GXR M focusing

After using the GXR M for about a week. I would like to share some of my thoughts with GXR M focusing. As an owner of a Leica M8 rangefinder camera, I was initially skeptical about the "peaking" focusing method used in the GXR M unit. However, after living with it for a while, I feel that the Ricoh focusing system though not perfect, is creditable and hugely enjoyable. The GXR M focusing is neither as convenient as the auto focusing nor as "precise" as that of a rangefinder. But once you get used to it, you will find it accurate and useful.

As you turn the focusing ring with the lens, under the peaking method, you will find zone of "in focus", "out focus" running up and down the LCD screen. Once that zone falls on your object of interest, you just press the shutter and it is done. Practically you are in a better position to make your point of focus with reference to the whole picture. As for the other two methods, you find a point of interest and focus on it. Neither of them will give you a total picture of focusing like the GXR M. Would this help composition? I have not been trying long enough to tell. But I am sure it will give us another perspective in taking pictures by the "overviewing" of zone of focus. The only draw back is that when you focus, everything appears in grey, but once you half press the shutter, all the colors will come back right in.

Hopefully future upgrade of firmware will make this system even more user friendly and convenient.

monoblocks