48 24 August 2019 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
£400
Testbench SECOND-HAND BARGAINS
LANDSCAPE photography is typically
associated with cameras that boast large
sensors and offer extremely high resolution to
capture the finest detail in a scene. You might
be wondering why it is, then, that the Ricoh
GR II has made it onto our shortlist as one of
our recommended choices for landscape
photographers on a budget. Popular for street
photography and situations where you don’t
want to attract too much attention to yourself
or you wish to blend into the surroundings, the
GR II makes a valid choice for travelling and
landscape work too. If you’d like full manual
control and excellent image quality without the
burden of having to lug a heavy camera system
mountain high and valley low, it might be the
ideal camera you’re looking for.
Some photographers choose it as a small,
lightweight, pocket-friendly companion to their
DSLR or mirrorless camera, while others rely
on it exclusively as their main camera. One
of the great things about it is that it’s not too
dissimilar to working with a DSLR or mirrorless
camera. Okay, its 28mm fixed lens isn’t as
versatile as a wideangle zoom, but the buttons
and dials across the body fall nicely to hand
and it’s very comfortable to hold. The way it
can be stashed in a trouser or jacket pocket is
one of the main reasons it’s loved so much.
The introduction of the new Ricoh GR III
earlier this year has seen the GR II drop in
price. Shop around and you’ll be able to find
one in excellent used condition for aroundLandscapes
Ricoh GR II
ALL PRICES WERE TAKEN FROM W W W.MPB.COM AT THE TIME OF WRITING
£400 (just as we did on MPB.com) or even
cheaper on eBay. But what can you expect
for spending this kind of money? As already
mentioned, the GR II features a fixed f/2.8 lens
that’s equivalent to 28mm, behind which lies a
16.2-million-pixel, APS-C sized CMOS sensor
that delivers detailed and vibrant images when
you shoot in raw. It saves raw images as DNG
files, meaning they can be opened in virtually
any raw-conversion software, and ensures
both forward and backwards compatibility with
any future software. Like the earlier Ricoh GR,
it has a sensitivity range of ISO 100-25,600,
features a useful built-in, two-stop, neutral
density filter and has a quick one-second-
startup/shutdown time. Battery life is rated at
320 shots on a single charge, but if you take
advantage of its Wi-Fi connectivity expect
to shoot less. Thankfully, Duracell DR9709
replacements for the Ricoh DB-65 battery are
neither expensive (£15) nor difficult to source.
As with most cameras, the GR II isn’t without
a few pitfalls. Its generous selection of controls
might be a bit cramped for some. It has a
tendency to overexpose a little, and you need
to remove your quick-release tripod plate
each time you’d like to access the battery and
SD card compartment. Instead of having an
adjustable lens ring, it has a removable front
ring. Landscape photographers may wish to
attach an optional lens hood or use 49mm
filters and adapters by purchasing the GH-3
accessory kit (£59). Those who’d like to shootwider can also buy the 0.75x wide conversion
lens (GW-3) that turns it into a 21mm
equivalent. A quick search online revealed you
can pick up the GH-3 and GW-3 in good used
condition for around £160.Handling
The Ricoh GR II’s design is rather utilitarian,
with the focus on making it an easy-to-use
camera, rather than a stylish or flashy one. The
camera consists of a simple black magnesium-
alloy body, which keeps the camera fairly
light and sturdy, but with no weather-seals
it shouldn’t be exposed to wet or sandy
conditions. Just to the right of the thumb
rest you’ll find plus and minus buttons for
immediate control of exposure compensation
in shooting mode and zoom in review mode.
A jog control switch is also present. This is
capable of doing a number of things, such as
controlling the ISO sensitivity, plus it can be
pushed in to select AF mode, metering
mode or change the image style. The level of
customisation on the GR II is very good indeed
and although the fixed 3in, 1,230k-dot screen
isn’t the touch-sensitive type, it has reasonable
daylight visibility for when you’re composing
images in the great outdoors.Should I buy it?
The GR II is closely related to its predecessor,
the Ricoh GR, but improves in a few areas to
make it a better camera, notably the additionGREAT FOR