Anyone have opinions on the GX200

stillshunter

Super Moderator Emeritus
Location
Down Under
Name
Mark
I've been contemplating my back-pocket compact and am almost sold on the Canon S95. Having owned an LX5, I found it a little too large for my needs. So the S95 appears to stand-alone when it comes to size. Well that was until I thought back on my GRDII, which I regret selling at least twice a day. Far superior to the Panasonic, in my opinion, when it came to build quality and IQ. Then I got thinking about the GX200. I realise these are getting a little long in the tooth now, but I wondered if anyone here has had any experience with the little RAW Ricoh zoom? I'd especially love to hear about comparisons with the S90 or S95...and even the LX3 or 5 to give me something to evaluate it against. I know the EVF adds to the size, but I'm sure it can easily be stowed for portability sake.

Anyway, love to hear some real world world experiences.

P.S. I've just had a quick scour of the Forum users and it doesn't seems as though anyone owns a GX200 anymore. Hmmmm....
 
Hi, I have owned an Ricoh GX200, Canon S90, Lumix LX3 and now own a Ricoh GRD III. If you are after a back pocket camera then the Canon S series and Ricoh GRD series really only fit the bill as the others have lenses protruding thus making them a carry in hand camera.

Ok so image quality, now this always personal preference and to me out of these cameras I have owned the GX200 which yielded lovely colours but so so when it came to images, sharpness could have always been better, one good thing I never had dust issues with this Ricoh and at that time all other Ricoh cameras had this problem.

The S90, really never liked the picture quality maybe it was the way I shoot but they never made me feel that I could get the best out of this little box. Think it was to do with the controls, the front bezel was not for me.

The LX3 gave lovely shots with Raw and even Jpeg a good little camera but I am not a menu diver and this made it a tad fiddly.

The GRD III is awesome, I love this little camera, the colours could be better but Raw editor can pull these back, nice sharp images. I see you used the GRD II so you know how these things work, I am still tempted to snap up a cheap GRD I, Jpegs out of the box were simply stunning, I have yet to find a camera as pin sharp.

I see you shoot with a Sigma DP2S, I own a DP2 and out of all my cameras this is the daddy :)
 
Well, as long as you stay under ISO 400, the GX200 is a great camera.
From 400 up it's a big disappointment.
I had it to back up my GRD11.
It's a nice camera with crappy images. I used it at a dinner party with some friends.
I shot at 800 and some at 400. The images were unusable. Sold it the next day. I was to upset to tell my friends I blew the images.

I hope this doesn't sound negative. If you want a nice camera with crappy images this is it.
The IQ is not close to the LX5, not at all.
 
Thanks fellas.

Looks like we're back to the S95 then. I suppose I could opt for the GRD again, but to be honest if I buy a fixed 28mm then it'd be the DP1 first :love: ....as you say smash the DP is the daddy....and he's getting awfully lonely in his big bag by himself. So the DP1x will be the perfect complement.

I'm thinking the back-pocket compact might just have to be a zoom. So I have the choice of the S95...and....well....
 
Good choice, infact after shooting with my Ricoh GXR P10 and Sigma DP2, think I will opt for a DP1 to companion the Dp2 and sell the GXR, it's world aparts from small sensors in my eyes.

If you can yield good pictures from the DP2s then your winning the battle, get the DP1 too ;)
 
SIgma DPs used to come up for sale every so often on eBay Australia about a year or two ago, but I don't see them much any more. :(

Oh that's not good, in the UK you can easily pick up a DP1 2nd hand but 2nd hand DP1s and DP1x are more tricky, which is what I am after. Hope you find one.
 
Thanks Smash.

Yeah the original DP1 does come up now and again - and usually for an insanely low price...most hovering around the AUD200-300 mark. The occasional DP1s has surfaced and they're not asking much more - at $300-400. I've not seen a single DP1x. The best deal I can find is B+H who are asking $599 . Now when you add the necessary accessories - OVF and lens adapter - we are in the USD750 zone. Now I know the Aussie dollar is strong, but that's still a fair whack of my monthly earnings.

Now some might argue that "well just save the money and get a DP1 for the cost of an S95". Well a reasonable rejoinder. However, the two things that stop me are:
- the TRUE II chip. Only the DP1x has the faster engine which ameliorates the slow RAW writing time issues, and
- the UI. Again, the DP1x is the only model that shares the same control layout as the DP2s (be a little confusing between identical looking cameras in the bag).

Bottom line, if I could surmount these two issues then I'd have a friend for the bag pretty quick. Meanwhile, it seems I have to wait patiently for that DP1x bargain and pounce. I wonder if Sigma has sold any of their latest DP1 model, as I've not met a soul who has one....and I move in some pretty seedy circles where Sigmas are the chosen weapon of the hip. Hmmm....

So Smash are you holding out for a DP1x as well or are you more rational than me? Also be keen to hear from any other shooters who have differing DP models to make a call on my chip and UI concerns above.
 
The GX cameras get noisy fast. Good at base ISO, though. I would avoid it today. If you miss the GRD then pick up a GRD3 to complement your DP2s. Not the same, but it has a complementary focal length and is much easier to use. Very portable.
 
Thanks Andrew. You're really making me regret selling the GRDII. GREAT STUPIDO!!! :doh: ...and to think I sold it to fund a 15mm lens for my Pentax gear that I hardly use nowadays!!!

I might have a look around and see what they're going for....actually while I think of it what are the advantages of the GRDIII over the II? Or is it primarily a matter of the lens speed?
 
What's the difference

Hi DP fans! What's the main differences between the DP1 models (DP1, DP1S, DP!X) and the DP2 models (DP2, DP2S and DP2X)?
Is this mainly UI and the engine?
 
A friend of mine owned one and captured lovely images with it but..............Noise from iso 400 onward was pretty poor. If kept below that you can expect good shots. I owned an S90 up to recently but replaced it with a Canon G11. The G11 is a really good camera but for pure pocketable power the S90 can not be beaten in my opinion. F2 lens, Raw files, great noise control (for a compact) and it fits in your shirt pocket..................go buy one.:)
 
I loved my GX100 but didn't try the GX200. Wouter Brandsma had a good write up of the GX200 here: My final Ricoh GX200 impressions | Wouter Brandsma
Great link. Thanks Amin. So thank you all for your help. It, as usual, has been invaluable.

So that seals it! The GX200 is not the one for me. Compact it may be but its varied limitations might find it staying in my back pocket for far too long. It's either the S95 or GRD I reckon.
Or a resolve to eat more Weetbix, in order to build my physical and moral muscle and carry the DP2 around more often...and round off the set with the DP1x.

Hi DP fans! What's the main differences between the DP1 models (DP1, DP1S, DP!X) and the DP2 models (DP2, DP2S and DP2X)?
Is this mainly UI and the engine?

The DP1 series has a 28mm lens and the DP2 series has a 40mm lens.

Yep
DP1 series 28mm f4, and
DP2 series 41mm f2.8

DP1, DP1s have the TRUE engine, while the DP1x, DP2, DP2s, DP2x have the faster TRUE II engine
DP1 and DP1s have one UI while the others share the newer set-up including the Quick setup (QS) button
While DP1x, DP2s, DP2x have the white text buttons - others have the much maligned black on black thing happening.
All except the original DP1 have the you-beaut thing in them that minimised the red flare matrix (please don't ask me to explain).
All including the original DP1 have the 20.7 x 13.8mm Foveon sensor which has pixie dust magically suspended in silicon.

Are you buying one Herman?
 
Stillshunter - I am looking for any of the DP1 series. I took my DP2, Ricoh GXR P10 and Ricoh GRD III out on the same shoot, I came to the conclusion I preferred the images on the DP2 way more than the others camera, but I preferred the wide angle of the GRD III. I then thought right I am now going to buy the 28mm module for the GXR as the body is just amazing but £650 just for the 28mm lens! So now I have come to the conclusion sell the GXR and buy a DP1. I will miss the GXR but hopefully in a couple of years the price will drop, but bargain price DP1 and cash in my pocket is king for me. Now where is that DP1s that will do nicely :)
 
Smash I like your thinking mate. So you and I, my friend, are in the same boat....which sounds quite romantic but I warn you I'm pretty lazy so you'll be doing most the paddling :blush:

Honestly, our thinking is much the same. With all my talk of a back-pocket compact I'm starting to think that nothing will come near to approximating that Foveon look. Like you I find the DP2's 41mm lens a very comfortable focal length for everyday shooting, but hanker for something a little wider on occasion. Yeah, I miss my GRD and it would be far more pocketable, but it's just not got the IQ. So let us keep in touch in our search for our complementary Sigmas.

Meanwhile, here's some inspiration to spurn us on.....and an invitation for those straddling the fence about arming themselves with a Sigma.
BTW: none of Bengt's images were achieved with HDR, which testifies as to what that little sandwiched silicone sensor can do....as well as a deft hand at PP I assume!!!!
 
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