Hi From Rome!

[avidone]

Hi All-- I am sure I know some of you from mu43, but also decided to join seriouscompacts as well since I am diversifying a bit-- now waiting on a Ricoh GRD1 new-old stock Anniversary Edition

 

[bilzmale]

You are very welcome here.

 

[BBW]

avidone, congratulations will soon be in order! In the meantime, welcome from across the hall, to Serious Compacts.

 

[olli]

Hello and welcome.

 

[christilou]

Hello

 

[Armanius]

Ciao Avidone! Welcome to the forum!

 

[Luckypenguin]

Anniversary edition? Does that mean that you bought the cool blue fairy model?

 

[Herman]

Hello and welcome here from Holland.

 

[Lili]

Welcome, good choice of camera!

 

[avidone]

Hi everyone! Thanks for the welcome! Special greetings @Lili-- I keep seeing your pics and posts from years of GRD all over the place-- you are the Grand Mistress of GRD, I think.

@Luckypenguin-- yes, it is the G.D. Screaming Blue Fairy Princess Smurf blue model. Cool? I don't know... maybe I will change my mind when I see it "live", but I would have preferred black; the good part is that it is new, with warranty and at a good price. I don't think it is easy to find all that in black. As I said on mu43, at least there is no danger of people on the streets taking me seriously carrying something that looks like it came out of Barbies's lunchpail. In Italy, where people are not always of good cheer about being in random photos, I need all the help I can get. Since I already tend to dress in "comfortable" clothes, rather than stylish ones, I figure add the silly blue camera and they will just pity me as some really dorky specimen of a tourist. I already have a general strategy when someone tries to say something to me in Italian that I don't want to deal with-- I look confused and answer in Hebrew (much more likely to stump them than English or German). Nonetheless I am still a bit timid about street shooting, but trying to do it more...

I was, in fact, out today shooting from the hip with my E-PL1, though I am now fighting my "upgraded" Aperture 3.2 which is crashing repeatedly, so not sure when I will get any out on Flickr

 

[Briar]

Hi Avidone

Welcome to SC! I'm trying my hand at street photography with my new GRD3. I know there are a few others here keen to learn that genre so you are not on your own. Looking forward to seeing your street pics.

 

[Luckypenguin]

Alright!!! You've gotta post an image of it when it arrives! I'm thinking it will look awesome, but I guess screaming blue fairies might be an acquired taste to some.

 

[avidone]

It's here! In only four days, which is warp speed considering the Italian Post... and it does not look so bad; feels really solid and well-made. And it seems WEE-tiny compared to my "compact" E-PL1. I used up a pair of AAA batteries just update FW from 2.2 to 2.4 and making basic settings. As soon as the regular battery charges I am hitting the streets.

View attachment 42991
20111014-_A143573.jpg by Asher Berry, on Flickr

 

[BBW]

Congrats Asher! I think your blue skies GRD1 might just be the ticket to photographing under the radar just because it doesn't look stealthy. Seriously!

Now it's time to update your signature line.

 

[avidone]

@BB-- signature updated! and I think you are right about not needing stealth. I went around this afternoon shooting sometimes from the hip and sometimes stopping and aiming and I am SURE I did not get as many funny looks as with my E-PL1. Also, with sounds turned off, and even with spot focus but for sure with snap focus it is SO silent that I kept having to check whether I had taken shots or not. Today I set it on P for most shooting, just to not worry too much and slow myself down... only slight difficulties come from just how small it is and sometimes accidentally pressing the exposure comp button or on/off button.

I will post some miscellaneous test shots here and then some others in the Street Thread

 

[avidone]

First the all important kitty tests:

Tony the Toyger is always my first test subject for new cameras or lenses-- P mode and straight out of camera monochrome:

Tony @iso64 by Asher Berry, on Flickr

Tony @iso400 by Asher Berry, on Flickr

Tony @iso800 by Asher Berry, on Flickr

Tony @iso1600 by Asher Berry, on Flickr

 

[avidone]

a few other random test shots. OOC colour and B/W

St. Paul's by Asher Berry, on Flickr

Exposition Centre by Asher Berry, on Flickr

Statue by Asher Berry, on Flickr

near Trevi by Asher Berry, on Flickr