GX100: Do You View the Future with Fear or Hope?

[galavanter]

I am having a great time with the Ricoh GX100. The EVF is either a blessing or a curse, depending on your point of view. I bought a Russian turret finder and also found a Walz 28-135 zoom finder before I even got the camera, but the EVF works for street shooting, and I am coming to prefer it. I can see all the info in the EVF (it has diopter adj) and I can review the pics in it too which for me means I don't have to put on my reading glasses to view the LCD. The EVF is what it is, but for a almost pocketable camera and the stepped zoom of 24,28,35,50, and 72 this little thing provides a great ersatz rangefinder shooting experience. They claim 100% view and no parallax. I find the AF fast. I bought it to shoot B&W, and I think the files are really good. No joke here, for STREET photography I prefer the files to another 10mp real rangefinder camera. That one is just too clean.

[Revolucion Artistico]

Hello, I have been reading your posts in another thread discussing this camera, sorry if you already went over this (I can't seem to remember), have you also shot the GRD and if so what are the pros vs cons. I have been debating which to purchase for some time and I just can't seem to make up my mind. I really like the pic, do you recall which focal length was used? Do you have the wide adapter? Do you find it inconvenient?Thanks, again great pic, thanks for all the info.

[photogdave]

The "grain" in the blacks doesn't appeal to me. I'm still not into that digital noise replacing film grain kind of look.
I'm glad you like your camera. IF I had one I would probably stick to shooting colour and leave the black and white to film. Just my 2 cents of course.
Great shot!

[galavanter]

Thanks. I have never shot the GRD, only read a lot about it and looked at a lot of pics from the camera. It's what turned me onto Ricoh however and when I saw they had come out with a sort of zoom version I immediately wanted one. I haven't bought a small digicam in 6 years. I have a 2mp Canon Elph. I went through a bit of indecision deciding between the two, but I really wanted the more normal focal lengths (step zoom is cool), I wanted raw in 1600 ISO (GRD only does raw to 800), and I really wanted the faster raw write times the GX100 offers. 6 seconds with my Sandisk Ultra II 1 GB compared to I think around 12 seconds for the GRD. Others with the fast 150x cards are now claiming 3 seconds with the GX100.

The GRD is smaller (lens protrusion wise) and has an auto lens cover. These two things, although seemingly insignificant, make a big difference in carryability and convenience. Most think a GRDII is coming in the future. Faster write times will be a big improvement. The 28mm fixed lens is just a tad faster than the GX100 at 28mm, f/2.4 vs f/2.7, although the GX100 is f/2.5 at 24mm. Max aperture for the GX100 is also f/2.5 @19mm, f/2.9 @35mm, f/3.5 @50mm, and f/4.4 @72mm. The GX100 has some barrel distortion at wide angles of brick walls, which is to be expected. That GRD has none.

I liked the look of the Ricoh noise like many do and even though they have upped the GX100 to 10 mp I think they have done a fine job keeping the Ricoh look. 1600 on the GRD is a bit much even for me but on the GX100 the grain is not so extreme. I'm talking B&W.

I did get the 19mm as well and I hope to do some interior portraits in my little house, and of others in their little houses. I don't keep it attached although if you do your step zoom becomes 19,22,28,40, and 57. Pretty neat.

The pic is 400 ISO at 24mm. I saw him coming, grabbed the camera, powered up, and fired. Truth is I had it set to EVF viewing, but if I put it to my eye the angle would have been wrong and I would have got my door in the frame. I didn't want to miss his extended hand so I just clicked blindly with the camera. Focus and shutter seemed instantaneous to me.

I recently made up my mind to try to capture all my visitors with the easily handled GX100. I get quite an assortment, not all of them offering salvation.

Originally Posted by Revolucion Artistico

Hello, I have been reading your posts in another thread discussing this camera, sorry if you already went over this (I can't seem to remember), have you also shot the GRD and if so what are the pros vs cons. I have been debating which to purchase for some time and I just can't seem to make up my mind. I really like the pic, do you recall which focal length was used? Do you have the wide adapter? Do you find it inconvenient?Thanks, again great pic, thanks for all the info.

[Revolucion Artistico]

Thank you for the response. I was also wondering how long from the time you turn the camera on until it is ready to take a pic (some zoom cameras take a little while) and if I'm not mistaken in order to use the 19mm attachment you have to purchase another accessory, is this correct. I would love to see some examples of the 19mm in use as well as other pics you may have at higher iso's.

[galavanter]

Originally Posted by Revolucion Artistico

Thank you for the response. I was also wondering how long from the time you turn the camera on until it is ready to take a pic (some zoom cameras take a little while) and if I'm not mistaken in order to use the 19mm attachment you have to purchase another accessory, is this correct. I would love to see some examples of the 19mm in use as well as other pics you may have at higher iso's.

Push the button and the lens comes out. Not long. A second? Fast enough for me. Yeah you must buy the adapter kit for about 50 bucks. It twists and clicks on after you twist off a ring around the lens. A button releases that, like the lens release button on a rangefinder. Again, ersatz cool. There is a little play in it, just like my R-D1 lens mount. They think of everything. The 19mm lens is a heavy chunk of glass. It screws on to other end of the adapter tube. You can leave the tube on and use filters. It doesn't come with a cap for the end of the tube so if you want to keep the lens attached to the other end you might be concerned about dust.
I'm afraid all the 19mm thus far are dumb self portraits. If you are into that wide though you can't beat it in such a small package. Like I said, f/2.5.
I don't have any real decent high ISO pics yet. But here are two examples of 1600 IS0, shot as jpegs:

This is entitled, uh, my feet.



Water towers have become sort of a target opportunity:



Here is another 400 ISO shot. Dynamic range example maybe?



ISO 100 72mm

[nikola]

love the jehova pic

[Revolucion Artistico]

I love the look of the black and white even at the higher iso's. Did you buy online? I have been searching the net trying to find a ricoh distributer list and have been unable so far. If you did purchase at a store please p.m. me the location as I live very close to LA. Thanks again for your quick replies and posting the pics.

[galavanter]

Popflash. Click on the banner ad on the left side of this page. Professional and friendly service. He is just outside of L.A. as well. Your welcome.

[galavanter]

Thanks nikola. He loves you too.

[galavanter]

Thanks photogdave.

Originally Posted by photogdave

The "grain" in the blacks doesn't appeal to me. I'm still not into that digital noise replacing film grain kind of look.
I'm glad you like your camera. IF I had one I would probably stick to shooting colour and leave the black and white to film. Just my 2 cents of course.
Great shot!

[jpmccormac]

Originally Posted by Revolucion Artistico

Did you buy online? I have been searching the net trying to find a ricoh distributer list and have been unable so far. If you did purchase at a store please p.m. me the location as I live very close to LA. Thanks again for your quick replies and posting the pics.

FYI. Adorama in NYC - www.adorama.com - also stocks the GX100. Same price as PopFlash.com. Personally, I'd support our sponsors.

[gb hill]

A few here have had bad experience with Adorama. Go with POPflash if you decide to get one. BTW great shots.

[galavanter]

Thanks gb. A couple of days ago Apple gave support to the M8 and other Leica/Panasonic cameras, including the D-Lux 3/LX 2. I used the hack Eoin from the Leica User Group came up with to allow GX100 files to be imported into Aperture. A search in the R-D1 forum for plist should come up with the details. The name you must use after clicking on and duplicating either the Panasonic LX2 profile or the Leica D-Lux 3 profile in the Mac raw.plist is RICOH-Caplio GX100. Here is my first GX100 Aperture conversion. ISO 400.
I have been using Lightroom and as a beginner have found it pretty easy to learn. The sliders for blacks, fill, exposure, and highlights IN the histogram window are really nice and fast. To have them all right there and be able to change and view the results quickly help me a great deal. Aperture is very slow on my Macbook Pro with only 1 GB ram compared to LR.

I am still enjoying the GX100 very much. Any rangefinder user out there who wants a small digital should consider it. I can't think of any other small digital that will provide a similar experience. I have taken many more photos due to its size and handling, and the fact that I can clip it onto my belt.