MarkoKovacevic
Well-known
I'm heading to Indonesia later next month and was considering leaving my mirror less at home and just going with the GR. I was wondering if anyone's done this and your thoughts on it. Sometimes restrictions make you more creative.
Archlich
Well-known
You'll be awesome.
sevres_babylone
Mentor
When I went to Vietnam for 2 weeks in January, the GR II was my primary camera, but I also brought an Olympus OM-1 with a 50mm and 85mm, in part for nostalgia reasons (it was the 40th anniversary of my last trip to southeast Asia, and I used an OM then.)
That said, I didn't use the 85mm as much as I thought I would. I used the GR more than 80% of the time. I do use the crop mode on it, more frequently the 35mm than the 47mm, but sometimes the latter; I had an R-D1 so 6mp doesn't scare me.
The GR is my favorite camera. I keep it in a pouch on my belt, and with snap mode can get ready to shoot quickly.
But I've always carried a back-up or second camera, even going back to film days. I would take a second camera of some sort. If something went wrong, I wouldn't want to have to scout out or pay for a second camera in Indonesia.
I did have a problem with my original GR early last year, where eventually the lens got stuck in an open position and wouldn't retract and the shutter wouldn't work. There was a discussion of this on DPReview and on Flickr (where I described my experience in the thread):
https://www.flickr.com/groups/ricohgr/discuss/72157655664854300/
(Just re-read that thread, and I see someone got theirs fixed in Yogyakarta!)
i bought a used X100T, but missed the GR so much that I bought a used GR II here on RFF, and when it came time to decide which camera to take on my trip had no hesitation taking the Ricoh.
That said, I didn't use the 85mm as much as I thought I would. I used the GR more than 80% of the time. I do use the crop mode on it, more frequently the 35mm than the 47mm, but sometimes the latter; I had an R-D1 so 6mp doesn't scare me.
The GR is my favorite camera. I keep it in a pouch on my belt, and with snap mode can get ready to shoot quickly.
But I've always carried a back-up or second camera, even going back to film days. I would take a second camera of some sort. If something went wrong, I wouldn't want to have to scout out or pay for a second camera in Indonesia.
I did have a problem with my original GR early last year, where eventually the lens got stuck in an open position and wouldn't retract and the shutter wouldn't work. There was a discussion of this on DPReview and on Flickr (where I described my experience in the thread):
https://www.flickr.com/groups/ricohgr/discuss/72157655664854300/
(Just re-read that thread, and I see someone got theirs fixed in Yogyakarta!)
i bought a used X100T, but missed the GR so much that I bought a used GR II here on RFF, and when it came time to decide which camera to take on my trip had no hesitation taking the Ricoh.
cz23
-
I'd have no reservations about that scenario. Snap focus and TAv for outdoors and another custom setting for indoors. A couple extra batteries, and you're ready for anything.
John
John
If you like to be up close to everything that you photograph and like a 28mm perspective, it'll be fine of course. Most of the world now uses 28mm to photograph.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Cameras with 28mm or wider were common film P&S in eighties to nineties period. They were easy to made. Only two focus positions were required - close and else. My family used one for family pictures and on trips.
I would take small rocket bower and small micro-fiber towel to keep GR clean during the trip.
I would take small rocket bower and small micro-fiber towel to keep GR clean during the trip.
craygc
Well-known
All I ever use for 90% of what I shoot in Indonesia is a 28mm, and I've frequently only used the GR. All this is Indonesia with the GR; or Asia in general with the GR
Stuart John
Well-known
Well, I used just an X100 for a trip to Barcelona, having just one camera with a fixed lens was great in many ways as it free me up from thinking about gear but these day I would prefer something like a Panasonic GM1 with the small kit zoom. I actually had a GM with kit zoom but sadly I lost it, I used it for a few trips, the GM1 was great because it was so small and the zoom was really useful. I won't buy another to replace it so it's back to the X100 for travelling light.
Yeah, sometimes I travel with a X100(t or f) only as well. Depending on the country and how narrow the streets are, a GR or a X70 would be fine. If photography is the main reason for travel, then I bring a nice zoom. None of these options would suffer in the quality department which is the advantage.
raid
Dad Photographer
Should work very well. Don't worry about "issues".
BlackXList
Well-known
I spent two months using only the GR abroad a little while back.
Had a full frame DSLR with me, but it never left the house because the GR is so good.
Had a full frame DSLR with me, but it never left the house because the GR is so good.
dogberryjr
[Pithy phrase]
This is an interesting claim (and I'm not asking you to back it up). I tend to think (envision) in 50mm, but that might be an artifact of coming to photography in the 80s. My second prime lens--in 1987--was a 28mm, and I have yet to become comfortable with the perspective.
ColSebastianMoran
( IRL Richard Karash )
Sony A6000 with the kit lens 16-50 zoom for a recent vacation. This did a fab job, given that I didn't want to carry a larger camera.
On a 2006 trip to Japan, took only a Panasonic LX-1. Yup, LX-1. Great photos.
The best camera for any shot is the one you have with you.
On a 2006 trip to Japan, took only a Panasonic LX-1. Yup, LX-1. Great photos.
The best camera for any shot is the one you have with you.
Cellphones are the most popular cameras supposedly. They are generally 28mm. I'm a 50mm fan as well... it's the most comfortable for me.
ColSebastianMoran
( IRL Richard Karash )
I am liking the iPhone 7 Plus a lot. Two lenses 28 and 56mm. Not a zoom, not digital zoom, but two built-in cameras.
28 is a great general use focal length for most everything except portraits. 56 isn't long, but much better for portraits.
Yes, I was interested in the iPhone 7 plus and thought maybe it could be a cell phone camera that I actually would use (I have the 6 plus). However, it seems that you always have to choose the camera app and then hit 2x to get to 56mm. I was hoping that I could just hit the app and be at 56mm permanently. Why does this extra button push matter? Because I will miss photos that I generally can make with my regular camera.
sepiareverb
genius and moron
I took nothing but the GR and an underwater P&S to st John this winter. Did fine.
infrequent
Well-known
Yes the secondary (56mm) lens is only engaged if you choose the Portrait mode but in practice if its engaged, it typically stays in that mode until you change it back. For example if you picked Pano option and shot one, the next time you invoke the camera app it is in Pano mode. Presumably this will hold true until the app state memory is cleared or the phone is switched on/off.
infrequent
Well-known
There is a certain freedom with travelling with just one camera, one lens. I find that my x100s is a great option for travel purposes and I usually supplement it with my iPhone. Sevres_Babylone's thoughts above sound very familiar to the observations of most folks I have seen or heard.
That hasn't been my experience with the iPhone's camera, but maybe I don't use it frequently enough for it to remember. Of course I tested the 7 plus in the store and it wouldn't even remember the 2x function when I hit the home button and immediately went back into the app. Really, I wanted it to work for me.