Since this morning, I’m the proud owner of a Ricoh GR1. I’ve really longed to try this camera out, so I thought I would try to give a day by day report or review of my early experiences with it, and how it compares to my current carry everywhere Olympus XA2
Day One
This morning I took a slight detour to fetch the Ricoh GR1 from the local parcel station. Mind you, it was freezing heavily, minus 7°C, so you can imagine how eager I was to lay my hands on this thing. At the office (what better place…) I opened the parcel, fearing the worst as always with purchases from eBay. I had exchanged some emails with the seller to make sure the camera was OK which is apparently not always evident with the Ricoh GRs. So I opened the parcel and there it was, well packaged, my new Ricoh GR – exactly as described, with its little pouch and manual.
First thought…. what a gorgeous camera! It means business, really, it’s got the look. I take it up, turn it on and with a little whirrrr the lens extends. Everything looks clean and tidy, even the small dent that the seller had described scrupulously in his listing. A quick checkup discloses nothing special. Focus seems to work as does the flash. The top LCD screen with shooting information is just fine… no complaint.
But then it’s time for work… yeah, nasty stuff that happens between all the good time you could have.
I have to wait until noon to load a film (HP5+ of course) and hear the little motor wind all the film onto the spool. Yes, a strange beast that GR1! It first empties the film canister, counts the frames up to 37 or 38 and then counts down when you shoot. A great idea, because if ever you happen to accidentally open the back of the camera, all the frames you already shot will be safe in the canister – 10 points for Ricoh!
It’s very cold today, but dry with a splendid winter sun – the 400ISO film will be overexposed I guess but Ilford’s HP5+ is VERY tolerant in this department, so I don’t worry. I go for a brisk walk in the city and man hope that camera just screams to be used.
It’s a joy to shoot one-handed, nobody notices that small black brick in your hand. I bring it to my eye and shoot away, I shoot from the hip, the camera dangling in my hand…. wonderful!
Bad points
There are two I noticed from the start. First, the shutter button does not have a very pronounced half-press-point, so I released the shutter by mistake a couple of times. Annoying, but something I might adapt to in time. Of course, it’s contender, the XA2 has no half-press shutter button at all – it’s all or nothing with it.
Second thing I regret a bit is the viewfinder information which is complete, with approximate shutter speed and focus distance and confirmation, but the displayed information is quite dim. It might be just my camera as I heard that this can be a problem with the GR1 but I have no possibility to compare it to another for the moment.
Good point
Size? Yeah, the GR1 is slim, extremely so! It’s slimmer than the XA2 (with the lens retracted), same height but a bit longer… So it fits any pocket, like the XA2, in unobtrusive and highly portable.
There’s 18 frames remaining on the roll… so I leave you until tomorrow when I’ll finish and develop the film and with a bit of luck I can show you some nice results. For now, the GR1 is just great – I like it at least as much as my XA2 (sorry old pal, but you know I really love you too). I was afraid that the motor noise would be too loud, but though not as quiet as my Contax Tvs (and certainly no way as noiseless as the XA2), it’s OK for me.
Day two
Just in from the cold! As cold as yesterday and no sun today. Just the normal Luxembourgish winterly grayness. The Ricoh did not let me down, though I don’t know if the battery is new or years old – anyways the camera does not complain yet, so I guess it’s happy.
The one who could do some complaining is my Olympus XA2…. I’m starting to seriously bond with the GR1, despite the niggles about the shutter button and viewfinder.
The wrist strap is a tad too long… I’ll have to adjust it a bit as I like them tight. Not a real problem. And the winding sound is audible, even outside in the streets – could attract some unwanted attention, but then there’s always a bright smile and a courteous ‘thank you’ for my subject.
As for the yesterday’s other complaints, I am adapting to them. The shutter button needs a thoughtful half-press and the viewfinder information is… well it’s there, you just have to look better.
All things taken into account and being conscious that nothing is perfect, I can say that this camera is a real treat. Just let me develop that roll tonight and I’ll give you my conclusion for today.
Part of the scans are done, but I’m tired now – going to bed.
Treated some to a quick dose of Lightroom and here are the first results:
Day Three
At last, I’m done scanning the rest of the film! I have to say that of 37 exposures, I found about a small dozen worthy of further consideration. Not bad really – imagine your digital shots… do you get such a success ratio? Not that I’m saying that the photographs are outstanding. Of course they are not – they are mine after all. But I like them and enjoyed tweaking them further.
Flare, sure it has some, not too much but in this shot right into the sun it’s obvious but adds a bit to the picture.
There’s even one I like a lot, which I could have used in my ‘From The Darkroom Floor’ post I wrote some week ago or two:
Sometimes a blurry photograph tells a story after all!
All told, I love the results. Autofocus is good, apart from the frames when I was too much in a hurry. That seems a problem with this camera. It looks and feels so stealthy that I am tempted to really act too stealthy and whisk the camera away after a shot…. producing a nice blur.
But the good stuff is really good, as in sharp and well exposed.
Of course I’ll need more time with his great camera. But I feel we will bond nicely and hopefully for a long time.
I did not go into the specifics of the Ricoh GR cameras as for example the Snap Focus which is great, but just wanted to tell you about my experience.
And here we come to the main problem! The Ricoh GR1 is not considered the most reliable camera. Of course, it is old – near 20 years now, and Ricoh apparently did not use the best stuff. The magnesium chassis of the camera and the general feel are not at fault of course. The camera looks and feels solid. It’s the small stuff that is bound to give up the ghost sooner or later – the LED screen on top, the winding motor, the viewfinder display, even the lens motor are said to stop working very often.
But then, my Olympus XA2 is bound to fail one day too…
Will I enjoy this camera for a long time? Not sure, though I tend to treat my gear cautiously. I guess I’ll use it as long as it will last, knowing that there is no more such a beautiful film camera in production!
Thanks for reading and this time, I’ll urge you to try the Ricoh GR1! The GR1 is the ‘cheapest’ of the bunch, the GR1s and v models being much more sought after, aka more expensive. But the first one, the GR1 does all you need.
A truly pocketable, enjoyable full frame (film) camera! Sorry XA2 but I guess you’ll have to stay home more often.
One Month / 5 Rolls Later, a true account
It’s been exactly one month today since I received my Ricoh GR1. I am sad to say that I have very bad news!
I shot 5 rolls with the camera during the past weeks, without a hitch. Great pictures, all in focus (except when I was shaking the thing around too much), all perfectly exposed. I let the camera rest on my shelf for some days, a well deserved holiday for it. Then one evening I fancied to load another roll for the next day. I took it down, pressed the power button just to hear it’s happily whirring lens motor and….. nothing!
Not a sound, no lens extending, nothing!
A small chill runs down my spine. Are those rumors about Unreliable Ricoh true after all? Ah, OK, must be the battery! I have a new one and load it into the camera, close the battery door and the Ricoh wakes up. Cool! I load my film, it winds it to the end of the roll and says it’s ready to rumble. I turn the camera off, and on an afterthought I try to turn it on again…. NOTHING, AGAIN!
Panic strikes then. Wtf is happening? Battery out, battery in, works. Camera off, doesn’t work! Holy moly, the Gremlins have got it I guess.
I rewind the film with the ’emergency rewind button’, of course the leader disappears into the canister…. crap, but that’s for later.
I try everything, but once the GR1 is off it stays so, unless I take out the battery or, as I found out, unless I briefly toggle the film door latch.
Can it be fixed? Hmm, Hamish says try to clean the power button contacts. I open the top and bottom covers, blow out in-existing dust, try to wiggle those thingamagicks inside gently, apply a hint of alcohol (well I applied a hint of alcohol to myself too…). No luck!
I contact the eBay seller (No blaming, the camera was OK when I got it after all) because he said it was checked by a pro some years back. He’s a great guy and gives my his contacts. He even says he will try to find out something on his side. I call the repair person, an ex-Ricoh tech in Germany and he gently tried to convey the idea to me to expect the camera to expire slowly. His verdict is that the electronics are definitely on their way out feet first. Nothing to be done except trying to get a spare camera for parts that might work or not. Trying to source the parts (not much hope there). All that at a cost of about the amount I paid for the camera.
So all I can do for now is try to sell the camera for parts on eBay (it’s listed), try to get over my loss and above all give a warning to you! These cameras are great but they are old. They never were the most reliable things and THEY WILL BREAK! That’s certain! Take it from me!
They are expensive, even the initial GR1 like mine, and they cannot be repaired! So unless you have really too much money keep your fingers off them, great as they might be. Even if all the Daido Moriyama’s of this world worked with them, DON’T BUY ONE! First, they will not make a first rate street photographer out of you by magic and second, you will lose your money sooner or later.
Lesson learned!
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Hamish Gill on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 11/12/2016
Comment posted: 11/12/2016
Comment posted: 11/12/2016
Marcello on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 11/12/2016
Comment posted: 11/12/2016
George Appletree on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 11/12/2016
But, no, the phone cam isn't good for that. Annoying keeping all those pics there.
Not even a digital one, that you can review and so on. I keep for instance a harinezumi, which I know what's able to do. Thinking it could be the one for that just it isn't.
No, not a digital at all. You need to turn it on and settings and menu and etc.
The good one is a film camera.
Not anyone though. The Rollei 35 for example (I owned one long ago) is too complicated.
Why a pocket camera? Perhaps it's just a concept, but I like it.
You can carry it or not. Just it's your pocket camera.
Nice review, inspiring me...
I like those photographs
Frank Lehnen on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 11/12/2016
Sure the pocket camera is the thing that I need, a camera I can carry all day, that does not hinder me, that is just there when I need it and disappears when I have other things on my mind. As such a camera it has to be simple, easy, like the GR1.
The phone, OK I carry it all day in my pocket bu I hate using it to make pictures. Digital p&s.... well it's digital with menus and things. Too disturbing. I recently tried a Fuji XP90 which is an all weather, foolproof, small and flat digital... but it didn't work out.
Had to research Harinezumi on Google... looks too small and strange to me, sorry. A digital 110 format film cartridge. Can't wrap my head around it...
Comment posted: 11/12/2016
Comment posted: 11/12/2016
Frank Lehnen on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 11/12/2016
Comment posted: 11/12/2016
ecdy on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 11/12/2016
focusing scheme. Nevertheless, if you're prepared for the optical hit, the clamshell protection and coupled rangefinder make the XA-2 a compelling device.
On the other hand, for sheer compactness and excellent optics, why not a Minox 35GT? Smaller and otherwise better in every way than the XA-2, but without a CRF. And there's also the Russian copy of the 35GT, the Kiev 35.
Frank Lehnen on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 11/12/2016
The GR1's lens is at least it's equal!
As for the Minox, it's a nice enough camera but I don't like the barn gate lens cover... otherwise I have no experience with it.
Anyways, sharpness is not the first thing I look for in a camera. It has to work for me, it has to feel right. Even the lowly Lomo LC-A was great for me but it tended to disintegrate.
Let's see how long the GR1 will work...
Frank Lehnen on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 11/12/2016
Dan James on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 12/12/2016
Have you tried an XA? The lens is far more sophisticated than the XA2, and although it's a rangefinder, you can use it as a zone focus (it even has the 3m mark and f/5.6 handily marked in orange) just like the XA2. I had an XA until very recently, and thought long and hard about keeping it and using it purely like this (I struggled hugely to focus with the RF patch) but in the end it just wasn't my kind of compact camera.
I recently got a Ricoh R10, then an R1, both cheaper models in the Ricoh family, but with similar size and design to the GR1. The R10 I love, aside from a light leak I haven't figured out yet. The R1 has the same lens (plus a 24mm f/8 panorama option) and feels a bit better built. But the R1 has issues with most of the LCD screen being invisible so its original full range of functions are limited. Seems a common issue with the Ricohs!
Anyway, comparing the R10 with the XA2 is much closer in price point, and for me I'd take the R10 any day for my needs, for the better (IMHO) lens, and much closer focus (down to 0.2m!).
Comment posted: 12/12/2016
sometimeperhaps on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 13/12/2016
As much as I'd like one, they just seem to be the most un-reliable when compared to the other top tier P&S cameras. Not really worried about the LCD as much as the film rewinder. People seem to mention they break down fast. But I love the design of them, and the sleekness. Guess I'll just stick to the bulkier but more reliable T2.
Dan Castelli on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 13/12/2016
Just wondering... :-))
Comment posted: 13/12/2016
Comment posted: 13/12/2016
Mika on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 13/12/2016
Comment posted: 13/12/2016
George Appletree on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 13/12/2016
Remembering now that Nikon L35 AWD. A plastic block water tight till -10 meters with an excellent lens.
Really handy. I used it for many many years till its electric collapse.
Christos Theofilogiannakos on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 14/12/2016
Comment posted: 14/12/2016
Terry B on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 17/12/2016
Your post made me hunt out my long-unused GR1, black, as yours. When I brushed the dust of the slip case (only kidding, I look after my cameras) I was surprised to find it still loaded with film showing through the little peep window! I have no idea when this was last used in anger, it has to be before 2002 when I got my first digital camera, the Canon G2.
Anyway, the battery arrived today and when I put it in I was very surprised to see the little baby fire up to reveal 9 frames left. Everything seems to be in order after all these years of inactivity. I quickly ran off the last exposures simply to find out what the rest are when developed. I have no idea, but they will give up their secret of when the camera was last used. I'm not expecting any decent images due to how old the film must be.
One little tip I'd like to pass on to you, or anyone using one of these with the soft pouch, and this is to slide a piece of card, the thickest you can get away with, inside the case and when inserting the camera ensure the back is against this card. This will prevent you accidentally switching the camera on inside the case and which helps against damaging the motor as the lens tries to push against the case when it extends. This did happen to me before I latched on to this quick fix.
I purchased mine new when it came out and accompanied me with my M6, and was used extensively until its unofficial retirement and wasn't maltreated, although I did drop it once in its case onto a gravel path. That dreaded and totally ineffectual long strap! So its history is known, which can't be said for many on sale today, and I do wonder if the failure rate often reported about this camera could be down to abuse and if one then couples this with age, maybe it is not surprising to read of these reports? It would be interesting to hear from one-user camera owners what their failure rate is.
Comment posted: 17/12/2016
Comment posted: 17/12/2016
Comment posted: 17/12/2016
Comment posted: 17/12/2016
joby on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 18/12/2016
Comment posted: 18/12/2016
joby on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 18/12/2016
Frank Lehnen on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 04/01/2017
Problem with the GR1! Of course.
It sat on my shelf for 3 days without film and I wanted to fiddle with it and feed it some HP5 but it didn't turn on... bummer.
I put in a new battery and it woke up. Extended it's lens, working great. I load the film, it wind it on. All fine!
Then I turn it off. Wanted to check something and again no reaction. So the power button works for turning off but not on again.
Each time I open the battery cover and close it turns on and works perfectly. Even when I just toggle the back door latch it seems to wind film and a following press on the power button turns it on...
No idea what's wrong - expensive paperweight?
Anyone still working on those cameras? I read that you had yours serviced in the UK some time ago, Hamish....
Comment posted: 04/01/2017
Comment posted: 04/01/2017
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Terry B on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 07/01/2017
Comment posted: 07/01/2017
Comment posted: 07/01/2017
Comment posted: 07/01/2017
Comment posted: 07/01/2017
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Peter Boorman on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 04/02/2017
I do find myself wondering whether anyone will ever start a conversion service to take the lenses out of 'dead' GR bodies and put them into M mounts (both the 28mm and 21mm were sold in M mounts by Ricoh - for more than the cost of buying them fitted into their respective GR bodies.) I know it's been done with lenses from dead Rollei 35 cameras. Maybe Miyazaki San might be able to do something on these lines...
Comment posted: 04/02/2017
Nicolas on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 14/02/2017
Do you mind sharing the contact to the German repair shop you were talking about?
That could be of hand to me.
Sorry for your GR-1.
Thanks
Comment posted: 14/02/2017
ChrisW on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 04/07/2018
Comment posted: 04/07/2018
Toby Van de Velde on Ricoh GR1 – will it dethrone my Olympus XA2? – by Frank Lehnen
Comment posted: 10/10/2018
It went everywhere with me. I loved it.
Then, one day I dropped it into the North Sea.
I have never recovered form the sight of my beauty disappearing under the waves....
Comment posted: 10/10/2018