The New Ricoh GR Announced and Available for Pre-Order ($797 at B&H)

[Ray Sachs]

I look forward to your comparison of the GR and the A.

I think I've mostly done it already, with the comparison of the controls and interface I did a few weeks ago. Others will do a LOT more on the technical side than I ever could (I'll certainly give my impressions of any differences, particularly in low light, but I'm not seeing many differences in everything I've seen so far from both). And in terms of the shooting experience, I don't expect the GR to be more than slightly different than the GXR-28 or the GRD3/4 that I've owned/used. So I'll make note of anything I'm surprised by or is different than expected, but I just don't think there's a lot between these cameras. I think its gonna be 90% down to personal preference regarding the shooting experience and the features you most like. And, of course, the price difference is large enough to matter to most folks...

-Ray

 

[Armanius]

Armando, you don't want a GR.... you want the M9.....or the central AC unit....or the Luger......

AC unit for sure, specially with the summer here. Feel totally helpless on that subject matter. Almost like taking a car to a mechanic to change motor oil, and they tell you that you need a new engine.

 

[Lightmancer]

Ib ii in mi hannd as I typ...

Sorry. [puts camera down]

It is in my hand as I type. Picked it up an hour ago. It is very similar to "Lazarus", my GRDIII, in appearance with a couple of extra buttons and a significantly bigger (in diameter) lens assembly. Rear screen size is the same. The body is about 1/3" wider. The battery is bigger. It is on charge as I type, which brings me to my first negative comment.

NO @*#%$ CHARGER

Yes, I know I am shouting.

Yes, I know we knew, but I held out hope for the European market at least.

It's pants.

I shall get one but out of principle it won't be a Ricoh one...

More follows...

 

[Isoterica]

Bill you torture us, shoot already!!!!

 

[Andrewteee]

I brought in a fully charged Ricoh battery and SD card to work today. GR should arrive by lunch and then... woohoo.

I knew about the lack of charger, but the GRD4 charger is the same. More and more cameras are going chargerless.

 

[Isoterica]

So B&H now shows it back on pre-order with no date, does that mean next batch or what..

 

[Luke]

it means they presold the batch that was due to arrive on the 27th and I assume it means that the batch that will follow hasn't shipped yet so they can't give a date.

 

[Lightmancer]

Bill you torture us, shoot already!!!!

Patience... in that London tomorrow

I think I have found a small bug, too. It won't remember entered names for My Settings. I always set My1 to "Vivid", My2 to "B&W" and My3 to "Muted" but it won't let me store the names. It may be that the internal battery is not sufficiently charged - I'll try again in the morning.

That said, it does remember my copyright details in EXIF - a nice touch that it allows me to enter it.

Sent from another Galaxy

 

[Archiver]

Oddly, my order status still says, 'in stock, sent to warehouse, UPS Expedited shipping', but I haven't received a shipping notice. My fingernails can't take much more biting!

 

[sohcsleeper]

Adorama pulled through, received my tracking number and the GR is on its way!

Anyone having trouble finding aftermarket batteries in the USA. There are a ton on ebay, but they all ship from Hong Kong.
I was looking to pick up some wasabi power, but seems like amazon is out.

 

[Stnolan]

Mines due for delivery tomorrow from B&H.....can't wait

 

[Andrewteee]

Oddly, my order status still says, 'in stock, sent to warehouse, UPS Expedited shipping', but I haven't received a shipping notice. My fingernails can't take much more biting!

Aaarrghhh. Torture. I'm just about to download my first pics. Feels like a GR, only bigger, and at this size it's obvious. Controls feel different too. Still... a GR, though!!!

 

[Lightmancer]

...I think I have found a small bug, too. It won't remember entered names for My Settings. I always set My1 to "Vivid", My2 to "B&W" and My3 to "Muted" but it won't let me store the names. It may be that the internal battery is not sufficiently charged - I'll try again in the morning.

Update.

Belay that last, it is remembering this morning. I remember having this problem with my GXR when I first had it - it is a one-off thing as the internal battery trickle charges from the main battery.

On the 07:59 as I type (words cannot express how much I detest travelling in and out of London in rush hour)

First impressions... it is SILENT. I mean really. I have set it to my preferences and will try to have a play as I bob about today. Don't expect art...


Sent from another Galaxy

 

[Paul Giguere]

I brought in a fully charged Ricoh battery and SD card to work today. GR should arrive by lunch and then... woohoo.

Too funny! I did the exact same thing and brought a spare battery from my GRD4 and a card to work today too. My GR just showed up at my office from UPS. First impressions. . . Wow! The camera feels great. If you didn't hold it up against a GRD 3/4, you really wouldn't notice the size difference too much. It is still within that "perfect" size (at least for me).

The set-up, menus, etc. are all familiar give or take new items, etc. There is a slight animation/roll when going through the menus (a nod towards modernization I suppose) but it is pleasing and doesn't get in the way. The controls on the back side are all pretty familiar too. I like having the AE/AF lock button/switch. It frees up one of my F buttons for something else (I used to use F1 for AEL on my GRD4). The Effects button on the side is now my ND filter button.

The focus is fast. I mean really fast (especially compared to a GRD4). I shot some quick pics in somewhat low light in my office and the focus locked quickly and assuredly (no hunting). I'm sure if I posed a more difficult contrast situation it might be different but I was very pleased. This means that the focus will be lightening fast outdoors in natural light.

Okay, here is the best news of all, Snap Focus works the way it did for the GRD3! You can now hold the Up Arrow (Macro) on the back wheel while turning the front wheel and YES!!!, it changes the distance settings for Snap! Hurray! While Ricoh's eventual "fix" for snap on the GRD4 worked okay and well enough for the most part, I didn't realize how much I missed having the button/wheel function back for this very important function for me.

Anyway, I'll be giving the GR a real work out over the weekend. Photos to follow in the appropriate forum here at SC.

Best - Paul

 

[Armanius]

Screw the new air conditioning unit!!

 

[Isoterica]

Amazon had three through Cameta Camera last night, well.. two after I was on site -AHEM- but anyway they seem to be all gone today.

 

[Archiver]

Screw the new air conditioning unit!!

Yeah, who needs air, anyway?

I awoke this morning at 5.30 and checked my phone. Shipping notice from B&H received!!! So I'm guessing that some time next week, my brand new little black beauty will be in my (hopefully not too) trembling hands!

On the plus side, I'm very busy this week so I won't have time to moon over the GR's delivery. On the other hand, I'm going to some places where I'd love to have it!

 

[Lightmancer]

I'm not starting a thread just for two pics, but this is some of the fruits from yesterday.

First impressions:

Handling good - almost identical to my III; minor improvements welcome
Program mode - aperture shift not remembered if you turn off
I'd like the effect button on the side to toggle, not pull up the menu every time you press it
Standard colour settings quite muted

Think I will find myself using it on 35mm crop mode for a while (these photos were taken in that mode). I know it is a crop, but it puts the GR in the class - for the first time for me with a digital camera - of the quality 35mm focal length film compacts I knew and loved such as the XA, Contax T2, Minox GT-E...

More follows.

Why I hate commuting (handheld at 1/10)

Random signage

 

[serhan]

Here is another review:
Ricoh GR V Review

Also DXO score:
DxOMark - Ricoh GR and the competition

 

[boliston]

I got mine delivered a couple of days ago (Wednesday) from Clifton Cameras (UK) so I've had a couple of times to test it in my lunch breaks.
It's noticeably bigger than my GRD IV, but hopefully I will get used to the extra size.
I've noticed that program mode seems with mainly use f/4 until the shutter speed reaches 1/1000s (and this is documented in the instruction book), whereas the GRD IV seems to narrow the aperture sooner.
The autofocus seems more sensitive to movement - with the GRD IV I'd grab shots while walking and the AF seemed to be OK, but the GR's AF seems to prefer less movement.
I will probably test out the snap focus for "grabbed" shots on the move especially if the snap has been made more like the GRD III.
The battery meter seems to show 2 bars quite quickly, compared with the GRD IV where 3 bars are shown until it's almost flat.
Preview seems less jumpy if things are moving - presumably due to a faster processing chip.