Ricoh GR Unboxing and GRDIV Comparison Photos

Since the Ricoh GRDIV was one of my favorite cameras (so much so I bought it twice) I pre-ordered the Ricoh GR the minute it was available at B&H Photo. I’ve been waiting patiently for a couple months now, and it finally came this afternoon.

Some of my favorite packaging tape to see on the porch.

The Ricoh GR really doesn’t seem any larger than the Ricoh GRDIV, but it feels quite a bit larger in the hand. It’s actually more comfortable to hold, but it doesn’t fit in a pocket as easily.

I think the startup time of the GR is quicker by a hair, but the shutoff time is much quicker than the GRDIV.

It’s very close to the same camera, almost the same size in the photos, but it real life it’s larger, there’s no denying it. Thankfully the menus are pretty much the same. Anyone familiar with the GRDIV should feel very at home with the new GR.

The new Ricoh GR weighs one ounce more than the Ricoh GRDIV with the battery and memory card installed.

The charging system is pretty lame, requiring the battery to be installed in the camera and the camera plugged into the wall. This makes it really difficult to charge a spare battery – especially if you want to use the camera in the meantime.

The following sample shots show little difference at sizes commonly displayed on the internet. At 800 pixels wide, the difference is not that great at all. I shot both the GR and GRDIV side by side using aperture priority. The cameras selected different shutter speeds at times, but never more than one stop’s difference. I noticed the Ricoh GR seems a little warmer in some shots. A little more yellow/green. It’s not really good or bad, just a little different. I’m not trying to do a full-blown, in-depth comparison here; that’s what DPReview and DXOMark are for.

I think the Ricoh GR has a little more detail in the shadows. This stands to reason – the sensor is much larger and newer.

I usually shoot photos in raw, and I love that Ricoh has chosen to use the DNG format. All these are shot in DNG and converted using Adobe Camera Raw. I used some global adjustments and applied the same adjustments to similar images. For the black and white conversions I used a preset that I saved and use all the time.

Very excited about the new camera, and excited to get out and use the camera a little more. I’ll post more photos as I take them.

Thanks for looking. _____________________________________________________________________

I’ve written and illustrated two children’s books that are now available in print and digital versions; Coyote Life, and The Cat’s Glasses. If you’ve got kids, check them out. If you enjoy them, please leave a review, tell your friends, etc. Thanks.

Kid’s Books: The Cat’s Glasses

Does your cat need glasses? How do you know? Follow one little boy as he tries to find out in The Cat’s Glasses by Quinn Hall

Kid’s Books: Coyote Life by Quinn Hall

Coyote Life is a short, rhyming children’s book about coyotes in the Southwest.

Don’t forget to check out some of the fine art prints for sale in my Etsy shop.

My wife Leah also makes and sells some pretty cool leather stuff like minimalist wallets and camera straps. Check out her Etsy store for some cool gear.