GeorgeInGeorgiaUSA
New Member
I'm new to Ricoh, but not photography. I started shooting in my very early teens, with a Retina I bought used, I assure you! Over the years I've done my own processing, both BW and Ektachrome, starting back when the Ektachrome reversal was done with a photoflood bulb. Really! After a long break, for college, career, family, I got back to my roots with Pentax, first the K 1000, the MX, then the Mighty LX, and then to digital with first the K 10 and now the K 5. I still do film with a Vitessa L, Zeiss Ikon Contessa, YashicaMat, Pentax 645n, etc. With the advent of digital I can now afford cameras that back in the day I could only lust for. I'm now getting back into the Dark Side, wet work, with a Beseler 23c and some lovely enlarging lenses.
But why Ricoh and why now? Back in the day my brother had a Diacord TLR. Good camera, sharp lens. I remember lusting after the Ricoh 500, the one with the f1.9 lens, rocker arm focusing, and a bottom rapid advance.
I realized that I "needed" a compact digital camera that I could keep me with more often than the K 5 with grip. I wanted RAW, manual control, and a good eye level finder! I despise the idea of holding a camera out to view and focus. I want the steadiness afforded by being able to "brace" the camera against my face.
A used GX 200 fit the bill as best I could afford. I found a fine example from KEH with the viewfinder, charger, and instruction manual. A real cutie!
Now, its hardly perfect. 10 megapixels might have been more reasonable; going above 400 ISO gets pretty noisy, but then the K 10 gets noisy not far above 400. I do like its customization potential, being able to use an external flash, RAW, heavy duty tripod socket, image stabilization, and on and on. And the "automated" lens cover is really cool. Maybe I'll turn up the WA and Tele aux lenses at reasonable prices. Always fun to have a more or less complete kit.
I live in Jonesboro, just south of Atlanta. It would be fun to connect with a Ricoh or Pentax group and do some shooting. Jus' sayin'
But why Ricoh and why now? Back in the day my brother had a Diacord TLR. Good camera, sharp lens. I remember lusting after the Ricoh 500, the one with the f1.9 lens, rocker arm focusing, and a bottom rapid advance.
I realized that I "needed" a compact digital camera that I could keep me with more often than the K 5 with grip. I wanted RAW, manual control, and a good eye level finder! I despise the idea of holding a camera out to view and focus. I want the steadiness afforded by being able to "brace" the camera against my face.
A used GX 200 fit the bill as best I could afford. I found a fine example from KEH with the viewfinder, charger, and instruction manual. A real cutie!
Now, its hardly perfect. 10 megapixels might have been more reasonable; going above 400 ISO gets pretty noisy, but then the K 10 gets noisy not far above 400. I do like its customization potential, being able to use an external flash, RAW, heavy duty tripod socket, image stabilization, and on and on. And the "automated" lens cover is really cool. Maybe I'll turn up the WA and Tele aux lenses at reasonable prices. Always fun to have a more or less complete kit.
I live in Jonesboro, just south of Atlanta. It would be fun to connect with a Ricoh or Pentax group and do some shooting. Jus' sayin'
