оплачиваемые рабочие места и для удовольствия... он по-прежнему дует мой разум с качеством изображения! маленький, карманный электростанция камеры... идеально подходит для съемки моих детей на празднике!!! если вам нужен широкоугольный объектив для улицы/путешествия, просто получить его! - Помните, нет Зума...

Отличное качество изображения, очень резкий объектив, потрясающая стабилизация изображения при низких скоростях затвора.
не хватает настраиваемых функциональных кнопок на Версия 3, версия 2 была лучше. Очень плохой жизни батареи. Спорно значение для денег по сравнению с версией 2.

Очень хороший шаг от GRII , ISO и Ибис и АФ как улучшился. Сенсорная фокусировка и съемка отлично работают. Ночью АФ борьба немного, но ничего слишком плохо. Файлы JPEG из камеры, фантастические фильтр ЧБ или позитивный цвет.

Удивительной камеры я haveswitched от Фуджи x100F на GRiii и удивительно острые с функцией стабилизации.
В меню легко в использовании и очень настраиваемый тоже.
и правильно вписывается в мой карман

В начале дня, но очень доволен своим новый Ricoh. Была пара перед и каждой итерации улучшилось. Потребуется дополнительный аккумулятор для дневной съемки.

<охватывают класс="">гениальная камера во всех отношениях. Обязательно обновите прошивку до v1.10 так что автофокус и WiFi синхронизации передачи работ

The camera seems awesome and I know I'm going to love it- if I can just get the battery charged! The charger they supplied is NOT the charger (AC-U1) specified on the side of the box and in the manual. In it's place was a VERY cheap looking Chinese made model P8 "travel charger". Did I get snookered? After trying to charge for over 3 hours, the camera lasts for ONE picture, then it says "Replace Battery" and powers off. I hope the cheapo switcho charger it came with didn't fry the battery and/or the camera!!

Trying to charge it off the computer now, will update this review when I know what's what.
Not happy.

UPDATE: It could only be returned and not exchanged as this was a third party seller. Amazon was awesome about fixing the issue and took a good discount off of the price, saving me the trouble of returning and repurchasing the camera. Happy again.
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Also, I've now used it for a few days and can give a review from my short time using this camera:

The camera in a word is Fantastic. It'll put a smile on your face.

If you want DSLR resolution in a point and shoot body, here it is. They built this well and intelligently. As another reviewer noted they must have had some true photographers working with the design team as it just feels like a no-nonsense grown up pocket camera for photographers. The buttons, grip and menu are form through function.

The JPGs are easily on par or exceed what I was getting with my Nikon D7000 resolution wise. The colors are different though. Not bad, but not as warm as that Nikon look that I'm used to. The JPGs are maybe a little more yellowy(?) than the Nikon standard look. I used Capture NX for post and don't have Lightroom, so I haven't been able to work with the DNG files this camera makes and can't comment on that yet.

The metering is definitely on the hot side, not nearly as good as Nikon's. Most pics are just brighter with blown highlights somewhere in them even with their evaluative metering. Dropping exposure compensation helps but does not completely fix.

The firmware update to 4.0 has fixed a lot of the problems seen on older reviews. It powers up nice and quick, ready to shoot by the time you get it out of your pocket and aimed. Auto focus is also decently quick and works for me the vast majority of the time. Snap focus works great if you're good at judging distance to subject and predicting where that subject will be. I expect a little slow down focus in low light, so no real complaints here. 4fps shutter works nicely in JPG mode. The shutter is very quiet but you can hear it.

The Silkypix editing software it came with is borderline useless. Maybe I'm just getting to old to take the time to learn a whole new editing tool. But safe to say you'll want Lightroom if you want to work on this cameras DNGs.

Battery life is fairly short, you'll have to be selective on what you shoot if your going to be out all day with one battery on you. I haven't completely used one up yet, but I was under 200 shots when the battery indicator started showing 2/3rds charge.

Wifi card works flawlessly on it.

If 28mm is too wide for what you need, you can crop to 35mm or 47mm at the press of a button. Resolution drops to about 6 megapixel at 47mm, still very useable. You've heard about all the customizations you can configure the buttons for, and there are many, but you can't configure every single thing as some reviews would have you believe.

Overall, a very confidence-inspiring tool for taking photos where ever you go. It feels trustworthy and reliable, and just takes damn fine pictures. No regrets so far, other than the above mentioned charger debacle. But I'm really liking this camera, can't wait to use it again tomorrow. Here are three samples from this past weekend:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/34167259@N06/14577027758/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/34167259@N06/14774637293/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/34167259@N06/14751547241/

I bought this for a trip across the USA, I did not want to take my work DSLRS with me as they are heavy so I researched a good compact which I could carry on our Journey. This seemed to be the best for my needs. As I am also a keen Wildlife Photographer I took my old Canon 550D and a 400mm lens for that purpose (in retrospect should have left the 400 at home and took my 70-200 instead packed into the suit case) . We travelled to NY City , DC, chicago, Denver and finally San Francisco by train- This camera is ideal for that sort of work, it is small and unobtrusive. Again with the 28mm fixed lens you have to get in close to your subject, which makes you think about what you are doing rather than relying on a zoom to frame your subject. results are first class, there is no Low pass filter, that 28 mmm f 2.8 prime is superb, I get sharper images than with the 550D using a 20mm f 2.8 lens. I shoot raw all the time and I use Light Room to process. Ricoh supplies their own Software called 'Slinkypix' (silly name that would put anyone off) to handle the DNG files but I found a bit quirky. I do not use the different picture styles you can select such as High Contrast, Positive Film etc, I just do this in the process if I need to. To use this camera you must think as photographers did before the advent of Zoom lenses etc and actually compose properly.. In NY I found a few people were a bit paranoid about getting their picture taken but most were fine when I asked. The video mode is not the best I have seen though. I have not given it 5 stars because of the following: The battery life is pants. I have two batteries and I am lucky if I get 5 hours use from them both. So always carry a spare and charge the other one pronto. The camera is quite small for my big hands. An annoying aspect is the position of the exposure compensation button, which is on the back right top of the camera just above the display.. it is easy to move this when using the various menus with out noticing , so suddenly you get really over or underexpose images, but if you are aware of this quirk, you keep an eye on it. All in all nothing else to fault.. It is a solid Titanium camera and very robust, if Ricoh produced a better capacity battery would be even better.

As a new Ricoh user I found the GR to be a complicated and difficult machine. I have to say that it took me a few weeks to warm up to the camera.

If you're like me you are going to want to explore the camera extensively. You'll soon find the camera to have a myriad of features and optimizations that could be daunting to those who are impatient. Unfortunately, I am a bit impatient and found myself struggling in operating the camera effectively. Of course, leaving the camera on Auto will eliminate the complexities of the camera.

The camera is well built and balanced. The large grip is a big plus that gives the user a boost of confidence in shooting the camera without concern of slipping. The GR is a small camera; about the size of an Olympus XZ-1 or Panasonic LX-5. The fact that they were able to put an APS-C sensor in a small body is a great feat of engineering. It is one terrific reason for purchasing the camera. To be able to carry a small camera that produces DSLR like quality has been the dream of many photographers for a long time. The Ricoh GR is successful in building that type of camera.

The many customization's and features the GR possesses is both a delight and a maddening experience. In that regard, the GR requires some experimentation and trial and error to get the camera to shoot the way you intend too. There is no question that the GR can be very versatile and quick to use - it has all the manual controls and customization's to satisfy your shooting habits - but getting there can be a little bit of journey. And the reason is because the Ricoh is a machine that has to be finely tuned to your habits. Some of the features and customization's the GR has are unique to Ricoh, and can therefore be somewhat troublesome to those who are new to the Ricoh system.

Once you get the settings correct, however, the camera is quick and responsive. The auto-focus on the GR is fast and does well in low light. I've read some reviews from other people who have complained about the speed of the auto-focus and the poor performance of the AF in low light conditions. Honestly, I haven't any problems with those issues at all, but maybe that is because I am using the latest firmware that might have corrected those issues. The GR also has the snap-focus feature which can utilize hyper-focal and zone-focusing techniques.

It's safe to say that the GR has many features and gives the user the ability to shoot how they prefer. The features the user uses the most can be assigned to any number of customized buttons or the handy customized lever. In essence, giving the user a highly customized machine.

The GR has many different filters within the camera, and the reason I specifically mention them is because I find them to be very good. Filters like the high contrast B/W, positive film, or beach bypass filters I found to be very useful on many occasions. You can shoot these in JPEG or process the raw files in the camera.

The pictures the GR renders are sharp. I find the JPEG's to be a little flat in color and contrast, especially if you're going to compare it to the Olympus or Fuji pictures which have a lot of "pop" to their JPEG's. In that regard I would compare the GR JPEG's to that of Pentax JPEG's. However, as I mentioned earlier, the filters on the GR are terrific.

RAW files are very good and malleable in post processing. The GR also produces good tonality for B/W pictures.

Pictures on the GR can get a little noisy rather quickly when raising the ISO number. Even at low ISO numbers (400-800) the GR can produce a small amount of grainy noise. This can be a negative to some but I personally don't mind the grain. The grain is not unattractive as it is in some other cameras with smaller sensors. But that is a personal preference.

Ricoh is also very active in firmware updates. Releasing updates to fix certain glitches and adding even more features to an already stacked featured camera.

The Ricoh GR is not the most user friendly camera. There is a reason why Ricoh is considered to be the camera maker for geeks. The vast amount of features on the camera to many, including myself, can seem to be unnecessary and over the top. However, the user can make it as simple or difficult as they want in utilizing the GR; at the end of the day the GR is a compact, powerhouse of a camera that delivers DSLR quality pictures. The initial awkwardness dissolves as the GR gets finely tuned by the user, and eventually becomes the versatile, high performance machine that it is meant to be.

I purchased this camera because I was looking for an everyday carry camera. It needed to be small, compact, with decent image quality. I was debating among three cameras: the Olympus EP-5 w/17mm 1.8, the Fuji X100s, and this one. In the end, I decided to go with the most compact camera, which is this one. After four months of shooting and 2000 shots later, I have found that the stellar reviews that I have read seemed to have given me such high expectations that I ended up feeling somewhat disappointed with the camera.

So, first, what I dislike about the camera:

1) You cannot customize the exposure compensation buttons (up and down buttons on the side). I normally like shooting on M mode, and in M mode, that button just automatically adjusts your exposure to be correct (how silly - why would you want automatic exposure functions in manual exposure mode?). I would have loved to have this be set as ISO control, but alas, you cannot customize the exposure compensation buttons.

2) So why not TAV mode? It's practically manual mode, just with no ISO control. Basically the camera decides the ISO. This however is not the same as Auto-Hi ISO, meaning that you CANNOT set a maximum ISO. How infuriating. Shooting in low light is nearly impossible with this mode.

3) In-camera noise reduction is awful. It renders faces in artificial lighting very poorly and makes them look plasticky. So JPG shooters, ought to consider reducing the noise reduction or just removing it entirely and use software to lower noise.

The meh:

1) Image quality is okay; I was expecting a stellar performance since nearly every critic raves about the image quality. To be fair, image quality is good for a camera this size, but if I get this kind of image quality from an APS-C sized sensor in any other body, I would be a little let down. Maybe it's a matter of preferences, but I find that my 7D looks better even though DxO Mark rates the Ricoh sensor 12 points higher (78 to the 7D's 66).

2) Focal length being at a fixed 28mm FF equivalent means you're stuck with this length. While those who love this focal length will have no problems, make sure that you are absolutely okay with it. Shoot at 28mm often and try to think if you will adapt to it and produce beautiful images with it. I felt like I would, but in the end, I still gravitate towards a more standard focal length (around 40-50mm).

3) Ergonomics and build quality - like I mentioned earlier, this camera is not as customizable as one would hope. Only three buttons are customizable essentially (Fn1, Fn2, and Effects). Of course you can switch the aperture and shutter speed dials in TAV and M modes, but really, customization isn't as good as it seems. However, the rest of the ergonomics are excellent. Everything else is kept simple and clean and are intuitively placed. Build quality is just okay. I like the rugged textured body, but it was surprisingly lightweight and felt more fragile than it looked.

What I loved:

1) It is super small and super compact. To get an idea of the size, it's about the size of two iPhones placed back to back. This means that it will fit in most pockets, and that you can carry it with you everywhere. And like I said, the image quality isn't bad for its size.

2) Snap focus mode. This is an amazing thing. Without this feature, the Ricoh would be an utter failure. It has pretty slow autofocus in low light conditions and it doesn't have good manual focus ergonomics, so the snap focus is definitely a redeeming quality when you cannot rely on AF. Just don't forget to turn off Macro mode; otherwise, when you snap down on the shutter, hoping for a quick shot, the lens will hunt forever. You'll be walking away trying to review your shot, wondering why the playback button won't work when you realized that the lens is STILL trying to focus.

3) Good AF in good light. The AF is unreliable in low-light but that's expected for most compact, contrast-focusing cameras. In well-lit areas, AF is pretty fast - not as fast as the incredibly fast Olympus EP-5 or Fuji X100s, but definitely fast enough.

So all in all, a decent camera. I just wish the image quality was as good as I had hoped. But I suppose that's my own fault for reading so many reviews and having high expectations. And I wished the exposure compensation buttons could be used for ISO adjustment in M mode. For now, I will keep this camera, but I expect to jump ship as soon as the next "small" thing hits stores.

Lets begin by saying that contrary to what most might imagine, anyone, regardless of skill or artistic sensibility would be well served by owning this camera. After all, its fixed focal length, small pocketable size and extraordinary ability to yield B&W images make it the 21st equivalent of an uber Instamatic, albeit a very expensive one. A few decades ago, cameras of this ilk were the common man's snapshot engine and there's really no reason to think that in auto mode the GR can't perform well beyond expectations of those who simply want to record head to toe images of their friends and loved ones.

Of course, in modern times snappers generally expect far more amenities such as zoom lenses, portrait and sports modes, wifi etc, none of which this camera provides. And as the consumer mantra today tends to emphasize sugar over substance, more doodads obviously make for a better product. Not so in this case. Nevertheless, for the vast majority of folks looking for a new camera, all the image quality in the world could never trump this camera's lack of 'basic' conveniences. If that's where you're coming from, hit the backspace key and get the hell out of here. This camera wasn't made for you.

But for those who do high tail it out of here, it is a shame, because this camera represents a true landmark in the history of photography. Dollar for dollar, ounce for ounce, cubic inch for cubic inch, it is the most powerfully concentrated still imagining tool humans have ever created. Some here have complained its not truly pocketable. Clearly none of these people ever smoked. Its just a touch larger than a pack of cigarettes and just as addictive. Addicts dont care if their fix means their jeans bulge a little, it's actually a source of comfort to be reminded every so often that what you need is just within reach whenever you need it.

In even modestly skilled hands the Ricoh's image quality is truly astonishing. And while its an incredibly effective and inspiring tool for those interested in documenting the urban landscape, it is by no means limited to that venue. I now carry it with me for every round of golf I play, an activity I never before considered as a viable opportunity for image making. Throw the GR in your push cart's cup holder and while your playing companions are mucking around over thinking their next shot, you can grab some amusing shots of extra-urban life as well. And as a bonus, its wide field of view coupled with its full HD video capability is perfect for recording every painful aspect of your playing companions swing. Might even pay for itself if you threaten to take the resultant videos viral.

If it isnt plain by now, I truly love this camera. Not perhaps quite in the same way as with my XE-1, but just as vehemently. The Fuji along with the X mount family of lenses is a camera system and therefore far more flexible. But there are places the Fuji simply can't go that the Ricoh can. As the old saying goes, the best camera is the one you have with you. And these days, I always have the Ricoh with me.

So why then only four stars? Well, for starters despite what you might have read about the GR interface, I find aspects of it very frustrating. The basic controls are extremely good. With the exception of occasionally bumping the EV lever, I never corrupt a shot due to an inadvertent button press. For such a small camera this is miraculous. But the underlying menu system and several options found within are not as well thought out. Items are often confusing and in some cases nearly non-nonsensical. If that was the worst of it, I'd have rated the camera five stars, but the GR has one glaring flaw which I find utterly unacceptable and frankly in all the reviews I've read has never come up. I shoot in raw mode, no jpeg. The trouble is that when reviewing images the rendering on the display in many instances is utterly useless for determining the focus accuracy of the shot. Straight lines can be jagged, noise can be prevalent enough to imply missed focus or exposure. As a result what turns out in post to be a tack sharp, nicely exposed photograph can easily be tossed in the field as unacceptable due to the lies told by the display. I've yet to use the camera in raw + jpeg which perhaps might mitigate this problem. If you do shoot raw only with the GR, I'd advise you keep everything until you've had a chance to review it off camera. Regardless of any workaround, I find this to be a very serious flaw which hopefully will be fixed in firmware sometime in the near future. One other thing to note that is that in a month or of in the pocket use, the screen has gotten some annoying scratching. I suppose I should have anticipated this, but having had iPhones that took years to show significant signs of screen wear, for a camera supposedly designed to go in your pocket, this is a problem. I'd far rather have paid the extra ounce and $50 for gorilla glass than n

Just took delivery of my new Ricoh GR today and felt I just had to write a short review as this thing is so good.

This is my first ever Ricoh and so far I am very impressed - read the reviews and I doubt you will find anything negative. First impressions are how light this camera is, although it still exudes quality. The frame feels sturdy and rigid with a dull black finish (stealth mode) and a good rubberised grip.

The images I've made so far are extremely sharp when viewed on the screen and I'm sure they will be even more impressive on my Mac/ iPad. There are many options or "Effects" as Ricoh labels them - B&W (3 options), Cross Process, Bleach Bypass, Retro and more.

The GR has the APS-C sensor - similar to those found on many DSLRs so in effect you are getting DSLR quality in a (very) compact little package. There is a similarly specced Nikon now available (Nikon A) but at a considerably higher price level. I am normally a big Nikon fan, but this Ricoh seems very competitively priced.

This camera has a fixed lens so will not suit those who want a zoom facility, but there is a really good option of switching from 28mm to 35mm perspective.

There is a wide range of customisable functions - more than I think I've found with any other camera.

It will fit in your pocket, so there's no reason to leave home without it.

If I really want to be critical (although the plusses easily outnumber the minuses) I would say:

No viewfinder (this would of course increase the dimensions of the camera) although you can buy a dedicated OVF which will fit in the hot shoe.

A charger unit is not included, you need to connect a charging cable directly to the camera. I however bought a separate charger unit which means I have a spare battery ready when the battery runs down. I do think Ricoh should have included this with the camera...

The camera body heats up a little with continuous use.

These are no more than little niggles - this is a very surprising camera and I think Ricoh has really stolen a march on the nearest competition with this one!

At the time of writing this review (mid-July 2013) none of the main dealers has stock of the GR. I managed to grab one from an independent dealer, so you may have to be patient - but believe me your patience will be rewarded!

Update 26 August 2014

It's some time since I wrote my original review of this camera and now feel it may be worth updating.

My review above is quite positive - and I still stand by what I wrote over a year ago. However over time (and for some inexplicable reason) the Ricoh GR wasn't being used as I played around with interchangeable lenses on DSLR cameras. I was also seduced, if this is the term, by the Fuji X100S which in effect does all the Ricoh does but with the obvious extra benefit of the OVF/ EVF. Doubtless the Fuji is a "pretty" camera and gives excellent results. However I found I just wasn't picking it up to take out to shoot - I put this down to it being too large to fit a coat/ jeans pocket and at the same time being too small to merit a dedicated camera bag.

I place the X100S in the category of camera you take out when you want to "take pictures" rather than a camera you pick up and may or may not use when out and about. If that makes sense...

The Ricoh however goes out with me and I don't feel guilty if I don't use it.

Anyway the point here is that my Ricoh has now been given a new lease of life and in fact I currently have my Fuji up for sale on eBay.

I recently re-read a number of reviews of the Ricoh, mainly from the time this model was first introduced. Some of the negative comments concerned the limited crop factor of the lens. But having just updated the firmware to V4 (do it via the Ricoh website) there is now a 47mm crop available along with a number of other improvements including faster AF.

My research indicates there will be no updated version of the GR (GR2?) in the near future (I am writing this review on 26 August 2014), but with the recently updated firmware I feel I almost have an updated camera.

So, I feel I have re-discovered something I've owned for some time (in camera years) and am actually taking more pictures than I might with a bigger, bulkier camera.

What does the GR not have that I would like? Well, a viewfinder (although you can attach an optional OVF), a tilting touch screen, built in wi-fi, longer battery life. My philosophy on this however, it that if you wait for every new function to appear on a camera you will wait forever and never actually pick up what is available TODAY and get out and shoot.

Lastly I see there is now a cosmetically enhanced GR out there now with what looks like green camouflage markings - must admit I've missed the point on that one...

If I could give it 5+ starts I would.

I have owned many film and digital cameras before GR, and still do – Canon DSLRs starting with D30, many Olympus compacts (C2020, C2100 ‘Uzi’), Fujifilm X100, NEX 5N, NEX 6 as well as many lenses – 85/1.8, 35/1.8, 30/2.8, 19/2.8 etc. Mostly primes. I tend to shoot wide-open and process RAW in LR5.

Many of the above cameras are fantastic tools and produce wonderful images if used well. However, nothing comes close to Ricoh GR for its unique *combination* of size, weight, ergonomics, and stellar image quality.
This is a true “photographer’s camera” and should be used to be appreciated. It doesn’t look like much, but it does deliver.

Pros:
+ Phenomenal ergonomics that is a match, if not superior to X100 ( It’s deeply customizable and designed for comfortable one-handed operation)
+ Grip (very very comfortable)
+ Light weight (perfect as a street camera)
+ Small size (fits in the pocket, X100 is not even close, and also twice as heavy)
+ Very, very sharp lens starting at F2.8 (it gets razor-sharp at F4, corner to corner)
+ Wide latitude RAW files that are sharp and contrasty
+ No AA filter (16Mp that is close to ‘normal’ 20-22Mp output of other APS-C sensors with AA filter. LOTS of cropping ability)
+ UI is close to perfect (very functional, easy to learn, easy to customize)
+ ND filter that is either Manual or Automatic!
+ LCD is very sharp, bright, and has fast refresh rate
+ Great bargain at current prices, in the low to mid six-hundreds

Cons:
- Auto-focus is kind of slow (it does not hunt in good light, just slow)
- Auto-focus in Multi-point mode is not very reliable (be careful, as it can show green rectangles on the subject but actually focus on other parts of the scene)
- Battery indicator in not very linear, it goes pretty fast from one ‘bar’ to nothing (just get Wasabi charger with 2 batteries for ~$20 on Amazon, this should solve the problem)
- Would love to have Auto-HI ISO in TAv mode (maybe future firmware update)

Most of Cons are pretty minor, with the exception of AF. I suggest using single center point and then re-frame, or use excellent snap focus.

Other random thoughts:

I got GH-3 adapter plus hood, but it turns out I rarely use them. The hood is simply NOT required, besides it makes the GR not pocketable so it defeats the main advantage. The adapter is useful for 49mm filters, if you’d like to use a polarizer, or stronger ND filter for long exposures.

I got a simple neoprene case on Amazon (Case Logic), but the case, while fitting snugly, significantly increases apparent camera size. I ended up not using it, and instead got thin magic fiber draw-string bags on eBay for a few bucks, and use one to protect the camera while in the pocket.

I have an optical viewfinder (adapted from Sony NEX system). I had to remove mini-shoe from adapter the bottom to reveal standard shoe mound. That was a $70 purchase, a bargain compared with Ricoh optical viewfinders. However, it also makes the camera not pocketable, so it gets little use. My advice is before you buy any of the accessories try using GR as-is, and see if you miss anything.

Overall, if you are looking for large sensor compact that actually FITS in the jean's pocket and produces great images time after time then there are very few choices. X100 is a great camera but not really pocketable. Nikon A is much more expensive and frankly UI seems un-engaging compared to GR. Sony RX100 are fine cameras but UI is, again, computer-like rather than camera-like. They are not one-handed cameras either. Ricoh GR has that rare combination of qualities that make it just right.

The metal body is light and feels solid. As with my full sized dSLRs, all the controls I need are easily accessible through "real buttons and knobs" on the camera body. This is as opposed to the typical arrangement for compact cameras where functions like ISO adjustment are buried somewhere in a menu tree.

I've found the image quality to be top notch. The wide angle lens presents remarkably little distortion, the f2.8 lens provides a shallow depth of field when needed, and the sensor does a great job in low light allowing me to shoot comfortably to at least ISO 3200. The lens doesn't zoom and the field of view is nicely wide, a bit wider than what is in my field of vision.

The lack of a zoom doesn't bother me and I believe its absence contributes to the overall image quality. I'm not an optical engineer but I've talked to enough of them to know that optics are a series of compromises and the number of them grows with each variable you introduce. Having a camera that only uses a specific lens and that lens doesn't do anything besides adjust focus means the camera can be, and from everything I've seen in this case has been, optimized for that configuration.

Another handy feature this camera provides, and it has become my favorite, is the ability to take a picture immediately when you press the shutter, without having to wait for the camera to focus. While it does focus fairly quickly, there is still a noticeable lag. Being able to avoid that has allowed me to capture images I would have otherwise missed. The way it works is you can set a specific distance that the lens will immediately focus to if you depress the shutter. When you see that once-in-a-lifetime situation, all you need do is point the camera and press the shutter. Thanks to the wide lens and something called the hyper focal distance you can easily pick a default focus range for your situation that will properly capture anything you are likely to encounter. And, when I want to allow the camera to focus I just depress the shutter half way (as with any other camera) and it works like "normal".

I do three things to make this setup even more effective:

- I set the camera to continuous mode. This allows me to hit the shutter as I'm bringing the camera up and leave it down as I'm framing the shot. In continuous mode the camera shoots four frames per second. I've found this gets me the shot as quickly as possible. It also acts to counteract any bounce from a clumsy shutter press.

- I use an external viewfinder, the kind that slips into the flash hot shoe. Ricoh makes a great one, I'm sure. However, I got one from a popular online auction site at a fraction of the cost. The quality probably isn't as good and for this application it works just fine.

- When I'm carrying the camera I keep the display turned off (don't need it until I change settings, thanks to the optical finder) and the camera turned on. The batteries last a very long time and the camera is always ready.

A couple accessories I've found very handy are the OP/TECH USA Bin/Op Strap and the Wasabi Power Battery and Charger Kit for Ricoh.... The neck strap connects easily to the camera, doesn't allow the camera to slide around when it's on my neck, and supports my goal of quick access. The batteries fit perfectly and last as long as the "official" one that came with the camera. Besides, Ricoh doesn't provide an external charger with the camera and this allows you to shoot *and* charge at the same time.

Ricoh provided this camera with no obligation other than I provide an unbiased review.

I always like to have a compact in my jacket pocket, just because you never know when a photo opportunity may arise, and it's not always practical to carry your "BIG" camera around with you.

Until owning the GR I've always accepted that using a compact would by it's very nature incur a noticeable drop in image quality, either from the smaller sensor or from the slightly suspect zoom optics, or from sluggish performance/handling. NOT SO! The Ricoh GR is a game changer.

The compromises are there, but they're different ones. If you can live with a 28mm fixed lens and poor video capture, then this little marvel is probably the best compact camera you can buy without spending thousands.

In fact, I'm so taken with the little GR that my poor D7200 hasn't seen the light of day in weeks!

First off I'm an amateur ([...] with no interest in Ricoh/Pentax. I just think this is a wonderful camera.

If you prize exceptional image quality, build quality, portability and the ability to point-and-shoot or manually adjust every facet of picture taking I would suggest you take a close look at the new Ricoh GR.

Since the 1990s and the days of 35mm film, the GR range has set the standard for gimmick-free compact cameras aimed at people who like taking and looking at photos.

I've owned and loved a Ricoh GR Digital 3 (GRD3) for about three years, and also love my Olympus OM-D, but this new incarnation of the GR is proving a game-changer. However good the GRD3 is - and it is very, very good - in the final analysis, cameras with larger sensors usually win on image quality. Now the GR has its own large (APS size) sensor behind a new pin-sharp 18.3mm (28mm equivalent) lens. Together lens and sensor deliver exceptional image performance, which, coupled with its rugged, compact form, is tending more and more to have me pick up the Ricoh GR rather than the small but comparatively much larger Olympus. I doubt there is any camera on the market that matches the ratio of image quality to size/weight of the GR.

Close comparisons between images captured with the GR and those captured with the OM-D with the very sharp Lumix 20mm pancake lens stopped down to f9,0 reveal differences that are marginal if not entirely negligible.

One further point on image quality with the GR. I have captured great images at ISO6400. Sure there is grain/noise at high ISO, but somehow its `good' grain/noise. This must come from the exception pairing of lens and sensor.

From a controls point of view, Ricoh have maintained the wonderful ADJ. button on the back face. The ADJ. button can be programmed to access and adjust any five controls you choose. I have it set to ISO, metering (matrix, centre, etc), capture type (RAW, JPG), aspect ratio, focus type and effect. Thus with three buttons/dials I can adjust all of the above plus aperture and shutter speed. This simple to use button enhances the useability of the GR way above any other camera I have used or owned.

It you are put off by the fixed focal length (i.e. non-zoom) lens, please don't be. Unless you are in the market for lenses costing many thousands of pounds, zooms are never, ever as good as fixed focal length `prime' lenses. I have tried to disprove this and wasted many hundreds of pounds in the process. No more. If you value image quality fixed focal length is better, believe me. And the GR proves it. From a creative perspective I find using fixed focal length far more interesting to use than zoom. If you want to get closer to something, get closer to it (unless you are taking a dangerous wild animal while on Safari - for which I would not recommend this camera, much less any zoom compact).

I have recently tried the Leica D-Lux 6 and the Sony RX100. Both are very capable cameras and both are smaller than the GR. For my hands both are too small to be easily used - they feel fiddly and over complicated. More importantly both compromise by using zoom lenses. On balance, for my kind of photo taking anyway, the GR is in a completely different class.

A final quality of the GR is that its physical appearance is the opposite of bling. It is plain black - the initials "GR" the only readable lettering on the front face. It won't attract attention to you as a photographer and it will minimise the attention of potential thieves.

I don't normally write reviews but I feel compelled to do so with the Ricoh GR as I'm just so impressed. My main camera is a Nikon d7100 and 99% of the time I have a prime lens on it and my most usual photographic subjects are my kids. The only problem with the dslr is that it's just not always practical to take it with me when I'm out and about with the kids due to its size, but my old point and shoot camera, although decent enough, just annoyed me as the quality was so far behind my d7100 that it didn't inspire me to take it with me. Consequently I felt I was missing out on a lot of everyday moments of the kids that I really wanted to be able to get a decent photo of.

Then I discovered the existence of this amazing camera! Wow! Incredibly similar sensor to the d7000 and it is apparent that, though this may look like a point and shoot, it is anything but (though of course you can use it that way if you want but that would be a waste!). I'm stunned by the image quality, the shallow depth of field I can achieve thanks to the large sensor and fast lens (especially in the fantastic macro mode) and how well it performs at high ISOs. There is definite noise at high ISOs, but as another reviewer said, it is somehow good noise and almost adds to the character of those images. I love how I can customise pretty much every aspect of this camera - the various function buttons, how it focuses, and all the tweaks you can make to how it processes the image in camera.

The one thing that concerned me before buying it was the focal length. It's so much wider than I normally shoot with, but now I actually have the camera I wouldn't change it. It's wide enough to get everything in shot indoors and the quality is so good that I can crop if I want to later. Or, there's an in built function so with the press of a button you can change it to 35mm instead (though this takes the image down to 10mp and doesn't alter your depth of field, but still excellent quality images and handy to have in-camera).

There are so many neat functions that this camera has that I could go on forever, and I think most of them have been covered really well in the other reviews. One feature that I wasn't aware of until I got the camera out of the box and started reading the manual though is that it has an in-built interval composite mode. I love taking star trail photos, and this mode seems especially designed for this purpose - the manual even gives you instructions on how to do it. You set up the shot you want, tell it how often to take the photo, and it will do the rest until you tell it to stop. You can even half press the shutter button while it's doing it and see what your composite image is looking like so far. Although it won't replace my d7100 and computer software as my main equipment for this purpose, it's amazing to know that if I'm ever caught out with only my Ricoh GR on a starry night, I can still get the shot!

How is a camera this size so clever?! If you're reading this review considering buying it, do it! It certainly won't ever replace my dslr as my main camera, but I'll be carrying this one around in my bag all day everyday, safe in the knowledge that I will always be able to get a fantastic quality photo whenever I want. Just brilliant!

I've worked in a number of genres over the years, and have always enjoyed street photography, but had always been impaired by the use of general purpose cameras like SLR's, TLR's, and even P&S's like the Yashica T4, Canon Powershot S95, or Canon G12. This purchase had been my first investment in a real purpose-built street camera. My budget had been considerably higher, and the final cameras in the running were this, the Fujifilm X100S, and the Sony DSCRX1R. My budget was clearly much higher than what I spent.

Not to be understated is the difference between (effective) 28mm focal length and 35mm. With a 35mm effective focal length, the photographer must be fairly close to the subject, but can still assume a somewhat safe distance. At 28mm, you must be right in the thick of things, so close to your subject that they can lay hands on you (if they were so inclined) without taking a step. I'm finding a certain intimacy at this focal length that was somewhat diminished at 35mm.

The Ricoh GR is insanely pocketable for such a high quality camera. As a result, I take it with me everywhere. When I go out on the streets, even just to walk to lunch from my office, the camera is in my hand. It's small enough, and low-key enough (almost entirely black, minus a fairly low-key "GR" on the front) that my subjects almost never appear threatened by the presence of the camera.

If you're running in one of the manual modes, the controls are right at your fingertips without having to shift your view away from the viewfinding screen. They are very well laid-out and I've found them to be convenient. I have very large hands and have not had a problem here.

I generally shoot in one of the three user-programmable modes. For daytime outdoor use, I'll preprogram it for TAv (Shutter-Aperture Priority) where I dial in the aperture and shutter speed I want, and the camera picks the best ISO for the job. For my work, I don't mind a little grain/noise if the camera goes high on the ISO but I do want more control over depth of field and shutter speed when I'm on the go. The metering of this camera has been outstanding and I have not regretted using this mode. There is also a snap focus mode, but the auto focus is very quick and accurate in the daylight. This camera will hunt for focus in low light, be warned.

The flash is almost always turned off for me, but I've found that when it is needed, it is fairly pleasing (as much so as on-camera flash can be).

I've had no problem importing & processing the RAW files in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5]. I also like Street Presets, which are not available through Amazon.

I debited a star for one major reason: battery life. When I'm walking around and the camera is turned on all the time, I can't even fill a 4GB card before the battery goes kaput and the camera unceremoniously shuts off. Spare batteries are expensive and largely unobtainable, even at Ricoh's high price. Aftermarket batteries are not available at the time of this writing, as best as I can tell.

If you want to see examples of photos I've taken with this camera, and stylized in Lightroom, follow @Ralwegians on Twitter, or check out Ralwegians fan page on Facebook. The Ricoh is my primary street camera (though not exclusive) so most of what you see there will be taken by the Ricoh.

I've had this camera for one day. My report after that duration: AMAZING. As I understand it, this camera has the same APS-C sensor that had the magic juice for Nikon and Pentax a few years back. The image quality is superb. I had ordered an LX100 but when I looked online and looked at the photos that camera gets and the ones people were getting from the Ricoh GR, I returned the LX100 without even taking it out of the box. I like the solid feel of this camera, being able to hold it with one hand, and the size: it is very small. I can even fit it in a pocket together with an iPhone. To be fair, I will qualify a few things. The autofocus is definitely on the slow side, particularly in low light. Though generally an action photographer, I'm willing to put up with that in this case for the tradeoff in image quality. Once focus has locked, it is pretty accurate. The battery charging system also drives me mad though I have a Wasabi system on order. Color rendition under fluorescent lighting can also be a bit scary (though I presume this can be largely bypassed by shooting in RAW). But I really love this camera overall. The dial controls are so much more accessible and user friendly than most other cameras on the market. I love being able to adjust ISO, shutter speed or exposure compensation without taking my finger off the shutter. I've used things like the LX3 and a whole slew of m43 cameras and this easily exceeds those in image quality. It's hard to quantify in words but try this camera out and you will see: it is a photographer's camera.

The first thing you notice when cracking open the box is the GR's size. It looks pocketable, and under most normal circumstances it is pocketable. The camera is light and fits nicely into the front pockets of my Express shorts and producer pants. The pocket-bulge is nearly identical to an iPhone fitted with an Otterbox case. On the other hand, you can go ahead and toss away any conjured fantasies of stuffing it into a pair of 511s though. It won't happen. I've already tried. Ergonomically, the GR feels great in the hand. The grip is sort of sticky (in a good a way), so it adheres nicely to my palm & fingers; making it perfect for comfortably long shoots.

One of the most important things while taking photos is limiting the barrier between you and your subject as you snap the shutter. The less a camera is in your way, the better. Luckily for the GR, it's quite simple to assign and change up the functions to suit any particular style of workflow so it gets out your way immediately. It's somewhat reminiscent of the OM-D. It may take a day or two to find the most intuitive button layout that suits you, but once you've found it, you'll probably never have to touch it again. (As an aside, if I could add one feature to the menu, it would be the ability to shoot RAW alongside small or x-small jpegs. Currently the camera can only save RAW photos alongside large JPEGS.) In action, I find the GR snappy and stealthy; buffer speeds are quick, focusing is lighnting fast in adequate lighting, and the shutter is barely audible. It's not all chocolates and roses though. Despite being accurate, the focus is slow in low-light; the latter being a room with one or two lamps on. In the aforementioned shooting scenarios, the camera sometimes takes between 1.5-2 seconds before it locks. But once you're accustomed to the snap-focus feature and prejudging distances, it's not that big of a problem.

If you're in the market for this camera, you know you're in it for the large-sensor photos. Heading over to Flickr and browsing the real-life samples will probably give you a better indicator of the IQ than what I can put into words. To put it simply, the GR's sensor/lens combination is one of the sharpest kits I've ever used; even wide open. (Much sharper than my old X100.) The photos have a nice `pop' to them that I find tough to achieve with the Panasonic 14mm. ISO looks clean up to 3200; with noticeable noise kicking in at 6400. Keep an eye on the white-balance though. It strays from the norm every once in a while, more so than my m43 cameras. But if you're shooting RAW it's easily correctable in-camera. And for bokeh lovers, I'll be upfront. At 28mm, this is not a bokeh machine. You can isolate subjects, but the f/2.8 lens is best suited for contextual shooting. I prefer compositions with backgrounds and context while shooting 28mm anyways, so this is no issue to me. Having video at the flip of a switch is nice too. However, I wish I could have some kind of basic control over the shutter speed while recording in order to smooth out the motion cadence a bit.

Before you purchase the camera, please be aware of its limitations. The GR will not suit everyone; especially at its current price. But for its target market, it's almost everything one could ask for. Luckily, I am that targeted market. And while f/2.8 is adequate, the GR does not substitute my Panasonic 20mm combined with Olympus' stabilization. But if you're okay with the limitations & you must have DSLR-like IQ in a pocket, what are you waiting for? Thus far I've taken the GR to a rave, a few dinners, and many other places that my larger ones will not go. Personally, that alone is priceless.

'Ricoh GR Expert' - This is the Ricoh GR V version I. The model previous to the new GR II. A bit confusing but there you go. I did a lot of research before I decided to buy this camera. I've had it for a day now and Wow!! It's awesome. The image quality of the photos is fantastic. Very sharp with the look and feel of a Leica image. I bought it mainly for street photography as it has a TVA setting, which allow you to set the Aperture and Shutter Speed and the camera sets the ISO automatically. This, in conjunction with Snap focus, which allows almost instant focus at set distance, enables you to take super fast photos. It's also good in low light and an intuitive menu system. I recommend this camera, especially at £379. They were about £600 not so long ago.