Ricoh The Ricoh GR image thread

[MiguelATF]

A few more examples of the GW-3 'Wide Conversion' lens, which transforms the 28mm fov of the GRii into a 21mm POV. Most were taken walking about the small Oregon town which is my adopted home.

The wider angle allowed me to show both this tree - and its undercarriage (not the right word, I know) - as well as the context of the adjacent street and the house across from it--

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This was also taken during my stroll through the suburban neighborhood - of a tree stump, in the front yard-garden of a small house--

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A monochrome conversion from a DNG (RAW digital negative) of a solitary tree inside the fence of an abandoned schoolyard which looked surprisingly like an arboreal prisoner, yearning for some unspecified measure of liberty--

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A view of a small pedestrian walkway over a local river creek--

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And finally a shot from beneath, with accompanying flare, of a tiny automobile which, sitting atop a pedestal, serves as an advertisement for a local restaurant--

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The color shots were all taken using the GRii's Positive Film jpeg setting.

 

[MiguelATF]

Two different shots taken on an overcast, cloudy day. The first with the in-camera Positive Film setting--

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The second is a monochrome conversion from an original DNG, lightly processed in LR6, Nik and Topaz AI--

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Interesting how different processing can totally alter the feeling and mood of an image....I mean, it's something I have known (in my mind) for some time, but seeing the results brings it home (to me) in a more immediate way.

 

[rayvonn]

That's always a test for me, how a camera/ lens renders when the clouds are overcast and grey. Not traditionally good photography conditions and easy to produce a dull image, so if the image still zings, that'll do for me.

 

[agentlossing]

That's always a test for me, how a camera/ lens renders when the clouds are overcast and grey. Not traditionally good photography conditions and easy to produce a dull image, so if the image still zings, that'll do for me.

That's actually my favorite shooting weather, for digital. Bright sunlight dulls color and makes highlights very hard to deal with. It's most fun shooting in the golden hour of course, but overcast and gray I can totally work with. Film renders bright sunlight better than digital in my opinion.

 

[MiguelATF]

Another overcast day, another photo taken with the in-camera 'Positive Film' setting. I think you are spot-on in your assessment of how colors work on overcast and gray days, Andrew.

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[MiguelATF]

A few variations of the Hi-Contrast B&W setting, all of an older truck, napping in a local parking lot. Unlike most of the other semi-identical cookie-cutter-styled vehicles, its early 60's stylilng stands out--

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Somehow, the monochrome treatment gives the photo of a 'vintage truck' more of a vintage feel--

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This design and these 'lines' were the height of modernity once upon a time---

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But seen from the rear, it's all business--

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[MiguelATF]

My first two attempts to use the GRII's in-camera flash - both taken in my writing office, late at night, where the existing illumination was, shall we say, less than optimal for available-light shooting. First, a color shot---

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And then a monochrome shot (a different shot of the same small plastic monster, this time looking head-on at the photographer)--

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Both of these were processed starting from a DNG (digital negative). Oh, and both were taken with the lens in its close-up ('Macro') mode.

 

[rayvonn]

My first two attempts to use the GRII's in-camera flash - both taken in my writing office, late at night, where the existing illumination was, shall we say, less than optimal for available-light shooting. First, a color shot---

View attachment 223832

And then a monochrome shot (a different shot of the same small plastic monster, this time looking head-on at the photographer)--

View attachment 223833

Both of these were processed starting from a DNG (digital negative). Oh, and both were taken with the lens in its close-up ('Macro') mode.

I remember the b&w images where flash was used always being fine and dandy.

 

[MiguelATF]

Four more, walking around the large garden area next to my farm house. The first of my small Mini station wagon, parked beneath towering trees which take the place of a garage roof--

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Then the stump of an almond tree which died a few years ago...but the stump somehow 'lives on'--

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One of the well-worn wheelbarrows, filled with dry weeds awaiting a new recycled life--

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And lastly, two randomly occurring circular mandalas, one in the form of a coiled-up garden hose, the other a bucket containing what may become scraps of kindling when the weather turns cold again (if it ever will)--

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[MiguelATF]

Two different shots of the same subject - a bookcase in my writing office - with two of the GRII's different in-camera 'effects' (aka jpeg filters).

The first with the Hi-Contrast B&W effect--

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The second with the Cross-Process effect--

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I keep being surprised at how much I like the Cross-Process look.

 

[MiguelATF]

A pandemic shopwindow, taken in Ashland, Oregon.

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Using the GRii's built-in 'Positive Film' setting.

 

[MiguelATF]

When you screw the wide-angle conversion lens onto the GRii's already wide angle, it makes the whole package a little less 'pocketable' - but it's still more than small enough to stick into a handy jacket pocket. Which is what I did on a supermarket run this afternoon. And I have to say, I know GRiii has a newer, larger and improved sensor - but the GRii's sensor isn't half bad.

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Starting with Daido Moriyama, a few generations of street photographers have prized the Ricoh's for their high-contrast black & white images - but...guess what? The GRii can also turn out some high-contrast color snaps as well--

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I think most of those aforementioned street shooters were using the camera's clever snap focusing capabilities; using AF, in lower light situations, the focus will occasionally wander, though.

And, finally, the GRii contrasty monochromes are not without their own charms--

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[agentlossing]

Great images! I am interested in the wide angle conversion lens for the GRIII, but I have held off seriously considering it so far simply because it adds another complication to the GR. So far I have appreciated how simple it is to just grab it and go - though there have been a few times, like evening walks to the beach, where I regretted not thinking to bring the Nisi grad ND filter. The GR turning into a "kit" instead of a pocket camera poses additional planning over what I'd like. Still, ultrawide angle lens! I have a feeling I'll get it, eventually.

 

[MiguelATF]

Another rendering of the in-camera 'positive film' effect --

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[MiguelATF]

Great images! I am interested in the wide angle conversion lens for the GRIII, but I have held off seriously considering it so far simply because it adds another complication to the GR. So far I have appreciated how simple it is to just grab it and go - though there have been a few times, like evening walks to the beach, where I regretted not thinking to bring the Nisi grad ND filter. The GR turning into a "kit" instead of a pocket camera poses additional planning over what I'd like. Still, ultrawide angle lens! I have a feeling I'll get it, eventually.

I go back and forth on the same question myself, Andrew - putting the wide conversion lens + the slightly chunky adapter - gives the camera more of the profile of a smaller micro-four-thirds camera body, say the Olympus PM1 or PM2, along with a chunky little lens. Versus having a camera which truly slips almost unnoticed into (and out of) the thinnest of pockets.

I also think it makes the photographer a little more 'noticeable' - it's more like you are holding a 'real camera' and people take notice of this or react accordingly - as opposed to having something so small that it really looks more like a tiny (semi business-like) cell phone. So there is that, to consider, as well.

So far, at least, I haven't (yet) had the time or opportunity to really explore just what a person can do with all that extra ultra-wide field-of-view. Food for thought.....

 

[MiguelATF]

I made a discovery today which, in my sublime ignorance, I had no idea of - that when using the 'Wide Conversion' lens on my GR II - there is a 'Conversion Lens' setting in the Setup menu - which allows one to switch from Normal to 'Wide'. I think it actually alters the viewable FOV which I see on the screen - but additionally, it changes the cameras EXIF settings: the normal GR lens is 18.3mm (with an equivalent field-of-view of a 28mm classic lens) - but when I select the 'Wide' option in the menu setting, it changes the lens setting to 13.7mm (or an ultra-wide 21mm FOV)!

Needless to say I felt rather dumb having overlooked this

Here is a sequence of three photographs, all taken with the Wide Conversion lens - which, as I now can appreciate, significantly widens the real field-of-view. They were all taken in (on) the tiny rural lane next to my house in rural Oregon - I intentionally moved closer to my subject and reframed each of them according to my random framing whims of the moment.

Here's the first---

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For the second, I moved in a little closer---

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In the third and last, I'm changing my framing from vertical to horizontal, for several reasons (including wanting to squeeze in the 'Dead End' road sign on the right of the frame---

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The 21mm fov is noticeably different to me than the 28mm (without the Conversion lens) would have been. Oh, and for those interested, these were all taken with the GRii's in-camera "Positive Film" setting, which I am liking more and more, the more I use it. (Full confession: the jpeg's were lightly tweaked in Nik Color Efex to adjust the contrast, and were slightly sharpened with Topaz AI - but they are quite close to SOOC.)

 

[rayvonn]

I made a discovery today which, in my sublime ignorance, I had no idea of - that when using the 'Wide Conversion' lens on my GR II - there is a 'Conversion Lens' setting in the Setup menu - which allows one to switch from Normal to 'Wide'. I think it actually alters the viewable FOV which I see on the screen - but additionally, it changes the cameras EXIF settings: the normal GR lens is 18.3mm (with an equivalent field-of-view of a 28mm classic lens) - but when I select the 'Wide' option in the menu setting, it changes the lens setting to 13.7mm (or an ultra-wide 21mm FOV)!

Needless to say I felt rather dumb having overlooked this

Here is a sequence of three photographs, all taken with the Wide Conversion lens - which, as I now can appreciate, significantly widens the real field-of-view. They were all taken in (on) the tiny rural lane next to my house in rural Oregon - I intentionally moved closer to my subject and reframed each of them according to my random framing whims of the moment.

Here's the first---

View attachment 225944

For the second, I moved in a little closer---

View attachment 225945

In the third and last, I'm changing my framing from vertical to horizontal, for several reasons (including wanting to squeeze in the 'Dead End' road sign on the right of the frame---

View attachment 225946

The 21mm fov is noticeably different to me than the 28mm (without the Conversion lens) would have been. Oh, and for those interested, these were all taken with the GRii's in-camera "Positive Film" setting, which I am liking more and more, the more I use it. (Full confession: the jpeg's were lightly tweaked in Nik Color Efex to adjust the contrast, and were slightly sharpened with Topaz AI - but they are quite close to SOOC.)

A great example of F2.8 being more than fast enough on a wide angle (when you know what your doing). Indeed I gather that F2.8 in the flim days was considered by professionals as a 'fast' lens.

 

[MiguelATF]

Two alternate interpretations of the same DNG (digital negative) from my GRii - one in monochrome, one in color.
The subject are the twin light switches - one newer, one older - on the wooden wall of a truly ancient outbuilding, behind the old farmhouse where I live.

First the monochrome---

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Then the color---

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Totally different feelings, for me at least, from the same RAW negative.
Confession: I used some nifty presets from Thomas Fitzgerald, the Irish photographer, in tweaking these images.

 

[MiguelATF]

Two more examples of the malleability of the GRii's RAW digital negatives---which lend themselves to both black and white treatment---

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And to color interpretations---

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Honestly, I can't tell much difference, IQ-wise, between what the GRii produces - and my former APS-C Ricoh, the 1st generation GR, which I owned briefly a few years ago. Both produce great images. And from what I've seen of the GR iii's output, it's at the very least 'on a par', if not even a few shades better.

I just hope my GRii survives the dreaded dust-on-sensor ailment which seems to affect and have affected so many different Ricoh's. Sigh.

 

[CraigC]

Definitely different feelings between these two light switch edits. I prefer the colour version.