There is a quiet rise of small, pocketable cameras when it comes to popularity. In this video, James Popsys gives his thoughts on the little Ricoh after spending some time shooting with it. So, if you're in the market for one, take a look.
The Ricoh GR IIIx is a modern take on the old point-and-shoot cameras, except it's aimed more at hobbyists and professionals. It has a 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor, the 35mm sensor equivalent of a 40mm f/2.8 lens, and a plethora of features. For a hair under $1,000, it is well worth a look if you're in the market for a small camera that isn't your mobile phone.
James Popsys has been using the Ricoh for 4 7 11 weeks and has taken it on a number of shoots, getting a real feel for what it can produce. I must admit, I've been a little on the fence with these small cameras, particularly with the power of mobile phones now. However, I do want one and the more I have thought about it, the more I realize that phones may be acting as a gateway drug, perhaps. That they are showing us just how much we will use a camera if it's accessible enough.
Do you have a pocketable, dedicated camera? Have you used the Ricoh GR IIIx? Share your experiences in the comments below.
Great to see Beddgelert.
This may sound a little weird BUT I started digital with a Vivitar Vivicam 8300s 8.1-Megapixel Digital Camera on a trip to Hawaii in 2006 and yes a zoom lens. Yes also a jpeg/Tiff SD card and Auto but have choice of other settings. The image is of oil from USS Arizona in 2006 a couple years before a woman was in papers with a photo of faces in oil. Never saw until getting a SD card printed and my wife spotted. The point it is not that expense camera but the user and how the camera is used. Today you will find old camera at flea markets and estate sales, if still working get one for a few $ for today's software is like magic to old images.
I absolutely do have a great point and shoot! I have used several but I just recently purchased a Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II as my perfect go anywhere camera. However, I would add that the G7 series also does a splendid job, albeit without the EVF. Won't replace my DSLRs but it means I'll be getting DSLR like images in more places!
My favourite "pocketable" is an Olympus PEN F (an interchangeable lens with electronic viewfinder) and their "pancake" 14-42mm ƒ/3.5-5.6 EZ lens.
Yea, it's bigger than the Ricoh. It won't really fit in a shirt pocket, but certainly goes in a jacket pocket! And if you ever get tired of the pancake zoom, you can put any µ4/3rds lens on it.
https://camerasize.com/compact/#654.409,819,ha,f
The Ricoh GR is my walk around camera of choice. I like the 28mm (full frame equiv) field of view a lot more than the 35mm FOV of my Fujifilm X100. The prefocus choices are also a great help. The image quality is great and the size makes it easy to always have it with you. My big complaint is no built in flash (like it used to have in the Series II). There are simply too many indoor/dark situations where a flash is necessary, and a camera with no flash just doesn't fill the need. I have the Ricoh add-on TTL flash. It works a little better than the built-in flash on the old GR, but it's just inconvenient. End of rant. So: if you are outdoors or in good light, there is no better single camera to own than the GR. ALSO: The feature set on the Ricoh GR is staggering. This is a case where you HAVE to read the manual (and online articles) to learn all the things you can do with it.
I wrote my first comment before watching the informative video about the GR. I own one, so I assumed I wouldn't contradict anything in the vid. And I didn't. But I do have an acceptable work-around for one problem mentioned in the video. Keep the GR in a "sealing" plastic bag we use for sandwiches here in the States. The bag can be kept closed with or without the GR inside it, so it keeps lint and dust away. I keep mine in jacket pockets all the time in the bag. And I use mine in wet weather, so long as it isn't raining directly on the camera. Mine has seen lots of "surface" moisture and never shown any harm from the experience. I bought the camera to use it. Neither of my 2 GR's has had a problem with the occasional spritz of surface moisture.
I've had the GRIII for about 6 months. Without question it has changed my street photography life, It just does things easily that I had to struggle with other cameras. The Snap feature (where the camera defaults to a preset point of focus on a full press of the shutter but still can auto focus on a half press) is wonderful. And another feature is the leaf shutter (vs. focal plane). This allows for flash synchronization at ANY shutter speed. My snake picture was shot in VERY bright sunlight with a small of camera flash.
Comment about the pocket lint. I have the Lumix ZS-100 with the same auto close cap. I also purchased a seperate lens cap to protect the fragile doors while it's in my pocket. I added a cap keeper tethering the cap to the camera therefore never putting the loose lens cap back in my lint lined pocket when shooting.