Ricoh GR Digital 8.1mp Review!! BEST B&W Settings Plus Samples!!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.ย. 2024
- UPDATE 5/12/2021: My latest GR Digital 8.1mp article is up! More information, more photos, and maybe all you need to know about this camera!
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Good Sunday morning you war torn, hardcore camera geeks! Today I have a very special #blackandwhite episode for you guys, and it's been a long time coming. This camera is perhaps my favorite compact camera of all time and that camera is the original Ricoh GR Digital 8.1mp!
My original 2014 GR Digital Review can be found here:
cameralegend.c...
Keep an eye on this space for when I post my updated review made specifically for this video with updated information, pricing, etc.
Now what's so special about an 8.1 megapixel point and shoot camera that was introduced in 2004? It is the camera's ability to produce "film-like" digital black and white images, in camera.
Grab a cup of coffee and a notepad because in this episode, after years of experimentation, I will share with you my settings for the BEST b&w images out of this camera plus the BEST way to set up the camera for street work. I will also share with you fifteen years of SAMPLES from this camera with some of my #streetphotography with this camera including some of my favorite #streetshots with this awesome compact camera.
Feel free to leave a comment and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE for more Camera Legends! Thanks always for your support. Making such long videos is no fun for me but I do it for you! :-)
Watching a second time, got to say! your photos are beautiful.
Thanks as always for your information and perspective.
Thanks a lot Number Six for your consistent support, I really appreciate good folks like you! 😎📸👍🏻
Great deal of humor and clear explanation. I definitely ought to get one 🙋
Thanks! If you do get one, I’m sure you will enjoy it! 😍📸👍
I was looking for one of these a couple of years ago when the prices were higher. I bought a GX100 instead (with the VF-1) for cheap. Though not as legendary as the original GR Digital, I do like the results from this camera, especially shooting B&W, the macro capabilities are also very good for this little guy. Great video Sam, I particularly liked the portrait shots!
Thanks Rick! Yes the GX100 is quite legendary in its own right. I used it back in the day and it also produced really nice b&w images! More flexible too actually. The fixed lens GRD is more suited to my style of candid photography so that’s why I stick with it. Appreciate your comments as always! 😎📸👍🏻
NIce work. Your pictures are really strong. I like the grittiness.
Thanks a lot appreciate your kind words!
Glad I found you channel!
Excellent content and fantastic pictures.
Thanks so much! I appreciate reading your comments!!
After doing my research, I bought one of these and it came in last week. I shoot film, and digital, and wanted a camera I could just shoot in JPEG and have a film look come out of it. So far I am happy! It definitely resembles the film look! One thing I really am enjoying is shooting this near the end of the day at sunset in color at ISO 400. I have never seen digital noise like this before-it’s beautiful!!
I’m glad to hear your observations on the camera! Yes even in color there’s something special about the noise/grit/grain from this camera. I hope it gives you a lot of enjoyment and I appreciate your comments thanks!
good job man! Found this on your website, nice article.
Thanks a lot! Appreciate the kind words!
I bought the GRD 3 recently, expecting to be disappointed. Wow, this thing is a lot of fun!
More fun than the LX3 I had many years ago... Perhaps comparable to my Pentax QS1... but more pocketable and better manual controls.
The ergonomic are really thoughtful. The files produce accurate colors, and can be pushed around in post processing, giving pleasing results.
At first the highlights were blown out, but pushing the exposure compensation down to 0.7 helped keep the highlights and saturate colors even more.
This lens is really special.
Thanks for sharing your experiences Dan! Sorry for the late reply. I’m happy to hear that the camera did not disappoint you, I know that feeling! I’ve not tried the QS1 but if I come across one I might since you brought it to my attention. Hope you continue to have fun with your photography! Thanks for your comments I enjoyed reading it!
I just received my GRD from Japan with 500 shutter actuations. Thank you for the video.
Thanks for watching the video and sharing the great news I hope you enjoy the camera! 😎📸👍🏻
I have just bought one of these little gems from Japan after borrowing my friend's.
I do all my black and white Instagram pictures with it.
Colour and telephoto pictures are done with my Fujifilm X10
Cool! I hope you have a lot of fun with it, it’s a fantastic camera especially as a b&w camera! Nice to read your comments thanks 😎📸👍🏻
Hey, just found your channel. You mentioned you have a couple of these lovely cameras. Just wondering if you have an extra lens ring that you are not using that I possibly buy. Tried everywhere to no avail. Kia Ora from New Zealand
I just bought one for $183, this review sold me! 😊
Hope you enjoy the camera! Appreciate the kind words, nice to hear thanks! 😍🙏👍
I recently bought Ricoh CX4 for cheap and I am also impressed with B&W photos of that model. Usually I am using black&white Fomapan or Agfa film on soviet mechanical SLR camera Zenit 12. So I am not a digital freak who thinks that he knows how a B&W photo looks like. I hate other digitally made B&W photos, because they are just a cheap fake. But Ricoh really impressed me with "film grain" and realistic film emulsion look. They made a lot of good engineering.
Hi Peter thanks for your insights into the CX4! I have used a bunch of Ricohs but not this model and I’m always interested in digital cameras that can replicate the film look. Thanks very much for sharing this! 😎📸👍🏻
You have to watch until the end .
Thank you so much for sharing this information. Much appreciated, bud.
My pleasure thanks for watching!
Hi there, i can’t set contrast and sharpness for b&w shots. Its only for setting 1 and setting 2. Could you tell me how you set those for b&w?
Hi Miriam, I’m not home right now and don’t have the cameras with me but if I recall correctly one of my bodies allowed me to change the settings in the “BW” mode but the other didn’t. I wonder if it’s a firmware thing. Anyway I will verify this for you when I get home tonight. I’ll get back to you thanks.
Here the same, mine's also never been firmware updated so I don't know if it worth to take the risk and "try" to update it
@@rpmmil I have addressed your concerns in my latest video. Hope it helps! 😎📸👍🏻
Some pictures looks familiar. :) Thank you for been around.
Thanks a lot! Yeah some of the pics have been online for at least sixteen years in various places!
@@cameralegend1033 I finally got my GRD copy some months ago. It has its dial wheel common problem. I sprayed contact cleaner inside, worked it out, it became much better and now, periodically, I just have to "massage" the dial while camera is turned off to make it works stable. As for settings, I'm really impressed with the portrait @6.34. It looks like the exposure compensation was dialed down to get it as good, it seems.
@@kostyafedot551 Hi buddy and congrats on getting your GRD! Thanks for your experience with the sticky dial issues. I must’ve tried different things in the past but now I’m just used to it. I might try cleaning it again using your methods! Thanks for the kind words on the portrait! It’s been so long I’m not sure exactly what I did but one thing I know for sure is that I used available window light. Always nice to hear from you thanks! 😎📸👍
That portrait image at 06:34 is amazing. What lighting did you use if any for this shot?
Thanks Chris! I actually used window lighting with a white see through curtain acting like a diffuser. The model also wore a black shirt. Appreciate your comments!
I just acquired an original GRD. Love your videos and love this camera! Question, are there better alternatives to getting rid of hot pixels from these lil guys? I'm currently using the healing tool in lightroom but wondering if theres better options out there. thanks!
Hi Caleb and thanks for the kind words! As for the hot pixels, yes it can be quite problematic. I’ve been quite lucky that I haven’t noticed many in mine. I sometimes see hot pixels in the one I use for color work but I just don’t use it as often.
I can’t think of a specific name but you might want to look into software that tries to get rid of hot pixels automatically. I recall someone saying that the version of Lightroom they used automatically did that.
For me, since I’m doing b&w that usually has some grit, if hot pixels appear I would use it as part of the pic. Sadly the original GRD came out before manufacturers started implementing effective sensor remapping. If it shows up consistently in crucial areas of your pictures I would probably just replace it. Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful with this. If you find a solution I’d love to hear about it! Thanks
Great work! I've have literally just picked up a GRD (like yours). I already own a couple of the APC sensor version (GR1 & GR3), but I had to check out the legendary GRD which started it all for Ricoh in the digital realm. Haven't had much of a chance to use it yet, but from the test snaps I have shot, I can see that the image quality starts to get grainy very quickly, even at ISO 800, but in a very pleasing way. The colour grading is beautiful (and I am someone who still shoots with a Canon 5D Classic, for the very reason that the colours are very film-like). The immediate thing I noticed is just how damn small the GRD is! And I thought the GR3 is small! The GRD takes "compact" to a whole new level of compactness!
Nice to hear your experiences! I too like the compact size of the GRD it’s tiny compared to the GR cameras. Hope you have a blast with it! Appreciate your comments thanks! 😎📸👍🏻
I have a GRII that I recently found at a pawn shop and I love it ! I am considering this first GRD because of your video which I've watched only about 10 times now ! Sounds like it might be a fun camera especially for portraits. I've been mostly a Fuji X PRO 1,2, and 3 shooter for digital and just about every camera you can think of for film ! I have to admit I"m really enjoying what I'm getting out of my GRII quite a bit and think I'll be sticking with it. Thanks for the great and very informative videos.
LarryMac
As a film shooter I like digital that looks filmy, like the Epson rd1 I have and have just bought one of these too
The Epson RD1 is a classic and very collectible Camera Legend! I have one too and it’s still one of my favorites. Yes they’re both very filmic. Nice to read your comments. Have fun with yours!
Like your video of these, i totally agree with u a its all about the b&w image they produce not the 50mp pixel peepers. Love these cameras I got 6 of them including the GXR.
Always good to hear from another GRD and GXR fan! Appreciate your comments thanks 😍🙏👍
Great video , Thank you!
Thanks for watching and your kind comments?
If you are using some type of old film effect filter on your youtube video, I think that it works well and is compatible with the style of your content. I might try to do the same thing. What specfic effect did you use?
Thanks! It’s actually a b&w filter in iMovie. If you have an iPhone you should have that. I try not to use it too much, only on specifically b&w themed videos like this.
Not only am I having difficulty finding but can't find one under 200
Sorry to hear that! It's been a couple of years since this video was made. It's likely the cameras have gotten more popular while the supplies are less hence the higher prices.
Good stuff
Thanks a lot!
Thank you for share bro
Appreciate you watching thanks!
Hi Legend. Thanks for these vids! I love this camera. Wondering: how do I get the monitor to reflect aperture change? For a while, as I changed the aperture, the screen would lighten, darken. I'm a beginner and this was really helpful. No it's lost. I change the aperture and the image on the screen looks exactly the same. Any help would be appreciated.
Hi and thanks for watching the videos, always glad to hear from another happy GRD owner!
I just got back and tried to duplicate what you wrote on my own GRD just to be sure I'm giving you the right answers.
If you want to see the screen lighten and darken when you change the aperture/shutter values it has to be in full manual mode or the "M" on the dial. It doesn't seem to do that when you're in "A" or aperture priority mode. Give it a try and let me know if it works out.
@@cameralegend1033 Will do! Thanks again for the vids, and thanks for the response. I really appreciate it!
Great video! Do you turn off noise reduction in the camera settings? Thanks!
Thanks! Sorry for the late reply. I don’t recall the Original GRD having noise reduction so I had to wait till I got home to check and if you have the original 8.1mp I can confirm that it doesn’t have noise reduction.
At least I can’t find it anywhere in the menus. If you have one of the later models it’s possible they have noise reduction but not the original which is the model I talk about in the video. Hope this helps.
@@cameralegend1033 Thanks! I have the GRD2 (bought in 2007), which does have it. I tend to keep it off and do any noise reduction in post. Keep up the great work!
Danny Trejo got a camera channel 😂
😂😂😂
Bought one based on your video... quality blew me away... how is it even possible that a sensor this small can produce this kind of image quality? Is the lens just highly optimized for the tiny sensor or what? Perhaps it's highly corrected for chromatic aberration thus the sharpness is higher?
Hi Johan! So glad to hear you’re liking the camera! Yes it is quite remarkable when you consider it’s a small sensor camera introduced in 2004 but I do believe Ricoh did optimize the sensor and lens for the highest possible performance within the technological boundaries of that time. The lenses on the GR film cameras are also of high quality and this being their digital version, I’m sure they did their best to put in a lens with as minimal aberrations as possible. Hope you keep enjoying the camera and thanks for leaving a comment I appreciate it!
May i ask how about the shutter speed setting ?
Sorry I haven't been getting my notifications! If you still have the question I'd be glad to answer it.
I got the GRDIV wonder if it's the same as the GRD1?
It’s a different higher resolution sensor. I’ve used the GRDIV and it also does great, but slightly different black and whites.
@@cameralegend1033 thank you boss!
🔝
Strange. It doesn't give me the option to change my black and white settings on my grd
I believe you have to update the firmware then if your camera is the GRD original 8.1mp. If so, please check my video "GRD Essentials" it tells you step by step how to do it.
Oh I just realised I have to download the firmware. This will be a headache
@@Byron5369-k8p I don't like to do that either but it's not as hard as it seems. But as I said I the video you could leave the camera as is and still get good results.
Oh thanks for the swift reply mate! i'll check out that vid now. Love your photos btw@@cameralegend1033