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With the amount of times our colleagues watch us do new interesting work (screen printing), you could imagine they don't have any work to do (definitely not a lot)

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7 Causes Why the Ricoh GR is the Excellent Journey Companion (For Now)

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7 Causes Why the Ricoh GR is the Excellent Journey Companion (For Now)

My identify is Hendrik Wieduwilt, and I’m a journalist and photographer primarily based in Berlin, Germany. I went to Cuba with a full body DSLR and ended up intentionally utilizing solely a compact, the Ricoh GR — and never even the newest model (the just about an identical GR II).

There have been rumors a couple of Ricoh GR III, which some anticipated to be introduced later in 2017. That didn’t occur and a few could keep in mind there have been additionally rumors that Pentax could exit the digital camera enterprise for good. So it’s undoubtedly time for a plea to Pentax: Maintain producing these small black bricks!

Let me offer you 7 good causes.

Cuba is photographer’s heaven: Folks reside their lives outdoors, you possibly can simply discover vivid colours, wrinkly faces, and sceneries which appear to be a film scene from the 50s – you already know, the Cuba Cliché, however a lot extra. For the journey, I had packed my every day companion, the Ricoh GR (I) however really deliberate to make use of primarily a full body DSLR with a professional stage normal zoom, an outdated Nikkor 24-70 f/2.eight. Like Steve McCurry, you already know? All people desires to be Steve McCurry sooner or later.

For some evening taking pictures, I threw in a quick, light-weight prime (the Nikkor 50 f/1.8g). I believed I’d be taking pictures with the zoom all day lengthy (it’s well-known to be very sharp and focusses quick) and typically take the Ricoh for, you already know, extra “informal” taking pictures (no matter meaning).

It didn’t fairly go that method, although.

I ditched the zoom after simply my first picture stroll by means of Havana. You draw consideration. You want all of your ninja methods to disguise what you’re really doing – taking pictures folks on the streets with out asking for permission. I suppose you even stroll in another way with a number of kilos of know-how in your hand. And it feels so unsuitable to place that massive gun on a desk subsequent to Cigars and Mojitos. See, McCurry had arrange a few of his most iconic pictures. That’s not potential while you wish to transfer round shortly. It’s my trip, not a job! For the informal photographer, the Ricoh GR is a significantly better match.

That girl in that shot above seems to be robust, protecting of her residence and a bit fierce even. The Ricoh permits you to shoot at waist stage and keep unnoticed. With the 28mm equal mounted focal size, it’s not simple to maintain the body clear. The view is moderately large in comparison with different focal lengths for avenue pictures like 35mm or 50mm.

Additionally, at f/2.eight (f/four full body equal) you can’t simply blur the background to isolate your topic. And that’s the enjoyable half about this little gem: You be taught to reside and develop with these limitations. On this case, the colours and the door body helped so much to guide the attention and to maintain the shot clear.

One other state of affairs the place it was very useful to have such a small, unassuming digital camera: That kissing child was fairly a Casanova. I pretended to take photographs of the panorama and sometimes shot him from the hip, with out turning in direction of the youngsters. You actually don’t wish to be that creep who factors a giant fats zoom lens at some college children, do you?

For the reason that Ricoh is so sharp, you possibly can crop from a 28mm to a 35mm with none regrets, even for medium-sized prints. The Ricoh has no articulating display screen, although — however really I by no means actually wanted one. The display screen doesn’t mirror a lot so you possibly can see the composition even within the brightest daylight whereas holding the digital camera at arm’s size.

Like many enthusiastic photographers, I’m all the time afraid to shoot the identical issues the identical method it has been achieved a billion occasions earlier than.

So, strolling across the Capitolio, a phenomenal landmark in Havana, I deleted each shot I took immediately — the constructing appeared uninteresting from each angle I may suppose off, additionally as a result of I actually suck at structure pictures. Then I met this man, standing in the dead of night. And there you’ve gotten it: The Capitolio — albeit solely within the reflection of his sun shades.

The Ricoh’s popup flash was extremely useful: You possibly can activate it simply by flipping a change – no menu-diving, you possibly can even do it earlier than you turn it on. For close-up portrait work like this, I assigned one of many three customized settings: Aperture closed for max depth-of-field, excessive shutter pace to stop movement blur, mounted focus in macro mode and a medium flash energy (highly effective but not too sturdy to stop lengthy cycle occasions). These two little issues enable me to change from taking pictures, say, an city panorama, over to an prolonged flash portrait session in much less of a second! No annoying “wait – I simply have to make some changes… nearly there… ah, wait why…” conditions! (That is essential particularly while you’re touring in a gaggle or along with your associate. No person desires to attend for the clumsy photo-geek. No person.)

One other large plus of the Ricoh GR: It’s very simple to supply first rate black & white conversions.

Some is perhaps afraid that 28mm is just too limiting, particularly relating to portraits. And sure, it’s tough – however undoubtedly potential. Granted, it’s not going to be as flattering as a basic 85mm shot (noses seem larger and so on.). However in change, you get a way of intimacy that’s typically missed in longer focal lengths.

Apparently your mind is aware of tips on how to extract the taking pictures distance from the chosen perspective. You simply really feel… shut. In case you take a look at 28mm portraits more often than not you’ll understand the face just isn’t directed in direction of the lens and the taking pictures angle is a bit decrease than standard.

Additionally, in all of those circumstances, I needed to discover a resolution to isolate my topic. Principally I merely used distinction. The fill flash helped to offer sharp particulars and make the topic pop.

I took this shot in Viñales. With a sooner full body prime and an extended focal size, I may have blurred the background a tiny bit to attract consideration to any particular person within the foreground. That’s not potential with an equal of a 28mm f/four. So I used what was obtainable: A cone of sunshine, producing distinction.

A wonderful thing about the Ricoh GR II: Apparently you possibly can switch uncooked photographs through Wi-Fi to your cellphone. That is nice while you sit down for a Mojito and wish to add a picture to ship residence. For the reason that Ricoh’s information are wealthy and the dynamic vary first rate you may wish to course of them utilizing Snapseed or Lightroom cell. Plus: Extra processing on the run means much less time spent sitting in entrance of a pc.

Puddles! Many photographers wish to tilt shows for these sort of ground-level pictures and plenty of ask for one within the subsequent GR. However besides perhaps for vlogging or selfies, do you actually need an articulated display screen? Use ardour as a substitute: For this sort of pictures you’ll want to maintain the digital camera as near the floor as potential — however the little black brick solely weighs about 200g so you are able to do this all day lengthy.

The superb digital stage helps so much while you’re taking pictures in awkward positions. And that beautiful display screen! I didn’t understand how good this display screen is till I began utilizing a Leica Q for some time (misplaced a battle with G.A.S.). The Ricoh’s display screen is much better as a result of there’s barely any reflection on it.

That shot just isn’t for everyone. It’s definitely not a Robert Doisneau-like romantic kissing scene. It’s moderately tough. The Ricoh is ready to produce some unforgiving sharpness in macro mode, particularly with the built-in flash for some highlights. This is without doubt one of the main benefits of the Ricoh GR over the Fuji X100 collection: It’s so much sharper when used large open and at shut distances. Additionally, it doesn’t mess with actuality just like the X-Trans sensors (waxy pores and skin and water color-effect).

This one was an accident: I used to be making an attempt to get a portrait of an aged girl sitting on some stairs in Velado, Havanna. After my first shot I simply needed to chimp however then unintentionally took one other picture, with the digital camera pointing downwards, the place her palms had been. I instantly realized that this could make a significantly better picture than the portrait I had in thoughts.

I took some extra pictures, considerably pretending that I nonetheless couldn’t management my digital camera. My take away: “Pars professional toto” — typically solely small components of your topic can inform the entire story. In a full portrait, you most likely wouldn’t take note of her nails and sneakers.

Guess what: Additionally cats are extra relaxed in entrance of a small digital camera!

(By now you’ll have realized that the colours on this collection are fairly sturdy. I admit: I turned them up a bit extra to underline how colourful the streets of Cuba are. Like Martin Parr stated: A part of pictures is exaggeration.)

So… is the Ricoh GR higher suited to journey pictures than a DSLR? For me, the reply is “undoubtedly”. Most pictures I took with the DSLR had been sort of boring. Those I took with the Ricoh confirmed… no less than a bit extra effort on my facet.

With the DSLR I used to be all the time drawn to check out the cool stuff, the sharpness of the lens, its bokeh, some fancy AF operate, Nikon’s costly “nano-crystal coat” (by taking pictures immediately into the solar) or the first rate habits of the complete body sensor at larger ISOs. The identical occurs with my Leica Q.

It’s nearly as if the advertising and marketing division was my mentor. That’s infantile, I do know, however I can’t cease doing it. The Ricoh helps me to focus on pictures as a substitute of particular results.

I suppose there was not a single shot that I missed as a result of the compact couldn’t deal with it. Very darkish scenes with motion (suppose: folks inside) are certainly not the proper setting for the Ricoh — that’s the primary motive why I attempted the Leica Q for a while. But when motion just isn’t a problem you possibly can simply dial down the shutter pace. I extremely suggest utilizing an exterior viewfinder for that. You’ll be capable of shoot at 1/20 of a second, perhaps even 1/15 if you happen to press the digital camera firmly in opposition to your cheekbone as a substitute of holding it along with your arms prolonged.

So, Pentax, if you happen to’re studying this: Fairly-please, by no means cease producing these gems. And don’t change an excessive amount of within the GR III. We recognize it!

In regards to the creator: Hendrik Wieduwilt is an newbie photographer, journalist, and authorized affairs correspondent primarily based in Berlin, Germany. Yow will discover extra of his work on his web site, Instagram, and Twitter.