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Ricoh GR II: What's new and what does it mean?

Published Jun 17, 2015 | Richard Butler

Ricoh GR II

The Ricoh GR II is the latest in Ricoh's long-running series of wide-angle compacts and the second digital version to be based around a large APS-C-sized sensor. The series is much loved, which has prompted all sorts of rumors about what the next GR update would include, but it's safe to say this isn't the camera those rumors had predicted.

Instead, it's a fairly minor update and it's easy to be cynical and wonder whether it's only been done to bolster the price and stop people writing off the camera as being an 'old' model.

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Ricoh GR II Digital Camera with 3-Inch LCD (Black)	$591.00
Ricoh GR II Digital Camera with 3-Inch LCD (Black)	$591.00
Ricoh GR 16.2 MP Digital Camera with 3.0-Inch LED Backlit (Black)	$599.95
Ricoh GR Digital II, Elegant Point & Shoot 10mp Digital Camera, 4x Digital...	$641.99
Ricoh GR DIGITAL III 10 MP CCD Digital Camera with 28mm f/1.9 GR Fixed Lens and 3-Inch LCD	$188.00
RICOH Digital Camera GRII Limited set 175 850	$961.21
Ricoh GR II Digital Camera - Premium Kit	$1,299.95
RICEP Ricoh GR DIGITAL IV US 10 MP Digital Camera with 1x Optical Zoom and 3-Inch LCD screen (Black)	$286.26
Ricoh GR 16.2 MP Digital Camera with 3.0-Inch LED Back (Limited Edition Green)	$803.79
Ricoh A12 50mm f/2.5 Macro GR Lens with APS-C 12.3 MP CMOS Sensor	$359.88

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Comments

Total comments: 204

"For Android users the camera also includes NFC, which can be used to set up the Wi-Fi connection more quickly." The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus also have NFC, does the GR II work with those phones also?

0 upvotes

No.

You're right that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus have NFC but Apple has decided that you're not allowed to use it for this sort of thing: it can only (currently) be used for Apple Pay.

2 upvotes

@Butler That is how it is to live in a dictatorship.

0 upvotes

Do the crop modes now apply to making videos? That was one firmware update I wanted on the original GR.

0 upvotes

Not so far as we know. Video crops are harder to implement, I believe, since however many pixels you sample, you have to do the maths to downsample/upscale to a fixed output resolution (24-60 times per second), unlike stills where you output at whatever resolution you've captured.

0 upvotes

What's been changed?

- Wireless connectivity.
- Raw file burst depth.
- White Balance: one more mode.
- Exposure compensation during movie capture.
- The Ricoh GR II now offers a maximum shutter speed of 1/2,500 second at f/2.8, up from the 1/2,000 second top shutter speed when wide-open
- In-camera raw processing.
- Better image review for raw files.
- Playback startup: a half-press of the shutter button while powered on in Playback mode will bring the camera to life.
- Control layout: the button on the left of the body it now serves double-duty as the Wi-Fi button. A long push on the button drives Wi-Fi mode, while a quick tap controls effects modes.
- Pixel mapping: . You can now map dead pixels in-camera, and they'll no longer show up in subsequent shots, with their contents simply being interpolated from surrounding pixels.
- Improved battery life: 320 shots on a charge, up from 290 shots from its predecessor.

3 upvotes

So a lot has been changed, contrary to the DPR headline, "Ricoh GR II adds Wi-Fi and not much else to GR feature set."

0 upvotes

- In-camera raw processing. was allready available in the Ricoh GR

0 upvotes

Why they even have video mode in this camera is beyond me. It sucks!

Sigma wisely removed video from their compacts. Wish Ricoh had done the same and improved the sensor in stead.

0 upvotes

Any manufacturer launching a premium / high-end compact without evf (these days) is missing the spot. Of course lacking an evf is doen't mean it's a bad camera. But a viewfinder makes you compose better images and makes you part of the picture before you press the shutter.
What would an evf cost extra?

3 upvotes

Oh, there are many reasons why, at times, a EVF is left out. The obvious one is cost. It may add another $200-300 to it. Secondly, is bulk. The LX100 is a good example. It protrude out somehow. As such, it may make the camera bulkier. Also, one will have to sacrifice either a build-in flash or a hotshoe. I much prefer the hotshoe and the build-in flash.

The GR in its present form is ideal. Even though I am used to using a DSLR with an OVF, I find the lack of it not really a hindrance. I think what the GR need desperately is a weatherproof and dustproof body.

0 upvotes

Agree, I can live without an EVF. In fact, for my style of shooting, its sometimes better to avoid eye contact and look like a dumb tourist when doing street. What I’d also like to see are the dust issues, which appear very common, to be fixed. The dust problems are the main reason I’m sticking with my version III.

Also, trimming the size back to IV or III territory would be nice. Maybe ditch the video and go back to the tradition of original film GRs, a pared down quality camera.

1 upvote

I have a similar Coolpix 'A' model and I simply put an inexpensive OVF on top of the camera. That is easy to do and effective when you are using a fixed focal length camera.

1 upvote

Anyone still obsessing about EVFs is missing the point... Do dinosaurs still walk the earth?

0 upvotes

This camera, and the similar Coolpix 'A' don't need an EFV. A simple clip-on OVF with the same 28mm FOV will suffice. I use one borrowed from an E-PL1.

0 upvotes

I don't have the GR, but I have and shoot daily the coolpix A. Great little camera. The 18mm lens takes some getting used to, I usually like them slightly longer, in the 22-24mm range for a prime. But it is still great. What I would really like to see is Nikon/Ricoh do is something like the x100. A 23mm f/2 lens with lots of manual controls. Yes, I know it will be larger, but so much more usable lens and controls.

0 upvotes

I have the Coolpix 'A' too. The 18mm lens (28mm in 35mm relative terms) is the same FL as the Ricoh GRII.

Both the Coolpix 'A' and the Ricoh GR can be cropped, a lot.

0 upvotes

It is rumored that Fuji are about to do exactly that, with a new X100 stripper model, called the "X-70."

1 upvote

It may be true but the tone of DPR comments on Ricoh/Pentax always seems to come accross as very patronising compared to those relating to Nikon and Canon for some reason! Even if they do something brilliant like the K3 it always sounds begrudging.

0 upvotes

I'd have been pleased with nothing more than a tilt screen. I'm not a fan of add-on viewfinders. However a tilting LCD screen makes shooting so much easier in bright sunlight and makes those odd shooting positions do-able. Oh well.

0 upvotes

good minor updates/upgrades... i'm happy with my original one with my eyefi mobi :)... glad i don't have to worry on "upgrading"

0 upvotes

I'll be the first to admit I say this about too many cameras, but honestly I think if they'd have beefed the sensor up a bit and the viewfinder wasn't so damn expensive I might have bought it.. I only really use wide primes on my ILC's so I'm always holding out hope a compact will match the performance in a smaller package......

1 upvote

If it works well for what its intended use, then how could it be dated? If you are always chasing specs and features then there will never be a camera or device that could satisfy.

1 upvote

yes, but an electronic viewfinder and a bit more resolution (to crop for narrower framing) would have been nice

2 upvotes

It's long running series ..I know about this

0 upvotes

Had high hopes for this camera, 10 weeks to my trip to the states, at this rate it looks like my old iphone 5s will be my only travel camera, unless someone can convince me of a better camera under £500 that will fit in my front pants pocket, better I mean by a wide margin.

0 upvotes

Having owned both,I can assure you that the GR sensor, lens, and UI combo far far exceed your iPhone. I now own the nikon version which is basically the same IQ wise. Frankly I know of no 28mm nikon lens for my d7000 that can match either the GR or the A in IQ they really are fantastic stills cameras. Both with very uninspiring autofocus.

4 upvotes

I'd say it'd be worth getting the original GR instead.

Otherwise any of the 1" sensor compacts with collapsible lens like the Canon G7X or Sony RX100 should fit the bill.

But especially now the new DxO camera - your iPhone 5S and front pants pocket makes you precisely the type of user it's designed for.

2 upvotes

Hate to be that guy but an older RX100 maybe... Wish there was something more inspiring..

1 upvote

Let me us know when you find a camera that fits in a pants pocket that takes shots like this :https://www.flickr.com/gp/96228372@N06/8fw2S3

2 upvotes

A fair point Raintitan

0 upvotes

Man, any camera under 500 will be better than your iPhone 5s. That's a 1/3.06" sensor.

0 upvotes

Somehow I don't want to spend money on dated technology, although I know what the GR (II) is capable of...

Are there really no alternatives to the GR with regard to outstanding image quality in a very compact body?

0 upvotes

All technology is dated. If not today, then a month from now. These are digital cameras. People actually say things like "the sensor is starting to look a little old." I say stuff like that about my ties--but the difference is, if I hold on to the ties long enough, they come back into style.

1 upvote

there are plenty. lets see, a m43 with 12mm f2, ep5, ep7, gm5. or u can always opt for leica X 113 or leica M itself with a 28mm ultron lens f2.

Edited 25 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Ricoh GXR is not a bad ideal as a system camera, but no body cares/buys b/c priced wrong is one of the reason, I think.

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/products/gxr/option.html

Edited 2 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

I still believe all GR's build is on the cheepo side..

1 upvote

Believe it all you want.

2 upvotes

i belive ur name is missing a 'w' somewhere

6 upvotes

'believe'? how is that something one can 'believe'? even if IQ of the 1.7"-sensors and processing was lagging behind competition, the GRs have always been known for beeing super high quality build.

0 upvotes

Fantastic, I don't need to update my GR!

12 upvotes

Well that's a bummer. The weather/dust sealing is a major issue that would put me off buying another. My current GR shutter jams until you fire off 1 shot - seems to be common problem after a while, including sensor dust. Hopefully they have addressed this.
A great camera to use, but I wish it was a bit more solidly built.

1 upvote

Yeah build quality leaves a little to be desired the nikon A has noticeable better build, but no better dust resistance really. It's a real shame that there is really nothing out there in this this size with comparable IQ with any weather or dust resistance.

1 upvote

I had the GR film camera then had a GR III then the GR digital. Can't tell you how much milage i got from the GR III (within it's limitations). I couldn't have been happier with the GR (V) Digital but within two months came the dust and all that big sensor joy was completely lost so it had to, regrettably, go back.

I think I've moved on and so has the camera industry so this update might not have appealed anyway, but I'm really surprised the haven't sorted out the dust issue.

Or maybe they have but are not announcing it as that would be to admit there was an issue.

Who knows.

Edited 59 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Not much of an upgrade but it's still a nice camera. Their next camera should be a GR 50mm 2.8. One camera for each pocket. They'd compliment each other.

1 upvote

What does it mean? Ricoh chickened out!

0 upvotes

The camera made in CHINA and they want $795.00???????
What a joke.

1 upvote

Everything has been changing relentlessly since the first GATT rounds in the 1940s, and solidified by the WTO's codification of our new globalized economy. That's as of the mid '90s.

Chinese is fine, Japanese is fine, Korean is fine, Taiwanese is fine, Thai is fine. In our globalized economy where almost everything is designed by one country's engineers and produced by another country's engineers, the biggest differentiator is who designed the product and how much the company that designed the product cares about quality control.

6 upvotes

Apple products are made in China.

0 upvotes

They had more than 2 years - GR was announced on April, 17, 2013.
And they just add NFC and Wi-Fi, 10 RAW buffer and 1/4000. I'm disappointed

2 upvotes

I want a pocketable camera with full frame sensor, 35mm equivalent lens, EVF/OVF, and NO LCD or AA filter. No LCD would save on weight/size and increase battery time. Actually, the Sony RX1r fits this description, so if they could stuff that all into a GR body and keep the awesome menu system, I'd be happy.

1 upvote

The RX1 is not pocketable due to the depth of the lens.

1 upvote

I want to date twin supermodels, but that won't happen either.

7 upvotes

Nice to have deep & big pockets (both meanings apply)

Edited 55 seconds after posting

4 upvotes

Big and deep pockets may help with the twin supermodel dream, too.

0 upvotes

No LCD, but keep the menu system? How exactly would that work?

0 upvotes

The way it works on with the Fuji hybrid viewfinder, when using the EVF the menus appear in the EVF, and when using the OVF, it switches to the EVF to display the menus and switches back when you dismiss them.

0 upvotes

Was planning on buying the update but will probably go with the RX100 IV.

0 upvotes

I must be getting old, I really wanted to like the GR but with a menu system that was massive and not intuitive, so many programmable buttons I would forget what I'd set them up for, I never really had much fun with it. Also the manuel focus was terrible which wouldn't matter except the autofocus system really isn't really reliable, the 2m snap focus is somewhat useful.
I ended up selling it and buying the Nikon A, same terrible autofocus, but much better Manuel focus, much simpler more intuitive menus and UI, and metering and AWB seem much more reliable.

0 upvotes

I bought the GR to have a bit of fun with a small camera, and it's great for some things. Outstanding, in fact.

But the truth is it couldn't keep up with my X100 (S then T) and I found that having a novelty camera like the GR was overshadowed by practicality and I hardly ever used it.

I pondered on the Coolpix A - I thought the access to Nikon's speed lights was a great selling point, but realised that it would in reality only end up the same as the GR for me.

2 upvotes

That's interesting. This is the first time I've seen someone say they didn't like the Ricoh menu system. I've shot with cameras at all levels from Canon, Fuji, Sony, Leica, Olympus, Panasonic and Ricoh, and I find Ricoh's menu system to be one of the most logical and usable. In fact, it is one of my favourite menu systems.

As for the programmable buttons, I'd rather have more than less. The GR has a huge range of customizability due to those buttons.

4 upvotes

I've used sony Olympus, Sony, Ricoh, and Nikon. I can't say I care for any of them a great deal. But, Ricoh is the worst seriously how many completely unusable forms of focus peaking do you need?

0 upvotes

Well it's a bit of a disappointment but it does open up a nice market for the GR, which is already a great camera anyway.

Nice to see Wifi but would have been nicer to also see:

More resolution to assist with the crop mode (35mm is fine). The resolution is fine at a push, and I'm sure it may have complicated the lens design, but still.
Also - if not a faster lens, at least better high iso capability.
Stabilisation - although not that fussed at 28mm
Bundled optical VF
Better battery Life.

It's hard to see why Ricoh went ahead with this release when perhaps a firmware update might have sufficed. Not sure they'll sell too many of these.

1 upvote

They put stabilization in anything. Why not here? With OIS and good video specs this would be a genius street allrounder. Sad. What a miss. Perhaps Nikon will come up with a more interesting update for the competitor camera.

1 upvote

Ricoh/Pentax and good video specs in the same sentence?
Well one can always hope i guess.

OIS is nice but not required at 28mm. A on sensor phase detect system would've been nice. So would a bump in sensor technology.

0 upvotes

Lack of OIS is a positive feature - stabilisation is a complete waste of space not to mention battery power on a wide angle camera with a leaf shutter. Plus without OIS all the lens elements are properly restrained (note that Leica Q has OIS but it's disabled by default).
Shooting hand held down to 1/10 of a second with a GR is perfectly feasible, if you need to.

1 upvote

mike, not everyone have stable hands . the GR is very light and that is bad news for shaky hands. i had much more sharper images on my leica M with 50mm than the GR 28mm, due to weight alone.

0 upvotes

image stability ricoh. the camera is so light, blurring is almost built in.

2 upvotes

Image stabilization is coming. In everything. There's no compelling reason not to. The only argument against stabilization is that some super photographers don't need it with wide angles. But digital cameras already have lots of features nobody needs so that's no excuse.

Edited 26 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

This has nothing to do with "super photographers" it is a physical fact that wide angle lenses don't need stabilisation, especially not on crop sensors, and if you find yourself constantly shooting below, say, 1/30 with this, the problem is more on your side. It would only make the camera bigger and could add an unnecassary layer of possible problems. You know, image stabilisation can even introduce blur, if handeled or implemented poorly.

Edited 2 times; latest 7 minutes since posting

1 upvote

And if you can go faster than 1/30 due to the lighting is it still the photographer's fault?

0 upvotes

Unfortunate formulation:

"maximum shooting rate of 4fps (up from 4 on the previous model)."

0 upvotes

It's like they're owned by Nikon or something...

0 upvotes

Uh no.

0 upvotes

The 16mp sensor is indeed well regarded. But it's also dated.
They could've easily upgraded that part to the newer K3/K3II sensor.

Which i believe is also made by Sony correct me if i am wrong.

0 upvotes

I have been a user of Ricoh's GRD line from the GRD1,. Of the old GRD line, I still keep a GRD1 and a GRD2. The staff of DPR that wrote this article or commented on it talk about "incremental upgrade" or "insignificant upgrade". I can understand that point of view, since DPR lives on feeding the current anxiety regarding general camera makers and buyers. However, GRs have a different philosophy: they are cameras, like my GRD1 or 2, older than fifteen years but still able to reward its user with IQ and a very pleasurable shooting experience. They are practical long term photographic tools, not temporal tools based on high numbers and irrational passion that become costly paperweights in the medium term. Ricoh GR is not for people who don't appreciate that way of working.

11 upvotes

All true.

However, when the GR came out it had headline-grabbing specs that attracted a whole new category of user to the GR line. These people are the chief complainers about this absolutely typical incremental mid-life update in the standard four-year GR life cycle.

1 upvote

Well said.

0 upvotes

there will be no GR line-up if they would have kept the GR 4 - 1/1.7 sensor and this kind of weak revisions is better not being released at all.
No company has 15 years to spend waitiing for next customer.

Edited 45 seconds after posting

1 upvote

"If 28mm isn't your thing, the GR II adds a 47mm equivalent crop to the 35mm equiv mode offered by its predecessor." Also previous version has 47 crop mode, with firmware 4.

2 upvotes

They could put the Samsung 28 MP sensor it, now that would have been awesome.

0 upvotes

A new Sony stacked sensor even more so......

2 upvotes

I'd like to see

1. More MP than 16 for cropping and landscape and using in-camera crop-mode. 24 would be sweet spot.
2. External EVF like for GXR would be good too.
3. Touch screen
4. Tilting LCD
5. WR body
6. Sharper lens for 24 MP.

Here is the way for upgrade.

This camera is almost nothing to attract. It's simplier to buy old GR for lower price.

1 upvote

GR already has 47mm equivalent crop.

2 upvotes

How about the autofocus speed of GR II?

1 upvote

God question, does it have a new AF system?
AF during video, that's nice too!

0 upvotes

I have no problem with the autofocus speed (or indeed most things on the GR, which is a great camera).

But one weakness compared to the brilliant Panasonic autofocus systems I’ve used (LX5, etc.) is a tendency to focus on bright objects at the expense of the subject. So if there is a bright area in the background – a window or something – the GR will far too often focus on that instead of the foreground subject.

0 upvotes

That's a bit disappointing. I love my GR, but it's by no means beyond improvement. It had to go to Germany to have its sensor cleaned under warranty after only a few months' light use, so they could've sealed it better if nothing else.

2 upvotes

Maybe they have sealed it better.

2 upvotes

Yeah, I had to send mine because of diaphragm leafs being stuck on initial camera startup... taking the first photo would unsticky them. So I sent it via UK company which forwarded it to Rüdiger Maerz GmbH in Germany. They took a whole month to come back with a repair estimate (saying it was out of warranty). I complained saying it still should have been, so they contacted Ricoh directly asking what to do. Ricoh's response was to fix it. So it took another month to get it fixed. Basically, I was without camera for 2 months. Once it arrived, the initial problem was fixed, but now the LCD screen had a yellowish tint on the sides (noticeable when screen is on dark photos). I did not want to send it back to wait 2 months again... Otherwise, I love this camera :)

1 upvote

Mine was away for a month just for a sensor clean. Definitely poor compared to my experiences with Sony and Nikon.

0 upvotes

Dust going into the front of the lens and eventually into the sensor is a problem for the GR. The GR II should have been make weather and dust proof. I tried to prevent dust from disturbing the front of the lens by installing a "stick on" UV filter in front. However, this type of filter is not available in many countries. The other way is to install the optional wide angle adaptor tube in front with a standard screw-in UV filter. Unfortunately, this will make camera more bulky but would give you the option to use a circular polariser which is not bad.

0 upvotes

Richard have a look below at my post :)

0 upvotes

Ok I had more of a think on this announcement... lets go back a bit and look at GR history... shall we?

GRD III- this was a big improvement and leap from the GRD II... the GRD IV, was a slight improvement over the GRD III. The original GRD1, was the first digital GR.

So...

GRD1- Revolutionary digital successor to the film GR line.
GRDII- Slight upgrade to GRD1 (many think it was a step back too)
GRDIII- Major upgrade to GRD II
GRD IV- Slight update to the GRD III
GR- Major update to the GRD IV
GRII- Minor update to the GR

So the 1,3,5 cameras were all major changes/announcements in the GR line... I see no reason to believe that the next GR will NOT be a big announcement, I'd expect it in the next 6 months to a year, tops.

Carl

Edited 34 seconds after posting

8 upvotes

Don’t expect the next GR in six months or a year; expect it in about two years. The big changes arrive every four years. Halfway along Ricoh provides a smaller update (e.g. this GR II) to keep the camera fresh.

0 upvotes

Guess we'll find out Samuel... times are a changin :)

0 upvotes

The are indeed. And Ricoh under Pentax may change too. But I’d still keep my expectations in check!

0 upvotes

Well in the grand scheme of things- it really makes little difference to me. My comment is just a hunch on what Ricoh will do is all. :) I'm happy with my GR as I have been with all of them I've owned. I'd also like to see Ricoh take another stab with the GX line, include an electronic viewfinder and 1" sensor into it. Till then, my GX100 suits me just fine.

0 upvotes

As a current owner of the GR, I think the inclusion of image stabilisation on top of the wi-fi in the new model would have been good. They could also do something to prevent dust from going into the front of the lens or make the camera weatherproof.

Obviously, a faster f/2.0 lens would be ideal. Everything else is fine as it is.

Edited 2 times; latest 6 minutes since posting

4 upvotes

Not interesting at all. It's not serious upgrade, but surface.

6 upvotes

I'd rather save money on the original or Coolpix A. These things don't add value. They could have at least upgraded the sensor together with these upgrades to complement the narrower crop option.

2 upvotes

A very clever marketing plan by Ricoh to clear their remaining GR inventory! Everyone will now be looking at the same camera in the GR for $200 less.

They probably won't even have to make an actual GR II, just announcing it will be enough as nobody will be buying it when they can buy a GR for less instead.

Edited 36 seconds after posting

3 upvotes

I wonder if the Coolpix 'A' competitor will now be announced as expected? Nikon uses Sony sensors, and maybe they've now developed an APS-C version of the stacked CMOS Exmor RS sensor in the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV ?

Edited 2 times; latest 12 minutes since posting

0 upvotes

Good points. They still have all the original GR parts to produce this new camera and that includes the sensor. Yet, that is futile as I have seen with entry and mid level DSLRs. For example, I still see d7000's being sold.

GRs will even have more trouble when a new Coolpix A will be announced this year.

0 upvotes

Well, for current owners who are also gearheads (like me!) that can mean only two things = no buying new cameras until the next one, or Leica Q. :D

1 upvote

Exactly my words ;) For me Leica is some sort of dream and now after this release I can sleep calm knowing I still have top camera, hehe

0 upvotes

Make a 35mm version and I'm in.

0 upvotes

I wish Ricoh could build a native equiv. 21mm version of this.

0 upvotes

Adding evf or popup evf is too difficult i guess?

3 upvotes

Why do you need an EVF with one lens focal length?

1 upvote

zzzxtreme- Have you held a GR, or any GR for that matter? A built in EVF or OVF would make the camera much larger simply because of the LCD screen on the back. GR's have remained nearly the same size going waaaaay back to the film era. I think if you wanted to add an evf or ovf built in RF style, then the camera would almost need to be called a new model. Some serious compromises would have to be made to include one or the other in its current form factor/size.

0 upvotes

@HowaboutRAW
Uh because the sun could care less if your camera has a fixed prime or a zoom on it. An EVF and a faster lens would have made this update gold, even if it meant making the camera a little bigger. It would increase the shooting envelope and creative opportunities. The original GR is a fantastic camera, but one that could easily use those two updates to make it even better... more like a true blue collar Leica Q.

1 upvote

Bhima,

OVFs can be used much more easily in the sun than rear screens.

A different lens, faster, would make it more expensive.

1 upvote

Tilt screen, built in EVF, a 23mm f/2 lens and I would love one

2 upvotes

GM5, and 17mm lens. Go

2 upvotes

Or X100S or T. Minus the tilt screen of course.

Edited 8 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Only the GM5 with 17mm is much more expensive and won't handle nearly as well.

0 upvotes

Glad I bought a 2nd 1 in great shape a couple of weeks ago. Eyefi card and hopefully, a firmware update, good to go with 2 of the best street shooters ever made.

0 upvotes

For this market segment I wonder why more people don't look into the Sigma DP series?

My Dp1 Merrill and Dp3 Merrill are now my main cameras in and out of the studio and the Image Quality is way beyond my Pentax k5 (16mp sony apcs sensor) at base iso.

Sure the Sigma isn't as good at higher ISO and a slower camera all round (including work flow) but you also have several focal length options.

0 upvotes

Because Sigma isn't as good at higher ISO and a slower camera all round (including work flow) but you also have several focal length options.

7 upvotes

Because people care about many more things than per-pixel resolution. Sigma is a one trick pony, pretty lousy in everything else.

6 upvotes

I have a DP2M. It's even less pocketable than my X100S, and it's useless beyond ISO 400. For deliberate scenic/detail shooting, sure, it's awesome, but for travel I'd want a GR to go along with my X100S.

0 upvotes

Because they are quirky cameras and that comes from a big fan. I have a DP2 and that's my only camera.

0 upvotes

one word. DNG. Ricoh uses DNG format (so does Leica). It works perfectly in the PS/LR workflow.
Sigma uses a terrorizing X3F format which makes you wonder if Adobe is not helping them or they refused help. The latter seems more likely.

0 upvotes

nono I get all that, my k5 uses DNG also and the workflow is super easy unlike the Sigma but I personally feel the Sigma is a much more rewarding camera and comes with different focal lengths.

My DP3 Merrill quickly became my goto studio camera and I've shot products, people and even once thousands of pages of books (did this in jpg though) for the local council that where filled with hand written, hand drawns doodles and photographs (the per pixel detail means you have more detail in a smaller image size than Bayer).

I also have a DP1M which I use for environmental type images or group shots at weddings giving me lots of control over ambient light when using strobes and a crazy amount of detail.

Even without using strobes, tripods and such both of them are now my walk about, I don't find the iso400 (800 in good light) to be a problem and I could still shoot amazing B/W upto 1600.

I find bayer images seem flat/lifeless compared to the Foveon but I still have my k5 for events.

0 upvotes

the foveon dream is over. while i could see the application in studio, its a weak camera for enthusiast doing outdoor and other shoot. carrying a tripod doesnt gel with having apsc? The flat/lifeless thing u have there, is mostl psychology, its valid only at 100% pixel peeping vs cameras of 8 years ago.

0 upvotes

Its not just in Pixel peeping, the Sigma renders things much different than my bayer camera (I have several) and simple things like grass, clouds and features in the distance all render better on the Foveon and in particular the Merrill sensor has its own sort of look.

You don't need a tripod to work with the Foveon camera's, I've done LOTS of handheld shots without any OS or IBIS (I love the IBIS on my k5) that are sharp and with the SD1 Merrill I even managed a sharp image at 1/40 at 600mm with the 150-600mm sport.

Foveon sensors render everything with the same sort of detail/sharpness unlike bayer which renders some textures/objects sharper than others, its not a psychology thing and pentax's latest k3ii with pixel shift even proves that full color capture is MUCH better over a bayer capture (they have samples of 24mp bayer and 24mp full color pixel shifted images using the same sensor.)

0 upvotes

pixel shift is a smart workaround bayer sensor. one has a future, the other ..foveon...well, its been the same tech dragging for way too many years with no proper workflow.

0 upvotes

Pixel shift is no replacment for Foveon, why?

It requires four images on a tripod to make it work perfectly and can't be used on moving subjects...

Foveon full color capture every click, this lets me sync flash at 1/2000 of a sec (with the DP series) and capture things that move using strobes.

Ofc there are improvements that need to be made as the tech is lagging a little behind Bayer (sonys new 42mp a7rii for example) but at lower iso there are people who still like the rather old Merrill sensor over the a7r (36mp bayer) and as for the work flow it is slower but you can now batch edit into tiff to import into LR/PS

0 upvotes

Because by the time the Merrill was ready to take the shot, the subject would already be in Timbuktu. The whole point of the GR is spontaneity - the shot's in the bag as you see it.

0 upvotes

While the focus on the Dp3M might be pretty slow (thanks to the 50mm close focus lens) the dp1m with its wider angle lens similar to that of the GR (18mm) isn't so bad.

Having a look at your Flikr (nice images btw) I see lots of images that the Merrill would excel in (its one of the best B/W cameras you can get).

The GR will be the friendlier camera, faster operation, speed of focus probably, battery life and workflow but I personally feel the IQ from the Merrill is worth more than the convenience of a bayer.

I've printed 40x30 images from both my k5 (same sensor as the GR but with AA filter) and the Merrill, even though the Merrill has a slightly lower pixel count I could stand more than 2x as close to the print before seeing blocky pixels.

0 upvotes

I had a 24x36" metal print done from a DP2M image. At about 3 feet away, it starts to look a little "digital". I would say 20x30" is the limit for close inspection.

1 upvote

True Jack but the prints were for my cousin (and printed cheap on a sale) and he wanted the large size for both and I told him the limits but he was fine with it.

I was just pointing out that the Merrill sensor while having its limitations detail wise it punches far above is weight.

0 upvotes

Great news for Ricoh GR owners - they can get at least two more years use of their robust Ricoh gear before update envy sets in. A great camera will not get less great and the true cost of ownership is spread over the useful life of any purchase - which for a Ricoh is longer than most. My older GRD's and the GXR still work fine and remain competitive.

Great news for those that don't already have a GR - they are making more as stocks of the first series are running low.

The best cameras hardly need an update.

And truly serious well made cameras hardly need a basket of jitter-bug features to make them attractive. If you can live without wifi then the remaining stocks of the present model are not going to last long.

Best grab one while you can.

5 upvotes

"Great news for Ricoh GR owners - they can get at least two more years use ..."

You are missing the trends. People have a need to update ... no matter what. It comes from a constant desire of something new, something different. By not providing new models to the users the companies lose them to the competitors who do.

3 upvotes

There is no real competitor to the GR.

0 upvotes

Total comments: 204

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