Ricoh GR Digital - Digital camera - compact - 8.1 Mpix - supported memory: MMC, SD

by RICOH

Product Details

• ASIN: B000EF2KUO
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #29,155 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: February 12, 2007

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What it is and what it isn't., June 23, 2007

By 

Coronet Blue (California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Ricoh GR Digital - Digital camera - compact - 8.1 Mpix - supported memory: MMC, SD (Electronics)

To understand who this camera is for it helps to know its history. It seems that camera manufacturers with mediocre reputations are capable of making a really top-notch product, if they want to and if you're willing to pay. Obvious examples would be the Minolta CLE or the Contax cameras made by Yashica.

A few years ago, when pro 35mm cameras were getting bigger and bigger (as digital SLRs are now) Ricoh decided to pack a great 8-element lens into a tiny point and shoot camera. The GR-1 became a classic and its 28mm lens was as good as any Nikon or Canon (actually better since it didn't have to be designed to clear the mirror in an SLR but that's another story). To really appreciate this achievement, consider that a really good 35mm camera with slow film should deliver the equivalent of (depending on who you ask) around 20 megapixels and you see why people still think film is worth the extra effort.

Well time moves on and the GR Digital is Ricoh's attempt to get GR-1 film quality in a tiny digital camera. Of course this isn't currently possible because affordable digital sensors are inferior to high quality 35mm film. So the GR Digital will not give you the quality of the GR-1. Nor will the Canon Rebel for that matter. This is partly because 8 megapixels isn't enough but its also because small sensors have way too much noise (grain) unless you use them at a low ISO speed.

But here's what the GR Digital will give you. A 28mm equivalent wide angle lens that's absolutely great right into the corners and near zero barrel distortion so you can photograph buildings, doorways, artwork, etc and they won't look like pillows. Great, sharp prints to 8x10 and if you are as undiscerning as most digital camera users you can probably go to 20x24. You'll also get a really fun, Leica-like shooting experience for street photography and grab shots. All in a high quality, black on black magnesium housing that won't impress anyone.

I was a little surprised that the GR Digital doesn't have a built-in viewfinder. Sure, the big guys are always looking for ways to make things cheaper and many people don't use a viewfinder, preferring to extend their arms 2 or 3 feet when taking a picture--a great way to hold a camera steady. But the reason the GRD doesn't have a viewfinder is because a really good viewfinder would be large (and expensive) so they offer an accessory viewfinder separately. Its much better than the peepholes in most point and shoots but I found I liked the Voightlander viewfinder better and since the GRD has a standard flash shoe, the viewfinder of your choice will just slip into place.

So, if you can live with 100-200 ISO and high quality .JPG files (it does RAW but too slowly and RAW is completely overrated for this type of camera) you will have a blast. But if you need a little camera with a so-so zoom, get an Elph. And if you need quality close to film, get a Canon 5D and a gym membership so you can build up your shoulders.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Architects' dream camera, May 26, 2007

By 

HHSM (New York, New York USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ricoh GR Digital - Digital camera - compact - 8.1 Mpix - supported memory: MMC, SD (Electronics)

As the architect owner of Nikon analog and digital cameras and lenses I was more than pleasantly suprised to find the Ricoh GR, with its wide angle lens (21mm 35mm equivalent) and high resolution it is the idea architects' camera, small, matte black and discreet it is perfect for site documentation and final building presentation.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing advance camera, March 25, 2010

By 

P. huang "photo nuts" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ricoh GR Digital - Digital camera - compact - 8.1 Mpix - supported memory: MMC, SD (Electronics)

This is not a camera for regular consumer, you must know the basic stuff such as Av Tv M P to operate this camera.
I am a DSLR user, and sometimes DSLR are too heavy to bring around.
And people seems to afride of DSLR when you taking picture.

Ricoh really do a great job to make a compact camer with full manuel control and quality lens.
Raw recording and hotshoe really make it stand out of all the point and shoot camera in the market.