GR Musings...

Ok I'm pretty much exclusively a DSLR Landscape shooter but I want a lightweight alternative that while does not have to be exactly pocketable must give me image quality at the same level as the K series...
I've tried the Fuji Xe-1 and mostly loved it but...
It's not really that much smaller then say a K5/K50 when you get the 18-55mm X lens on it, image quality is superb by the way! However, I don't really want two overlapping systems with similar capability, just one where all the lenses fits everything else without manual adaptors etc.
Getting my K3 today but I have no intention of owning two of em as long as one works, just can't see the point in lugging two bodies around when one will most likely not get used much (Yes I've thought of the two bodies with differing lenses on each scenario but for mostly Landscape???)
So to the GR...
Price, it bugs me! Ok I'll say it 600 quid is a lot for a compact with a fixed lens, it would pretty much buy me a K5II, I just can't get that oot of me heed!
Again Price, I'd want one of those natty little optical viewfinder thingies for it which would bump it up even more, I can live with the 35mm crop mode as I think it still retains enough quality but not 47mm, it's just throwing away a bit much in my opinion, I have to bear in mind that I sell my Landscapes, so they have to be able to be printed and pretty large at that. Anyone miss having a telephoto focal length on the Camera? Looking at my Landscapes I have to say that I could likely take about 80% of em on a GR but just can't get those two limitations stated above out of my bonce. Am I just over thinking it or should I wait for a Pentax branded rangefinder which may or may not ever exist (What I reallly want, coupled with the new Ltd Zoom)?
I only ever seem to want what never exists! I have waited and Ricoh/Pentax have rewarded me with the K3, I'm considering waiting a little more...

I see where you're coming from jules but the best rural landscapes I've ever seen, the ones that made my eyes pop out my head and turned me green with envy have mostly been shot with medium or large format systems. Were I you (and the CEO of a utility company) I'd get down the gym, pump some iron and get a 645D and a suitable tripod. Not to say the K's can't cut it but I think print size from APSC can be a limiting factor. But I am probably wrong on this.

I travel light Lu, Medium Format, however good it is, is not for me.
About hitting the Gym, I have one in my Garage and although turning the big 5 0 at Christmas this year, I can still squat and bench 300LBs, not bad for an arthritic crock!

I was asked to be a "GR Ambassador" and have a GR with all the accessories. You can see what I shot and what I found with this camera here: http://gr.ricoh-imaging.eu/en/John-Riley.html

I also did a field report on the GR against the Nikon Coolpix A here: http://www.ephotozine.com/article/ricoh-gr-vs-nikon-coolpix-a-field-report-22665

The quality is right up to DSLR standard and the camera fits into a pocket, so the only thing that remains is whether or not you can work with the 18.3mm lens.

Why not go out with your zoom set to 18mm, leave it there and see how you get on?

Good on yer jules. AS our old PTI used to say "keep it up ladies and you'll have muscles in your piss".

John, excellent review, that GR looks to be a cracking little camera.

The MX-1 looks a fantastic camera if you can forego DSLR quality (images I've seen look amazing viewed on the computer screen though!) It's a gorgeous little camera to hold. I've been playing with an RX100, which doesn't have the same appeal as the MX-1 for some reason (perhaps it's just too small, and I miss the flippy screen) but it does have tremendous near-DSLR quality, and pretty good controls/customisability.

Maybe the RX100 mkII would fit the bill - it has the flippy screen and takes an external viewfinder (for extra $$$)

I like the MX1, really like it in fact, it may just do as a stop gap until something better comes along but I don't like buying for that reason, come on Ricoh, you've got a rangefinder APSC in there somewhere I know you have...

A reminder that other marques are off topic.

Your right of course but I still wish for it, the K-01 could have been a lot better if it had more grip on it and less brick if you see what I mean?
Though pretty soon yuo end up with something the size of a DSLR I suppose?

I was hoping you would chime in Pauly as I regard you as something of a GR expert along with John of course

Your comment on the wide convertor is very reassuring, if they made a longer one too I'd have the Camera already regardless of the cost!

You'd also be back to a multi-lens kit though jules and the GR lens changing isn't the most elegant of systems.

The quality is there, but for me the basic lens is the one that hits the spot. The wide adapter lens is just too fiddly and Heath-Robinson.

Hey John, I think I mentioned to you that I had two adapters and hoods. I have one fitted with the hood and 49mm filter for the native lens protection and the other fitted to my GW-3. This way I can change both units just like a lens on D-SLR.
Jules, as for the GW-3 and its fiddly rubber lens hood I gave up on it because it yielded far too much messing around, and so I have now fitted a step-up ring (62-72mm), with a 72mm B+W filter for better protection. The trouble with this is that I don't have a hood and there is not one on the market that will not incur vignetting.
I can live with not having a hood and will have to use my hand but for serious landscape photography I would probably have this camera and lens on a tripod anyway and can use my hand or a piece of card with ease...
I have to say that the GW-3 doesn't suffer any contrast loss when suffering flare.
I believe that there is software on the market that can eliminate lens flare, no?

Anyway, I honestly can't see the dedicated rubber lens hood offering that much protection anyway...