Ricoh GR Digital / GX100!

GR digital review

Date: July 17th, 2007

Two years ago, as a camera with 8MP/fixed 28mm lens/1600 ISO/F-2.4/GR lens, everyone was astonished. The GR digital was the newest addition to the famous GR family and the first digital of its kind. With full on simple manual controls with two control dials for the shutter and aperture on manual mode the user can get desired lighting results simply. The fixed 28mm wide angle lens give a the photographer a very wide view perfect for natural shots. A 1cm macro mode gives amazing close shots which can create amazing blurred background results.

I think it a year ago when I first encountered this camera wondering why it was so expensive (HKD 5000) but did not put too much attention to this. But during one late night going back to Shenzhen from Hong Kong, I bought a magazine and saw the article for GR series and introducing the GX100. I was in love with Ricoh... I did a bit more research online to check what all this was about and found that there was a small group of people addicted to this camera. I had more looks at some reviews and the best comment i saw was "average performance, but you will never have more fun with a camera than this". I think I was more addicted to all the marketing that they have done on this. I had to have this!

After struggling for around a month in deciding, first, to buy a Ricoh or not and, second, either to get the GR digital or the new GX100. Compared with GX100, the GR digital does not have zoom, but the, supposingly, much nicer fixed length, lower ISO - 64. As a sucker for nice pictures, I had to buy it. So, I set out for the treasure hunt.

To be continued....