Ricoh (another) Ricoh GR review-impressions

Great piece with excellent photos. Thanks of the link!

I think you covered all the big points. Add me to the list of people hoping for a 50mm. One thing I don't think you mentioned is the flash - I finding that it works great.
 
Very nice article. The image of the flowers and bee interests me because I am just now trying to understand how to maximize the macro capabilities of the GR. Could you please comment on your experience and technique using the GR for macro?
 
Very nice article. The image of the flowers and bee interests me because I am just now trying to understand how to maximize the macro capabilities of the GR. Could you please comment on your experience and technique using the GR for macro?

Hi Ghostdog, thanks for your words. That photo was shot with the macro feature plus flash. In order to get the thinnest dof as possible i shot it wide open, increased the speed to stop the bee and then added a soft in camera flash as it was backlit and the day was a bit overcast, so the flash added contrast, the moving bokeh in background is because of the wind which generates the movement.

Of course this was not a one shot and done. was like three or four shots before i got that one. I love the macro capabilities of the GR. I know a lot of people dont like the distortion of wide angle lenses but i personally love it, for that sort of shots. Im not a macro shooter, per se, but i do love extreme close ups for details like that, and the GR is brilliant.

I also noticed that to make the best of the macro i need to use the pinpoint focus point and not the normal one, since every time im close to something im usually adding layers in the foreground to add effects the big af focus gets confused sometimes. but just that. not sure whatelse to add. but feel free to ask!.
 
Hi Ghostdog, thanks for your words. That photo was shot with the macro feature plus flash. In order to get the thinnest dof as possible i shot it wide open, increased the speed to stop the bee and then added a soft in camera flash as it was backlit and the day was a bit overcast, so the flash added contrast, the moving bokeh in background is because of the wind which generates the movement.

Of course this was not a one shot and done. was like three or four shots before i got that one. I love the macro capabilities of the GR. I know a lot of people dont like the distortion of wide angle lenses but i personally love it, for that sort of shots. Im not a macro shooter, per se, but i do love extreme close ups for details like that, and the GR is brilliant.

I also noticed that to make the best of the macro i need to use the pinpoint focus point and not the normal one, since every time im close to something im usually adding layers in the foreground to add effects the big af focus gets confused sometimes. but just that. not sure whatelse to add. but feel free to ask!.
A very helpful response. I had thought about the pin point focus but hadn't tried it. I will try it today. Thank you my friend.
 
I've been using my GR almost since it first became available. One thing that bothers me is the image review in the camera. I have the camera set to RAW + (JPEG) in B&W mode. After taking a photo, I notice that the review image (especially when enlarged on the screen) lacks focus and detail. The is especially pronounced when I have the camera set to just capture RAW (the review image is terrible). Once the photos are loaded into Lightroom, I notice more fine detail and resolution when enlarged (also noise/grain seems more pleasing as well).

It's not a big deal (I'm not a pixel peeper by any means) and the images look fine once brought into Lightroom but I'm wondering if there is some issue with the GR screen or simply the algorithm for displaying the images in review? The only thing I can see where this trips me up is in making sure I have nailed the focus in the area of the image where I want it. Again, all seems fine later but in the field, I'm sometimes second guessing myself.

Thanks,

Paul
 
Paul, I vaguely recall reading somewhere that the image review when using DNG becomes mere low resolution file. Do you get that when shooting JPG only? I no longer have a GR, so I can't test that.
 
I've been using my GR almost since it first became available. One thing that bothers me is the image review in the camera. I have the camera set to RAW + (JPEG) in B&W mode. After taking a photo, I notice that the review image (especially when enlarged on the screen) lacks focus and detail. The is especially pronounced when I have the camera set to just capture RAW (the review image is terrible). Once the photos are loaded into Lightroom, I notice more fine detail and resolution when enlarged (also noise/grain seems more pleasing as well).

It's not a big deal (I'm not a pixel peeper by any means) and the images look fine once brought into Lightroom but I'm wondering if there is some issue with the GR screen or simply the algorithm for displaying the images in review? The only thing I can see where this trips me up is in making sure I have nailed the focus in the area of the image where I want it. Again, all seems fine later but in the field, I'm sometimes second guessing myself.

Thanks,

Paul

Hi Paul,

Don't know were to start but I should start saying that i agree with you. Im a raw shooter, and with the GR I have to shoot RAW+JPEG in order to check focus on the LCD screen. This method is not only with Ricoh's but Fuji's as well but not Olympus. As you probably know, every time we shoot raw files what we see in the back screen is a JPEG from the RAW file, but we never see the real raw file. Apparently the JPEGs in the RAW files of the GR are too small for the high res LCD screen that gets all jagged and stuff, so i shoot RAW + JPEGs in order to zoom in and check focus.

As for the softness in the JPEGS that you say, I personally dont mind, I just check the subject is in focus and then get rid of the jpeg and process from the RAW file on my computer and like you said, is actually tack sharp with lots of details.
I hardly use the jpegs other to process in camera and send em over wifi (through Eye Fi Xpro card) to my phone to upload it to instagram. So it doesnt bother me that the jpeg from the RAW+JPEGS are not as sharp as the raw file on the computer.

On the other hand, you can always determine and "cook" the jpegs settings in camera before and increase the sharpness if want/needed. I dont do that, cause in camera sharpness is too strong for my taste, and sometimes when i over sharpened the jpegs i cant see if i have my subject in focus or slightly off.

ps: Im a big fan of your work!
 
Thanks for the feedback and comments. I guess I will just need to stick with RAW + JPEG. A bit of a pain but at least I'm getting the end result I want.

Paul

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Back
Top