Ricoh Advice: GXR or GRD

Isoterica said:
There was zero Ricoh surprises at Photokina.. doesn't sound like there will be a V. :(

Well, my 3 has a lot of life left in it. I bought it after the 4 hit the market, so I also got a good price. Not enough differentiation for me between 3 and 4, so I'm sitting tight for now.
 
Your quote about the GRD IV is similar to what most GRD shooters say. The thing is it seems that there is this feeling, which perhaps I'm misinterpreting, that the IQ is very good but not great but there is a certain undefinable "something" that people love about shooting with the GRD and the images they make with it. I'm trying to understand what the "something" is about the GRD that makes it so beloved among it's users.

Part of that special something is how ergonomic it is, everything is right where you need it, simplistic but not spartan. Visually speaking, the IQ is good but of course not great as you said, but the way the camera handles noise is magical. Noise on the GRD looks like fine film grain. In darker images a more rough film grain that is still realistic with certain films one can utilize. The colors aren't overblown when you shoot color, the black and white can be dreamy to broody or foreboding.. I had it for a week and I wish I didn't have to send it back but I needed zoom for vacation, a backup to my canon dslr so I ended up with the canon G12. It served me really well but now that I am home again my primary shooter is my dslr.
 
It seems that most do not use the OVF on their GRD. Can someone explain why someone would use an OVF on the GRD? I mean, no exposure information is displayed in the OVF, it does not show whether your subject is in focus (I think Snap will work around this) and it does not fully frame the subject image (I realize that one does get used to this). So, why and/or under what circumstances would one use the OVF on a GRD? Is it just a "last resort" to get the shot if lighting conditions are such that you cannot use the LCD? Thanks.

I prefer to use the OVF on my GRDIII for the same reason you stated earlier that you prefer to hold a camera to your face for more stability. When I use the OVF I have the LCD turned off and usually shoot it in Snap Focus or Auto Focus using single point focusing. With the LCD turned off and the camera up to your eye looking through the OVF, when you press the shutter button part way down there's a little green light just to the right of the flash shoe that comes on telling you you're in focus and ready to fully press the shutter. You can see this light out of the corner of your eye. That's how use it.
 
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