There is much in common between these three cameras: they are compact, with very good optics, wonderfully built. I didn’t know but I was already slowly moving toward the 28mm! The Olympus had a 35mm, the LC-A had a 32mm. Then I discovered the Soviet rangefinders –– Kiev 4, Zorki 4 & Fed 2 were my favorite though I ended up collecting tens of them –– but in meantime another jewel from the Soviet era ended up being my everyday camera, taking the spot from the Olympus: the classic Lomo LC-A, of course. The first camera I started bringing with me always was the Olympus Mju-2 in 1998 –– how much I loved that camera! I still use it from time to time. I always had a soft spot for compact cameras with good glass on them. The whole camera is usable with just one hand, all the controls are in the right spot, you can configure it the way that better fits your shooting style.
Its ergonomics and user interface are unmatched.and one more. It is compact and yet it features an APS-C sensor. It is a marvelous versatile camera with superb optics. The Ricoh GR is much more than a Moriyama cosplay accessory. Unless you are Moriyama, and even then, it is not easy. Moriyama is unique and he depends on his own culture. I understood I had to use the Ricoh in my own way and try to accomplish my artistic vision. Crazy rain happened right after shooting. A couple of very important photographers used it in the past, and thousands of irrelevant photographers are buying a Leica today because they think this will make them and their random snapshots special. To say it all, Leica built its modern fortune on this myth. Finding an empty beach in August is not easy. Just like people buying a Leica and thinking they will magically turn into Cartier-Bresson. It made me realize the danger of turning into a stereotype. He said –– joking –– that he bought the Ricoh and started running around taking photos as if he was Daido Moriyama, the wild street dog etc, and that all of his photos turned out to be terrible. I remember watching a video with someone talking about the Ricoh. I have always been a fan of very hi-contrast B&W. There’s no denying his work touches some primal notes in the mind of a photographer, and that’s why he is considered a master after all. I think this approach to the GR is limiting, but I understand it.
The little marvel Inna is using is the Pentax Q-S1. While it’s true his work popularised the camera, it’s also true it induced many to just try and copy what he did - super contrasted black and white photography, with a prevalent attention to street photography. Moriyama is both a blessing and a limit for the GR. The first photo with the GR had to to be this then! The Ricoh GR is a wonderful camera for capturing spontaneous moments. This book somewhat lead to my discovery of the GR. This heritage and commitment to a good idea is also part of what makes it so dear to many, in an era where camera makers keep chasing new trends and updating models every 6 months. It transitioned from film to digital while keeping its original concept and design: a practical & compact 28mm f2.8 camera with high class optics. This is indeed a camera with roots that go back to 1996 when the first film GR was released. I was introduced to this camera like many others - admiring the work of Japanese photographer Daido Moriyama, who created an impressive opus of work using prevalently the GR, in both its film and digital version. I’ll be focusing instead on my direct experience as a photographer. I’ll try to avoid the usual review format –– the specifications are everywhere in the web anyway, this is a 3 years old camera after all. The Ricoh GR II –– I’ve been using and loving this camera for years and it’s about time I write about it.