An Englishman in London

GF1, f0.95, 1/4000, ISO 100, JPG b&w, 50mm (Voigtländer Nokton f0.95 25mm)

The Gap in 1969

GF1, f5.6, 1/500, ISO 100, RAW, 50mm (Voigtländer Nokton f0.95 25mm)

5 with the Nokton

Ok, there is no particular reason for me posting a series today, I just felt like it and wanted to have more pictures taken with the Nokton online. All aside from the 4th are taken at f0.95.

Overgrown

GF1, f1.4, 1/200, ISO 100, RAW, 50mm (Voigtländer Nokton f0.95 25mm)

In Between the Trees

GF1, f8, 1/200, ISO 100, RAW, 100mm (Canon f1.8 50mm FD)

Under the Tree

GXR S10, f4.4, 1/189, ISO 100, RAW, 72mm

10

GXR A12 28mm, f2.8, 1/217, ISO 400, JPG high contrast b&w

Running Across

GXR A12 50mm, f4.5, 1/540, ISO 200, RAW

Miniature Squirrel

GXR A12 28mm, f4.0, 1/660, ISO 200, JPG miniaturize

As you can see I am having some fun with the new scene modes on the GXR. Now if only Ricoh would allow shooting RAW together with the processed JPG it would be great.

Purple Flowers

GXR A12 28mm, f2.8, 1/270, ISO 400, JPG miniaturize mode

When it comes to supporting their cameras with firmware updates no one is better than Ricoh. Not only do they fix bugs but they also add a lot of new features, something other companies release a completely new product for to rip off loyal customers (Canon with the G7/G9 comes here to mind or Sigma with the neverending release of "new" DP1/DP2 cameras). So what Ricoh is doing is not really common practice so they deserve to be applauded for taking care of their loyal customers instead of forcing them to buy a new camera just to get an extra feature added.

On Monday they released a new firmware update for all GXR modules and for the GRD III, adding some fun scene modes, even more customization options and a AF tracking mode. I have been trying the new firmware update and even decided to postpone my A12 28mm review to have some more time to try out the new features added and see if and how they improve on the camera.

So far the new scene modes are a fun addtion and I appreciate them although they are more for the P10 module than any of the A12 modules. The AF tracking feature on the A12 28mm module does not seem to be all that usefull or even work properly but I will try it some more to get more time with it. More in the full review.

Industry at Dusk

GXR P10, f4.6, 1/14, ISO 800, JPG b&w, 200mm

Old and Young

iPhone 4, f2.4, Hipstamatic app

Conversing over a Pint

GXR A12 50mm, f4.0, 1/410, ISO 200, RAW

As nice as the A12 50mm module is now with the new firmware updates, it simply can't focus properly in backlit situations. I took 15 pictures of this scene and only had a few properly in focus although the camera always showed a green focus confirmation. This is a problem with both A12 modules and it happens most of the time if the scene is backlit or if the contrast range is too high.

Cut Protest

When I decided to go into town it was with the intention to have a coffee and work on my GXR A12 28mm review. It was not to take pictures of a protest or I would not have carried my notebook around and would have planned the day different. Overall I did not spend too mcuh time taking pictures and it was more while coming across it on my way to get coffee, the restaurant and then finally on my way back to the train.

The protest started in the usual calm way with people marching and waving their banners. This is till the usual yobs and troublemakers came and started smashing windows in and setting fires to bins. I would say if the police would arrest everyone from the start who wears a hoodie and covers their mouth there would be no trouble. There should be no need for anyone to cover their face in public and if someone does they should be arrested because they have something to hide.

I decided to post yet another series, this time a slightly bigger one to show the day and night cycles of the protest as I have seen it.

Pauls Walk

GF1, f5.6, 1/320, ISO 200, JPG,14mm (Panasonic f4.0 7-14mm)

On the Steps

GXR A12 28mm, f2.5, 1/97, ISO 200, RAW

Girl in Window

GRD, f2.8, 1/100, ISO 400, JPG b&w

This is as much a lucky shot as it's a picture where everything just came together nicely to give me exactly what I wanted.
I saw the girl in the window and took a picture while walking past but I took the first one straight on with my own reflection in there and at the wrong moment, once I reliazed this I turned back to take another picture and everything was just perfect. It was the decisive moment because I had the girl's attention and even the reflections in the window were perfect.

Head to Head

GRD, f5.6, 1/500, ISO 400, JPG

I have way too may cameras probably but none is more enjoyable to use than the GRD I, it has it's quirks and it a bit outdated comapred to the GXR or GRD III but it is just more fun to use than either.
This year Ricoh will release the GRD IV and I hope they will go back to basics and deliver a camera that does less but this better than any other camera out there.

Blinded by the Light

GF1, f5.6, 1/640, ISO 100, JPG, 40mm

I decided to use the Panasonic 20mm lens again today. Haven't been using it ever since getting the Nokton and for good reason, the 20mm lens is just...dull.
Technically there is noting wrong with the lens, it's sharp, it has good conrtrast, distortion gets corrected in JPGs and not only is it small but has also a very fast AF. But it lacks any form of character that I get from the better lenses on the GF1 but also on all the Ricoh cameras (maybe with exception of the CX/P10 lens). Guess this shows that you can fix a lot in software but you can't get back any character and for me this is more important than size, weight or price. I can only hope that Panasonic or Olympus are going to release some decent quality AF lenses and not more of the crappy software corrected lenses as currently available.

Ducks

GF1, f0.0, 1/1000, ISO 100, RAW, 50mm (Voigtländer Nokton f0.95 25mm)