The B&W cam

[Christian van Orten]

I need some advise of Ricoh-Pro's ;-)
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I'm looking for a new point-and-shoot camera.

I have already a Contax SL300. But it's too 'automatic' and the image quality is not really good. For 'professional' use I have also a PENTAX K10D and different Polaroids.

Now I think about buying a Ricoh. I prefer the GX100 ('cause of the zoom and the digital viewfinder). I basically like to do urban B&W pics using B&W mode of the camera.

And now my QUESTION:

Is there a difference between the GRD and GX100? Which one has the better B&W mode?! Is there a way to load B&W profiles or do some channel settings in the camera menu?

I know Photoshop quite good, but I want to do 'point-and-shot-B&W'. Optical filters can't also be used with the GX100, I guess.

I've read some threads about the nice 'film like grain' of the GRD using high ISO (using the B&W mode). Is it really better than GX100?
=> Summery: Is the GX100 a good B&W cam?!

Thanks for your inputs!
christian

---------------------------------------------
catch the moment - catch life.

 

[Rodge]

I need some advise of Ricoh-Pro's ;-)

Sorry, you lost me there. No pro, but I'll give you my 1 cent;-)

Now I think about buying a Ricoh. I prefer the GX100 ('cause of the
zoom and the digital viewfinder). I basically like to do urban B&W
pics using B&W mode of the camera.

There you go. You answered yourself. The zoom is probably the immediate difference. And the anti shake. And the EVF.

Is there a difference between the GRD and GX100? Which one has the
better B&W mode?!.................
I know Photoshop quite good, but I want to do 'point-and-shot-B&W'.

Which one has better B/W? Depends who you ask. For me I'd say the GX100 is "good enough", although I have a lot, and I mean a lot, to learn before I can handle B/W from my GX100 good. PP makes a lot of difference, and I've seen some use PP to emulate their favorite B/W film. Straight from the camera might be a different story. Maybe somebody having both can give you some more insight. But I've seen really great B/W shots from both cameras. I assume that you have to shoot RAW if you want full control over the B/W process. And the GX100 has the upper hand in writing RAW speed.

Optical filters can't also be used with the GX100, I guess.

Yes, you can, Here's a shot with both R72 and polarizer:

=> Summery: Is the GX100 a good B&W cam?!

Are you kidding me? Of course it is!

Duh, look who you're asking....
Roger

(And I didn't even mention the GRD2 ;-) )
--
Yup. Happy camper. Got my GX100

 

[Stan-o-Stan]

Hi,
I have a grd.
The b&w out the camear is pretty good.
I've done comparisons with colour in photoshop and converting via channel mixer.

I have a setting that's supposed to be pretty close to tri-x (400 asa film) and the out of camera b&w is pretty close. In other words the out of camera b&w looks good (those Ricoh technicians obviously put some thought into the b&w mode).

GRD or GX100? well from what i've seen the grain/noise is just a little different. The GX seems to be a bit finer at higher iso's because I believe they have used a slightly stronger/different Noise reduction (or so the gossip goes).

If you love shooting 28mm then the grd is a great little p&s and the lens @28mm is a bit better than the GX100. However I would give a lot of consideration to the GX100 for it's all round ability. I am particularly envious of the step zoom mode that allows the lens to 'jump' from say 24mm to 35mm to 50mm.

all the best
--
Stan-o-Stan

 

[JTI]

Which one has the better B&W mode?! Is there a
way to load B&W profiles or do some
channel settings in the camera menu?

The GR-D has in-camera settings for changing contrast and sharpness in B&W mode. The GX100 doesn't, which means you are more likely to need PP to get the effect you want. It's not possible to load profiles.

 

[workingklasshero]

JTI beat me to it but I am going to repeat it because it is my pet peeve with Ricoh. The GX100 has no image adjustments for B&W. You cannot adjust contrast or sharpness when in B&W. The GRD was given this ability in a firmware upgrade.

This was a most unpleasant surprise for me. I did not realize I would be purchasing a great raw B&W shooter (which it is), but at the same time would unwittingly be giving up the ability to get good (to my tastes) out of camera jpegs.

Ricoh seems to be treating B&W (in this regard) as some sort of childlike amusement. I guess Ricoh doesn't think a person would want to spend close to a thousand dollars on a camera (and accessories) that has a B&W mode, an innovative (B&W capable) detachable EVF, and also want to IMMEDIATELY print any of the damn photos they take. The camera IS Pictbridge compatible! There ARE small portable B&W printers out there, specifically HP which provides the special gray cartridge! It would be very cool Ricoh!

Also since the raw write time of the GX100 is still a relatively slow 4 or 5 seconds I sometimes shoot jpeg in a fast moving environment. I would like to at least be able to preview a photo on the LCD that is closer to my final vision. The only thing stopping me is Ricoh at this point.

I recently read comments about a review given by Ricoh that stated future features would NOT be added to the GX100 as they had been to the GRD. I don't know how accurate the source was but I sure would like to find out. I want B&W jpeg image adjustments. Please Ricoh ladies and gentlemen? Thanks for listening.

--
Jim

 

[Stan-o-Stan]

It's worth writing to Ricoh about this. Especialy as it can be solved via firmware.

Maybe should give it a go. Also as there are many GX100 owners here, if everyone wrote an email to Ricoh over a few days, maybe they'd get the message.

cheers
--
Stan-o-Stan

 

[JTI]

I think this is one of those things they see as differentials between the GR-D (flagship camera) and the GX100. I doubt it's going to happen... though if everyone wrote??

 

[Tom Caldwell]

Jim

I am still hopeful that the GX100 will get the b&w tweaks - it can't be that hard to add them to the GX firmware.

I do agree that the GX has finer grain due to perhaps a bit more in-camera smoothing - whether this is good or not depends upon your viewpoint - myself I prefer the GR-D way but just by a whisker.

Perhaps the GR-D gets more firmware attention because it is deemed a longer product cycle and they are going to upgrade the GX more often so that extra effort on the firmware may not be warranted?

Maybe the GX200 before the GR2-D?

To answer the op - the GR-D is of more limited utility but a slighty better built camera and perhaps more satisfying in use - I have both and use both because I find them rewarding each in its own slightly different way. The razor for the smoothest finish and the swiss army knife for muliple purpose - says it all.

Both are great for b&w but the GX could do with the latest b&w firmware refinements from the GR-D.

--
Tom Caldwell

 

[erocks]

would someone pls remind us of the firmware # which allows B&W tweaks on GRD. Thanks.

 

[workingklasshero]

I did write to CS but got a standard form response. I am going to write again though. I have acquired two email addresses for Ricoh officials in Japan. I don't want to post them, but maybe I'll start a thread in the next day or two.

JTI I hear you and you are probably right. I just posted in another thread that they just differentiated me from my thousand bucks. This is what happens when I stay up all night. I would like to know if GRD owners asked and received the upgrade.

Hey Tom it was your music stand comparison that made up my mind way back when. So you bear some responsibility here.
--
Jim

 

[workingklasshero]

Looks like Version 2.30, Mac or Windows, released on March 30.2007. That was around a year and a half after the release of the GRD. I feel like I am being impatient now but it was the unconfirmed news that Ricoh would not be updating the GX100 in similar fashion that got me stirred up.

http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc/download/firmware/grd/mac.html

--
Jim