GRDIII specimen set up matrix for boxes

[Tom Caldwell]

Carl Garrard has reviewed the GRDIII very thoroughly and I admire the amount of effort he has given in this regard.

After reading his review I did note that he had some trouble with the GRDIII's flash system.

This is an old argument dating back to the GRDI and was even brought up in relation to the R4. Guy Parsons had views on the Ricoh flash system with regard to the R4. I had mine and they were not necessaily opposed.

However there were enough moans from others about the fact that the Ricoh cameras had no Flash Value Compensation control that Ricoh effectively shoehorned such a control into the last firmware update for the GRDI. Now Ricoh includes Flash Value Compensation in all its cameras by rote.

The 'experts' who in their conventional terms relegated the EVC control to no more than an aperture/shutter speed link up seemed to be wrong but got their FVC control and went away.

It still doesn't work?

I have to go back in history for the answer.

Back in the good old days without FVC you could control the flash on the GRDI by simply moving the EV control value. This was not changing the aperature or the speed when the flash was being used as checks of the exif showed. It actually altered the amount of flash emitted.

To the point that I demonstrated to a scoffing camera shop proprietor that the pamphlet on his counter could be photogrpahed in macro from 'blown away' at +2.0 EV setting in various stages down to no flash emitted at all at -2.0 EV. How good is this - the EV control works normal EV and FVC as well - no real need for conflicting duplicated controls. But popular demand won.

In debate with Guy we worked out how the R4 worked and there was no doubt that the R4 cracked like a gun and filled the room with light at +2.0 EV and only blinked in the same conditions at EV -2.0 with all the stages in between. Guy also noted wisely the need to have the camera properly in focus to get a good light result. However there was no doubt that the R4 without FVC could control the amount of flash that was emitted by use of its EVC alone.

I have since mused at just what connection Flash Value Compensation and Exposure Value Compensation might have in the latest Ricoh cameras. My tests with the CX1 were not very conclusive - do you pull back the FVC then fine tune with the EVC? Did not get anything that seemed to make a lot of sense with the CX - perhaps I was not trying hard enough?

Carl's remarks prompted me to try the GRDIII with flash for myself. I sort of set my flash as -1.0 as if by rote as flash to me means 'fill flash' and I would otherwise not try and use it as another form of room lighting to amuse my subjects.

Therefore my camera started at -1.0 Flash Value Compensation and as the Exposure Value Compensation is 'as easy as' to adjust on the GRDIII I naturally used the EV to further adjust the image.

I was a little surprised and also gratified that the GRDIII behaved in a similar way to the original GRDI before FVC. In other words the flash metered through FVC for macro was at its reduced setting, but by reducing the EVC as well I was able to reduce the flash to no output at all (did not emit). Obviously this is the way it should work in practice.

Must try it again with the CX - I am sure that this must be the correct and expected behaviour.

In summary: it seems that the Flash Value Compensation control is the big stick power lever and the Exposure Value Compensation control is not just a signal to the sensor tweaker but can actually fine tune the amount of flash emitted when flash is being used.

There is no need to blow away your macros with the GRDIII - just turn off the big tap (FVC) a bit before you start then play with the EVC.

[Tom Caldwell]

Bear in mind the only GRDIII's that will be set up exactly alike will be those still in their original packaging ...

So any GRDIII is going to look increasingly like its owner as the years go by ...

[Tom Caldwell]

uh-oh, duh, curses, slap on head, etc

I found that I could improve on the logic of my speardsheet layout - just had another go. I think it is better even if just because I decided to list all the editable Box settings fully in order by relocating some from the other tabs and including others that I had previously omitted.

This work is a subject in progress and I guess it might move about a bit before it settles down to something more stable.

I Look forward to Pavel's instructions on how the spreadsheet might become generally available for downloading.

[odklizec]

Tom, the best would be to upload your source file compressed in a ZIP file. If the source file (I guess ods file?) alone is not too big (over 500kb), feel free to upload it directly to your initial post. Just edit the post, and upload the file via "upload attachments" tab. I already made this post Sticky, so it should not get lost under the tons of other posts

[thelps]

I could go on ... but I would like some feedback - perhaps I am wasting my time and GRDIII users are really closet point'n'shooters? This camera is destined to be an even greater classic I hope that those that extract the very best from it do not get the reputation as being witch doctors who rattle a few bones and mutter secret words at the camera before they go on and produce something exquisite.

I don't think many GRD III users are your normal point'n'shooter. We each factor and use a custom feature or setting that helps each of us get the image we see or conceive. Its different settings for different users.

Someone once said that a digital camera is actually a computer with a lens rather than a camera, the reason I mention this is just think of how many ways there is to copy a file with your PC/Mac and this is what digital cameras offer - many ways to do a task.

I do IT for a living and I see some users delve deep into a piece of software and other remain doing the same day in day out never learning a thing.
Your chart is great, I wonder though if there is a way to condense and provide the information in a compact form? - you have me thinking!

[thelps]

Bear in mind the only GRDIII's that will be set up exactly alike will be those still in their original packaging ...

So any GRDIII is going to look increasingly like its owner as the years go by ...

hehe, yeah, in software and some in patina as well.

This made me wonder what happens if you do a factory reset on a GRD III? will it clear it all? -- is there such a thing?

[odklizec]

There are two types of resets in GRDIII (probably in all Ricohs). First is Restore Defaults option accessible via the camera menu. The camera must be switched in Auto shooting mode (camera symbol) and then you can access the Restore Defaults option at the end of shooting menu. This will reset the camera to the factory defaults.

The second option is available only via special (hidden) menu accessible with "secret" combination of key presses You have to switch the camera to Scene mode and press and hold FN2 + Play button for a second or two. This shows Initialize the setting dialog with Yes/No buttons. Although I did not test this "hard" reset, I suspects it not only sets the camera settings to factory defaults, but also resets the "Error" list and shutter/flash count. So I don't recommend to use such "service" reset.

[Tom Caldwell]

Tim, I agree that most GRD users are aeither deep thinkers when it comes to a camera. Either they already know more camera magic or they wish to learn. Either way the GRD is good.

I developed the idea of the 'teaching camera' ie: one that actually assists the user to learn more by having accessible intuitive controls and providing good feedback that encourages trial and error.

I learn better by myself - I am not one to be taught by others. After owning a Canon dslr and having other slr cameras from film days and further playing around with a number of early digital camera it was only when I bought a Panasonic LC1 that I really started to go deeper. This was folowed by the GRDI. I learned a lot and now can happily play a tune on almost any camera.

Many cameras actually hide the subtle deatils to make it easier for users and therefore the mysteries remain a mystery. The controls should be out front - if this makes it harder to comprehend then we all realise that digital is a lot less expensive with blunders than film ever was.

I liken it to my profession of accountancy - if you change technical terms to make it more simple for users then the users still don't understand and the new terms just confuse the accountants. (smile).

So put a simple setting on the dial for the first-timers but then gives us the levers to work the machine. Ah, the GRD ....

[BillBingham2]

Tom,

Could you please send me the spread sheet you created for the GRD III. I would love to work with you about documenting the process you went through tuning it and then doing a micro publishing book. I have a bit of info on the Nikon DSLR side and think we could make it generic yet with specific examples. Besides I want to tune my GRD III for my preferences.

Thoughts?

Let me know.

Thanks.

B2

[Tom Caldwell]

I am uploading the spreadsheet matrix into this post in the Excel format - reported size 22Kb.

I am releasing this into public domain for all GRDIII users to use and enjoy - I only ask that the modification history: by names-date can be kept so that alterations can be sequentially tracked.

No doubt with some mofdification by others a definitive version will emerge.

Note I have limited this to 6 box versions and there may be nuances to the GRDIII that I have not realised. Noteably that there were more individually set items than I had first realised. I think this version is better laid out than the original but the exact settings are still a work in progress.

Further development might see the size of this matrix cut down to the essentials. Some of the settings are just a matter of personal preference and others as best left to defaults. I suggest that we can collectively isolate the items that really count and thereby be able to poroduce simple 'recipes' to cope with various shooting conditions in as little as 6-10 items.

RicohGRDIII.xls

Current Box Settings Spreadsheet

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