The original Ricoh GR, with its 16MP APS-C sensor and stealthy looks, was the object of a long love affair here at Macfilos. But my example of the street photographer’s cult camera inexplicably died on me one day.
It just wouldn’t switch on. I changed the battery, recharged it to the top and still, the GR wouldn’t come to life. I made the mistake of consulting the internet and read of similar stories, of GRs that had ceased working because of some internal electrical problem or other. I was suckered into the conspiracy theory. In the end, I gave up on the GR and turned to other cameras. What with the blog and everything, I had lots to keep me occupied. I even bought a Sony X100 as my standard pocket camera.
Lure
But the lure of the GR has never left me. Occasionally, I would get the little camera out of the cupboard and have another fiddle. I would swap batteries and plug in to recharge. I confess, I even gave the beast a modest whack since I had been persuaded by that faulty wiring story. And so, I didn’t give the GR much more thought until…
News of the new GR IIIx, the 40mm complement to the original GR III with its 28mm lens, reminded me of how much I had loved the GR. So down it came from the shelf, another battery was charged to the hilt, another friendly tap on the top plate and nada. No go, the GR remained a rather attractive brick, but a brick nonetheless.
I resisted sending it back to Ricoh because I imagined a protracted saga and a bill that could well exceed the value of the camera in view of its age. But I had one trick left up my sleeve. Patrick Tang’s team at Aperture Photographic, the franchised Leica dealer in central London, has always been a font of knowledge on all cameras and their ways. Perhaps they might know what was wrong with the little GR. I clung to the hope that a magic trick could be performed as I made my way to Oxford Circus.
Disappointment
David Chow at Aperture had a good look and the GR and frowned. He suggested the battery could be at fault and offered to take the camera home where he had a spare battery. So helpful, and all beyond the call of duty. A few days later, disappointment loomed. There was still no joy. The GR persisted in being a brick, even if it didn’t look like one.
Then came one of those kick-thyself-Evans moments when all was revealed. David and I had agreed that the GR was a little brick; someone might buy it for spares, but nothing more. With tears in my eyes, I removed the wrist strap and pulled out the SD card (I’m never one to knowingly throw away a good bit of storage). Well done, thou good and faithful servant, I murmured before handing over the GR to Aperture for a possible scrap sale.
Suddenly, believe it or not, the old GR sprang to life. The little screen surged into colour and the lens poked its turtle head out of the camera for the first time in months. All was as before; the little snapper had risen, Lazarus-like, from the dead. What could be the reason?
SD card from hell
It was that pesky SD card of course. Over the months, I had tried everything. Yet it never occurred to me to remove the SD card. This is strange because I now remember having had exactly the same problem many years ago, I think with a Leica X1. It wouldn’t turn on and caused me no end of angst—until I removed the SD card prior to sending it in for repair. I even wrote about this on Macfilos but, for the life of me, I can’t find the relevant article. If you have better luck, let me know. If only I’d remembered this time round.
Bavarian Blue: Night scene in Munich in 2016, ISO 5000
But back to the old GR inside Aperture’s shop in Riding House Street. That corrupt old bit of storage would nix any camera it came into contact with. It resisted any attempt at formatting on the PC.
Kick, kick, kick, why on earth didn’t I remove that card months ago?
I am sure our ever-resourceful contributor and commenter, David Babsky, would instantly have known what was wrong with the GR and pointed an accusing finger at that miserable card. Sadly, I didn’t consult him and I remained in ignorance.
Wiltshire Blue: Let the bell ring for the old GR is working again…
Resale value
What a fool, I thought (that’s yours truly, not DB). More kicks up the Macfilos fundament. Still, out of all this came some good news. Far from being a pretty little brick, the GR is again an attractive camera with a good resale value. And GRs do hold their value, better even than Leica digitals it seems.
I’m back in love and I’m even wondering if that 40mm GR IIIx would find a space on my shelf as a companion for the original-flavour twenty-eight?
Kick, kick, kick.
Here is our 2015 review of the Ricoh GR
Signing up for the Macfilos newsletter
The SUBSCRIBE button (below) is now working again. If you have recently been unable to register for the Macfilos newsletter, please try again now. We apologise for the error which crept in during the recent site redesign. If you have any other queries or wish to contact us, use the CONTACT button.
Nice one, I do like a happy ending. Got myself a GRiiix six months ago having had no experience of the model at all and I’m in love with it I have to say. Ah, you got the GRiii instead, good for you, I wondered for a while if I’d made the wrong choice but I’m happy now…wouldn’t say no to one of each actually but the bank balance won’t quite stretch). 😉
What a nice little read 😀
Thank you, Andre. I had to go back to the article for a refresher course! After that writing that article I came across a GRIII in the special edition, with blue ring, which was sitting forlornly in Aperture’s glass cabinet. I decided to give it a home and traded in the newly working GR. So I didn’t get the GRIIIx after all…
Congratulations, I suspect it now really needs a good airing and some new images so that you can tell us all about it in 2021 or 22, depending on how long it takes to get some nice images out of it.
Now that was a great read. With a happy ending to match. I’m a convinced GRiii user having first bought it mid 2020. It was a leap of faith purchasing it I confess, though it has rewarded me many times over in the use of it. I feel the 28mm suits it very well. It’s better than it’s thought to be. Thank you Mike.
Thank you, and welcome to commenting on Macfilos. My enthusiasm for the original GR was dampened by the little electrical glitch. But now I’m firing on all cylinders. I have decided to stick with 28mm and a GRIII instead of the GRIIIx. I think some people might choose to have both III and IIIx. After all, the camera costs about the same as a good second lens…
It does occasionally happen (a camera seizing up if it discovers a corrupt card inside at start-up); I can’t remember which of mine it happened with (..but – for what it’s worth – Leica did tell people, at the introduction of the M9, I think, NOT to use certain cards, and there was a big fuss of people complaining that they wanted to use whatever cards they wanted to use, and they didn’t want to be told what they could and could not use).
Different cameras have different start-up routines (check to see if there’s a card inside, check to see if the card door is closed, check to see if there’s a human 12 inches behind the camera, check the state of the battery, check that any removable lens is actually attached, check to see if fixed lens can extend, if necessary, etc) and instructions very seldom explain this, and what to do if the camera stalls or won’t start ..but who reads instructions anyway?!
The 40mm equivalent lens on the GRIIIX may not be as restrictive as you think. I often venture out with the Leica CL and 23mm lens (35mm equivalent). When the scene requires a wider view, I just take 2 or 3 images and then stitch them in Lightroom afterwards. Can’t obviously do it for moving objects, but works well with relatively static groups of people, city scapes, landscapes etc.
Quote an instructive story Mike. I shall bookmark it in case of a faulty camera …
I find it interesting that the electronics at the ‘end’ of the process should control and stop the workings at the ‘beginning’. A malfunctioning SD card would be registered deep in the bowels of the camera during the start up (or non-start up) and it’s not something I would have thought of either. Anyway it’s good to be told about it in case I have a similar issue.
Indeed, and this is why I didn’t spot the problem sooner. I would have expected the camera to turn on but supply message that the SD card is faulty. We live and learn…
Hi Mike – great news that it’s now working again.
My GR111X arrived a couple of weeks ago – slightly delayed due to what ever is slightly delaying things. Got to admit I am enjoying it.
Best
Hi Michael,
Thanks for this and I hope you really enjoy the GRIIIx. Why not write a quick first-impressions story for us and give some examples of what it can do? We are always looking for new contributors and I am sure our readers will be interested.
So happy that your GR is back to life. It is an excellent camera once you’ve programmed it to your liking.
Enjoy it and try the various B&W settings with a new SD card. You might talkme into buying the 40mm model
Jean
Thanks, Jean. I have a strong suspicion that I will prefer sticking with 28mm. In many ways, the GR is a mini Leica Q, and I am used to the wide angle. I fear I might find 40mm a little too restrictive, although I once swore by the “standard” 50mm focal length. Since getting the Q and Q2 I’ve rather changed my perspective. I am strongly tempted to upgrade to the GRIII and then, perhaps after some experience, I might spring for the IIIx as a second body…
Hi Mike, enjoyed reading this story, you have a good sense of writing.
I haven’t ventured into the GR world as from time to time I like to have some bokeh in my pictures. I admit though that everytime I look at pictures I took with a GR I tried, there is something about colours that is very attractive.
I just noticed that your 2015 review has a picture of R G Lewis shop. Though I didn’t go there much at the time, it pains me everytime I walk past to see it is closed. Surprisingly no other shop has taken that place and the whole building looks deserted.
Thanks, Mahesh. Despite the 28mm lens, the GRIII isn’t without bokeh, especially at f/2.8. Obviously it isn’t going to be as good as the Q2, either at f/2.8 or, certainly, at f/1.7, but it isn’t at all bad. It is certainly worth trying. And the GRIIIx will be better, of course.
Strange you should mention R.G.Lewis. This morning a rather nasty comment appeared in relation to RGL and I deleted it. We don’t like that sort of stuff. But I wondered what had prompted it and, now you mention it, that must be where the intemperate commenter read about it. As far as the premises are concerned, it’s a strange collection of little shops in that arcade and there are several empty shops. I haven’t looked recently, but the site of the former Maison Valerie on the corner was empty for ages. I always popped in there for a coffee when I visited Len Lyons.
At least we have another good Leica dealer in Central London, Aperture in Riding House Street near the BBC.
Our dear Len, a rather long time ago when I worked in Red Lion Square, sent me on the path to perdition with an M3… then an M8 (I really enjoyed that) and a 50mm. Then with the help of a whole raft of retailers including our Aperture friends and the odd auction site through all the M’s (but not an M5 – yet) up to 10-P, most of the lenses (but not a Noctilux thank heavens) then a sideways step to Q2M and SL2-S where I reside now. With a black paint MP for ‘slow’ photography. Thank you Len for so much!!!
I bought my first digital Leica – a hardly used M8 – from Len (in 2013). It accompanied me to Zambia when I settled here in 2015 and it hasn’t missed a beat. I added a refurbished M9 in 2019 and the pair now live happily together.
Oh Maison Valerie… I have spent numerous weekend afternoons having tea and scones. It is a shame they have closed many branches in London and only a few remain.
Aperture is good; I have had some business with them this year and they are good people.
For APSC, as a portable kit, I have settled with an XE4 with the new 27/2.8 and the amazing 18/1.4. This covers both my favourite 28mm and 40mm angles. I highly recommend this new 18mm if anyone has an X camera. I am not a Fuji fanboy but Fuji are revamping their lens line-up and have also opened their system to other lens manufacturers prompting even Voigtlander to release a dinky 35/1.2. Future looks good on the lens front.
Please don’t tempt me in the direction of Fuji, Mahesh. I went through my Fuji stage about eight years ago and eventually decided I needed to focus on Leica. Then Panasonic and Sigma sallied forth into the L-mount system and I adopted them. And did I mention my Ricoh GR. So I don’t want to know how good Fujis are!
On what makes us find 👌 perfection in one camera is an interesting essay.
Reflections like fits in a pocket, has excellent optics, has incredible price, no viewfinder but, fantastic images, etc. are common.
The point is everyone has a kind of idea in mind about the topic. Thinking perhaps one day the camera of his dreams will become real.
Like finding $50.00 in your pocket! Quick go spend it, just get couple new SD cards, then for a month use nothing but Ricoh!
More like finding $300 in my pocket. Now, what can I spend that on?
Those pesky electronics. The motto has to be ‘check everything’ and then ‘check again’. Likewise for camera dealers receiving faulty cameras.
Only one of the 3 remaining camera shops in Dublin sells Ricoh cameras and I have never see anyone with a digital Ricoh. 30 to 40 years ago we had many more camera shops and quite a few of them stocked Ricoh cameras, with the most popular one being the KR 10 because of its Pentax K mount. The 3 remaining camera shops here generally tend to stock as many brands as they can. As of now, none of the camera shops in Dublin sells Leica cameras.
The market for compact cameras here is tiny as phones rule the roost. There is a coterie of DSLR/EVF enthusiasts mainly in the camera club/enthusiast bracket. Most people that I meet think that my M10 must be a film camera. Sometimes I also have a film Leica with me, but people cannot tell the difference. There is some talk about Leica producing a cheap film camera, but it seems that this may be an M rather than a compact camera.
The Ricoh GR series may end up being the last of its species.
William
I am sure the market for the Ricoh GR is tiny, but it is very much a cult camera as you will see if you check YouTube or street-photography forums. It’s good we still have the choice.
What a marvellous story, Mike! And I suspect one to rejoice Jean Perenet’s heart as well. I’ve never strayed into GR territory – tho’ I noticed a little background hiss of GAS when i read about the GRiiiX. But fancy not being able to do better than an 85% coverage VF for that price! However, if you end up giving way to temptation, do give us a display of new treasure-trove. Or perhaps just a retrospective outing somewhere interesting with your resuscitated GR?