Ricoh A weekend of Street Fairs with the GRD3

Ray Sachs

Legend
Location
Not too far from Philly
Name
you should be able to figure it out...
OK, I'm sold on the GRD3 as a street cam. The combination of the easy handling, the quick reactions, and the brilliant "snap focus" mode allows you to get closer and still be completely discrete than any other camera I've used (LX5 comes close, but doesn't handle as easily and the snap focus thing really makes getting that part right a no-brainer). I find with the Nex and X100, I'm composing my shots more carefully for the most part, because I'm framing the shots either with the LCD or OVF. With the LX5 and now the GRD3, its much more of a shoot from the hip on instinct kind of thing, so the compositions tend to be less interesting for the most part, but jeez, its like you're living the people's lives you're in so close. I like both types of shooting a lot. Not sure how I'll choose on a day to day basis.

Anyway, our town had two big street fairs this weekend - one Thursday night and one yesterday, Sunday. I did some Thursday night with both the GRD3 and X100. Sunday was just with the GRD3. Here are some shots. I don't find any compositions I love here but I love the people. I particularly like the little kids who seem to have figured out that life isn't all a bed of roses. There are a couple in here where the kids just seem to get the futility of it all. One little brother and sister in a stroller, I swear, manage to look like an old married couple who've heard that the plant's closing down next month - I'll lead with that one and the kids.

-Ray

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What do I DO with this thing?

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OK, enough kids...

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Thanks! I'm shooting all raw and converting in Silver Efex Pro. This camera does some nice OOC black and white but I don't trust any jpeg engine to use the color information to create a B&W the way I might want to tweak it. The only camera I have that I shoot jpegs is the X100 because the color jpegs look better than I can get them to look shooting raw. But even there, my B&W shots start out as color jpegs and I use Silver Efex Pro to covert. Its like working in a darkroom without all of the chemicals and all of that darkness!

-Ray
 
Nicely done, Ray. There's a pattern emerging showing kids' expressions and emotional states. These events are supposed to fun for everyone, but for little children who are tired and cranky, it starts to wear thin. And, thanks for the written introduction.
 
My favorite is the Balloon Master! Boy, you sure do get close in don't you - that's a wonderful attribute, Ray. I've never seen one of these little cameras in real life, and perhaps it's better that way.;)

Definitely see what you're saying about the two little ones being an old married couple! Too, true, Andrew about these children...just looking at them makes me feel hot, sweaty and cranky in between some chuckling.
 
My favorite is the Balloon Master! Boy, you sure do get close in don't you - that's a wonderful attribute, Ray. I've never seen one of these little cameras in real life, and perhaps it's better that way.;)

Definitely see what you're saying about the two little ones being an old married couple! Too, true, Andrew about these children...just looking at them makes me feel hot, sweaty and cranky in between some chuckling.
 
All first rate shots there Ray, you seem to have the knack of shooting at the right moment. Just got a GRD III myself and immediately preferred it over my LX5. With the LX5 I never considered using it for anything else but street but I like the files the GRD produces so much that I want to use it for macro work and landscapes as well as street work. Will have to wait until I get a VF though as I can't abide shooting with the LCD - at least in daylight, outdoors. I guess the LCD will work out okay in low light..
 
I don't mind the LCD even in daylight. Its a lot easier to see than many others. Higher resolution helps I guess. Plus, with the snap focus, in some situations you don't need to use it. My biggest issue is being able to shoot without any blur :( Can't seem to keep the hand still enough.

I know the LCD is about as good as they get for small cams especially but today I could barely see anything for the glare obscuring the view. When the digital level turned green I could see that but little else! I'm accustomed to using VF's/EVF's and my eyesight is not great - I wear varifocals. As for blur my success rate at avoiding it is not too bad so far. I'm still getting used to the feel of the rather odd-shaped shutter release. The body is also lighter than my LX5 and I'm finding shooting from the hip a little more miss than hit at the moment. I guess it'll take time to adapt..
 
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