The little Ricoh GRiii x is cute and small and getting a lot of play on all the photo-influencer YouTube channels. People seem to finally be coming around to the realization that a 40mm equivalent lens is a wonderful focal length. Leica knew this when they introduced the original Leica CL film camera. It came with a 40mm f2.0 Summicron that was absolutely wonderful and so sharp it could cut your eye right through the rangefinder window. How they wound up with the 28mm lens on the Q2 will always be a mystery to me...
Ricoh had a following of folks who liked the original GRiii with its wider angle (28mm eq,?) lens so they did what I think is the logical step of upgrading it with an even more universally useful lens. The camera itself is small and light and happily devoid of excess buttons, switches and endless menu clutter. With a 40mm lens and a super low profile it started to look to me like a great walk-around, shoot from the hip, street shooter's dream camera. It lacks only two things; the ability to add an EVF and a full frame image sensor with all the advantages that can add to the mix. Still, I've stumbled into buying some things with far fewer things to recommend a purchase. I started reading reviews...
But one thing kept nagging at me. Didn't I already have the "professional" version of this camera courtesy a different camera maker? Seems I do.
Sitting there on the edge of my desk is petite but bulletproof Sigma fp. I took off the optical finder and the grip, took off some big, hairy lens, mounted the Sigma 45mm f2.8 and marveled once again at just how perfect this camera feels in real use. As a professional point and shoot camera.
I took off the camera strap and attached a (Chris Nichols approved) wrist strap, tossed the lens hood and cap back in the drawer and all of a sudden I had a great street shooting camera in my hands. Almost as dinky as the Ricoh. But with the added benefit of one of the cleanest (noise free) high ISO performance capabilities of all the 24 megapixel, full frame cameras on the market, coupled with addictive color science, and the final miracle feature: interchangeable lens capability. Even nicer? I already own it.
Not everyone likes the fp. Maybe it's an acquired taste. Maybe it's the squared off corners. Maybe it's the added friction of using a camera which requires more care to focus or one which sucks through battery juice with reckless abandon. Whatever the "deal-killer" parameter is for other people I've yet to find anything about the camera which is bad enough to outweigh the potential it provides for wonderful photographs that look different (and to my eye better) than nearly all the other cameras on the market in that category.
I've got mine set (not converted to) today for black and white. I add some contrast and sharpness to the mix in camera. I use the yellow filter setting. I put an extra battery in my pocket. Wrap the wrist strap around my right wrist and step out the door to photograph things so I can see what they look like photographed. It's a pleasure.
Looking out the kitchen window at the studio/office west wall.
Nice day for photography. But what day isn't?
16 comments:
Agreed all around. I have added the evf and love it. Makes the fp a bit big for your purpose but it fits me fine.
I think you're missing the point about the GRII. I don't have an fp, my normal camera is a Fujifilm X-Pro3 rather than an L-system camera, but I do have a GRIII which is what I carry when I'm not using the X-Pro3.
The GRIII is my "professional version" of a phone camera because I don't like phone cameras. It's the "camera I always have with me if I don't have a camera with me" if I can put it that way. What makes it my professional version of a phone camera rather than a substitute for my X-Pro3 is that I can stuff the GRII in my jeans pocket and still have space for keys or some other small thing. I can't stuff an X-Pro 3, not even just the body without a lens, in my jeans pocket and that is the real advantage of the GRIII. You might be able to stuff an fp body into your jeans pocket, I've seen how small they are and they are small, but I don't think you'll get an fp with lens attached into your jeans pocket.
I would not call the fp with a lens the "professional version of the GRIII", I think that's looking at things backwards if you want to consider the real advantage of the GRIII. The GRIII is the professional version of the fp or other normal sized camera that you use when you want to carry a camera and lens in your pocket, provided you can live with the GRIII's somewhat quirky focussing systems.
If you can go out for a walk with your fp in your jeans pocket with the 45mm f/2.8 mounted on it, I'll accept your characterisation of the fp as the professional version of the GRIII with one slight qualification, you should change "GRIII" to "GRIIIX" in recognition of the focal length of the lens you're using. Of course if you can manage that and you meet Mae West on your walk, be prepared to be asked "Is that a pistol in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?". Mae probably wouldn't notice the GRIII or GRIIIX in your pocket or, if she did, she'd probably make a comment about the size of your wallet and how glad she was to see you :-)
Kirk
I don't have the gr III or the grIIIx. Looked at both really close. I worry about dust. I will note that both grIIIs have IBIS, good for 5 stops, and better autofocus than the Sigma fp.
Jay
Hmmm. Jay, how "better"?
I've never had issues with the fp. Center focus is fast and sure. C-AF is not in my vocabulary....
Kirk
You're right about CAF; I forgot. I notice you didn't mention IBIS. The lack of in the fp. You found it useful in the past.
Whatever. I just checked the B&H sit and the fp w/the 45 Sigma lens is $1599.00. Body alone $1499.00. That's interesting.
Jay
I came to enjoy the 40mm perspective with the Canon EF 40mm 2.8 attached to my 5DII. It's a pancake lens and a great performer. Actually makes the 5D somewhat portable and easy to shoot. I think I might prefer 40mm to 50mm or 35mm, it's just right for me. The Ricoh is tempting but I think I want FF at that focal length and the Canon combo delivers terrific images for me. If Leica made a 40mm f2 CL or Q3 they would get my money and I might even make it my only camera.
My flavor of the GR twins: Olympus 10.2, lumix 14/2.5, lumix 20/1.7.
Have both cakes and use them too.
Kirk, I still have a few micro four-thirds cameras. They include the Panasonic GX9 and the Panasonic G100. I pretty much get the camera you are talking about with the Lumix 20mm f/1.7 attached to them. But I've been looking at the Ricoh GRIIIx for a while. It may still happen at the right price.
I have the GRDigital original and GR. I’ve never thought they would suit Kirk. As others have said, the main ’feature’ is small size and weight along with ‘hand fit’. Other virtues of course but that’s the starting point.
Ricoh evidently made the right choice with APS-C since the GR has become almost mainstream with it but I would have preferred if they’d stayed with a small sensor or maybe micro 4/3. If they could have made an interchangeable lens version that was still slimline I think they may have been even more popular — they almost did that with the GXR Leica mount version which was well received. That would have solved both the dust issues and satisfied those who wanted 40mm etc.
Yeah, I love that people have found the 40mm FL, it meant that my old (and not really all that great) OM 40/2 pancake’s value has rocketed enough that I could buy a new Mirrorless.
I have both the GR 3 and GR3x and absolutely love them. The image quality is really nice and the tiny size means they go unnoticed when out on the street. They have become my favorite cameras for taking on my trips abroad. I have a great selection of m4/3 cameras and lens to choose from but the Ricohs always come with me and get most of the use.
Kirk, I'm not sure that I'd describe the GR as 'devoid of menu clutter' - seems to give Olympus a run for a money, in my book. But I'd love to read about you having a go with one.
I had the 28mm GR and it is indeed pocketable and has a fantastic lens. Makes a great travel camera.
Have you ever seen one in person? It is not a whole lot bigger than a deck of cards.
Hi Kirk -
Your photo remined me of this one
http://samabell.com/tolstoy-1
Rollei 35, at the time the smallest "full frame" camera, came with a 40mm in 1966, and carried it forward in further generations of the camera, some years before the birth of the film CL.
I had the Ricohs.. truly lovely picture makers. Now I’m using the Fuji X-E4 with the tiny 18mm and 27mm lenses (28 & 40mm eq.). This a reasonable replacement of the Ricohs, and I get the Fuji color science. 😊
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