Lightmancer
Legend
- Location
- Sunny Frimley
- Name
- Bill Palmer
So, I acquired one of these a couple of days ago. I had the GH-2 for my III and liked that, so I shall compare and contrast as well as comment.
The GH-3 is not a cheap bit of kit - the thick end of fifty quid, in fact. For that I expect it to make my tea... The good news is that it is not only well made but has a couple of significant advances over the GH-2.
It comes in three parts - a tube, a hood and a rear cap. It is a bayonet fit; once you have removed the trim ring, which then mounts safely on the end cap that the GH-3 comes with (improvement 1 over the GH-2). Once on it improves surety of handling; the left hand naturally cradles it like a lens. The tube completely protects the extending lens - ideal for street or rough and tumble. It doesn't shade the lens much, but that is what the hood is for. The hood is rectilinear and HUGE; nearly as big as that for the Digilux 2, and you could park a small camper van in that... The tube has a 49mm filter thread (improvement 2); I haven't bothered with a filter, because I already have an accmaxx stick-on one on the lens (see pic). What I have bothered with is a snap-cap; this means the tube can effectively be left on and not act as a dust trap. The end of the tube is smoothly finished (improvement 3) the net result is that it is far more likely to be used. The hood itself... Hmmm. it is not an improvement; it is flimsier than that of the GH-2 and I would really need to be shooting close to the sun on a bright day to bother with it.
Overall, therefore, 7/10
Tube with snap cap:
Ricoh GH-3 1 par Lightmancer, on ipernity
Tube with lens extended:
Ricoh GH-3 2 par Lightmancer, on ipernity
Tube with hood:
Ricoh GH-3 3 par Lightmancer, on ipernity
The GH-3 is not a cheap bit of kit - the thick end of fifty quid, in fact. For that I expect it to make my tea... The good news is that it is not only well made but has a couple of significant advances over the GH-2.
It comes in three parts - a tube, a hood and a rear cap. It is a bayonet fit; once you have removed the trim ring, which then mounts safely on the end cap that the GH-3 comes with (improvement 1 over the GH-2). Once on it improves surety of handling; the left hand naturally cradles it like a lens. The tube completely protects the extending lens - ideal for street or rough and tumble. It doesn't shade the lens much, but that is what the hood is for. The hood is rectilinear and HUGE; nearly as big as that for the Digilux 2, and you could park a small camper van in that... The tube has a 49mm filter thread (improvement 2); I haven't bothered with a filter, because I already have an accmaxx stick-on one on the lens (see pic). What I have bothered with is a snap-cap; this means the tube can effectively be left on and not act as a dust trap. The end of the tube is smoothly finished (improvement 3) the net result is that it is far more likely to be used. The hood itself... Hmmm. it is not an improvement; it is flimsier than that of the GH-2 and I would really need to be shooting close to the sun on a bright day to bother with it.
Overall, therefore, 7/10
Tube with snap cap:
Ricoh GH-3 1 par Lightmancer, on ipernity
Tube with lens extended:
Ricoh GH-3 2 par Lightmancer, on ipernity
Tube with hood:
Ricoh GH-3 3 par Lightmancer, on ipernity