I’ve been following Tom Stanworth and his Photo Fundamentalist blog for some time now. Tom, a former soldier and now a security consultant, blogs from some pretty impressive and photogenic places, including Afghanistan.
My interest was aroused by Tom’s latest review of the little Ricoh GR. Last year I had the chance to try this discreet APS-C camera with its fixed f/2.8 28mm lens and was pretty impressed. Like me, he is impressed with the street-ready snap-to-focus system that really works. Tom wonders if this could even be a competitor for the Leica M when it comes to street photography.
The Ricoh GR doesn’t look much. But behind the blandest of façades lies a truly professional camera that is ideal for street work. The only reason I don’t have one in my pocket as I write is my ambivalence about the 28mm focal length. In the past year I’ve been tending towards the fifty, finding even 35mm a little too wide for my taste.
But the camera itself is a little wonder and well worth the current £440 asking price. You can read Tom’s excellent review here. He’s rekindled my interest and perhaps it’s time to revisit this most pocketable of large-sensor cameras.
Hi there Mike. I bought a used GR 1 month ago, after I realised that the M8.2 can’t cut it in low light situations (of course I kept the Leica!) Must say that I’m absolutely loving the GR. i’ve always shied away from the 28mm FOV, but am slowly getting to grips with the change of perspective. The 35mm crop mode is workable too. The configuration possibilities are almost endless, making presets for street photography a doddle. I highly recommend it so far!
Good to hear that. The Ricoh exists in the shadow of the Fuji X100T which, despite being twice the price, is the one everyone cites as the perfect street camera. Yes, it has a brilliant EVF and the 35mm FOV if you need that, but as far as pocketability and instant readiness goes, the Ricoh takes some beating. I’ve often been tempted and the current price certainly looks attractive. It has been out a few years now, however, and I suspect a new model could be in the wings.