Comments on: GR Digital http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/ back from the dead Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:59:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Roy http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1404 Roy Sun, 20 Nov 2005 21:51:53 +0000 http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1404 It cost around 80,000yen. Not sure about Osaka but your friend should just try all the major electronic stores. They might have one of two in stock. It cost around 80,000yen. Not sure about Osaka but your friend should just try all the major electronic stores. They might have one of two in stock.

]]> By: Nayan Sthankiya http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1403 Nayan Sthankiya Sun, 20 Nov 2005 21:05:39 +0000 http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1403 Just curious how much you paid for the GR. I'm in Korea and looking to pick one up but it's not availible here yet. I have a friend heading to Osaka next week and might get her to pick one up for me. Any suggestions where in Oaska would be a good place to pick one up? Thanks Nayan Just curious how much you paid for the GR. I’m in Korea and looking to pick one up but it’s not availible here yet. I have a friend heading to Osaka next week and might get her to pick one up for me. Any suggestions where in Oaska would be a good place to pick one up?

Thanks
Nayan

]]> By: Ken http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1402 Ken Thu, 17 Nov 2005 15:49:24 +0000 http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1402 Is that Tama-Plaza in Yokohama? Is that Tama-Plaza in Yokohama?

]]> By: Roy http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1401 Roy Wed, 16 Nov 2005 21:05:41 +0000 http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1401 I bought a 1GB SD card and so far have been taking photos at 8MP Fine and the average size of photos are 2.5MB. So I can take about 300+ photos on the 1GB card. The best thing about the GR is the adjust dial. When you push it in a menu shows up to adjust Exposure Compensation, White Balance and two others that you can set (e.g. ISO, Metering, Focus modes etc). It is soo easy to change these things on the fly! I use either P (Programmable) or A (Aperture) with P the front dial changes boths the Aperture and Shutter speed together, while A you change the just the Aperture. I don't really use Auto Mode that much. The LCD screen is absolutely fabulous at 2.5" so I suggest you buy LCD protector film. I did, makes a big difference. I bought a 1GB SD card and so far have been taking photos at 8MP Fine and the average size of photos are 2.5MB. So I can take about 300+ photos on the 1GB card. The best thing about the GR is the adjust dial. When you push it in a menu shows up to adjust Exposure Compensation, White Balance and two others that you can set (e.g. ISO, Metering, Focus modes etc). It is soo easy to change these things on the fly!

I use either P (Programmable) or A (Aperture) with P the front dial changes boths the Aperture and Shutter speed together, while A you change the just the Aperture. I don’t really use Auto Mode that much.

The LCD screen is absolutely fabulous at 2.5″ so I suggest you buy LCD protector film. I did, makes a big difference.

]]> By: Eugene http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1400 Eugene Wed, 16 Nov 2005 20:55:23 +0000 http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1400 Roy, I read about the rubber grip issue on kakaku.com. We'll see how mine holds up. I used to be sold on the look and feel of the recent compacts, but like i mentioned, most of them took crappy photos. Indeed, the GR looks a bit drab but not a factor for me. Didn't use the zoom much on my previous cameras so the fixed lens isn't a problem either. What kind of settings do you use? Are you always taking pictures on the highest quality setting (8mp)? That must eat up a lot of memory. BTW, great site. Roy, I read about the rubber grip issue on kakaku.com. We’ll see how mine holds up.

I used to be sold on the look and feel of the recent compacts, but like i mentioned, most of them took crappy photos. Indeed, the GR looks a bit drab but not a factor for me. Didn’t use the zoom much on my previous cameras so the fixed lens isn’t a problem either.

What kind of settings do you use? Are you always taking pictures on the highest quality setting (8mp)? That must eat up a lot of memory.

BTW, great site.

]]> By: Roy http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1399 Roy Wed, 16 Nov 2005 17:43:16 +0000 http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1399 Eugene, one more thing to be prepared for since you say you are a point and shoot type of person. The GR was a really wide fixed lens and no optical zoom. You may find that you have to go a lot closer to your subjects to take their pictures and close-up portraits will appear slightly more exaggerated than with what you may be used to. There is a digital zoom but that basically just increases the pixels and the results aren't great. I love using a wide angle lens for the kinds of things I like to take photos of so it's not an issue. Eugene, one more thing to be prepared for since you say you are a point and shoot type of person. The GR was a really wide fixed lens and no optical zoom. You may find that you have to go a lot closer to your subjects to take their pictures and close-up portraits will appear slightly more exaggerated than with what you may be used to. There is a digital zoom but that basically just increases the pixels and the results aren’t great. I love using a wide angle lens for the kinds of things I like to take photos of so it’s not an issue.

]]> By: Roy http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1398 Roy Wed, 16 Nov 2005 17:38:20 +0000 http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1398 Eugene, Thanks for visiting and great that you could get a GR! I think is it just about the best compact digital I've owned. It reminds me a lot of old 35mm Olympus Pens I used to use. I loved those cameras. The negative side of the GR is that it is a bit cheap looking and the rubber grip will defintely peel off in time. It is like that with every display model I've seen so far. No big deal, just glue it back. But some people complained that for such an expensive camera it should be built better. It doesn't bother me as much, I'm really happy that it works great in lowlight! I hope you enjoy it! If you post you pictures on the web let me know. Eugene,

Thanks for visiting and great that you could get a GR! I think is it just about the best compact digital I’ve owned. It reminds me a lot of old 35mm Olympus Pens I used to use. I loved those cameras. The negative side of the GR is that it is a bit cheap looking and the rubber grip will defintely peel off in time. It is like that with every display model I’ve seen so far. No big deal, just glue it back. But some people complained that for such an expensive camera it should be built better. It doesn’t bother me as much, I’m really happy that it works great in lowlight! I hope you enjoy it! If you post you pictures on the web let me know.

]]> By: Eugene http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1397 Eugene Wed, 16 Nov 2005 17:27:52 +0000 http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1397 After reading your blog as well as comments from other sites, I picked up the GR Digital. I've been without a camera for months (the last one broke) and was fed up with grainy photos of the compacts and decided to splurge with the GR. I don't know anything other than point and shoot, but with the manual features of the GR, I may start looking into F settings and such. Sounds like fun with this camera. BTW, you were right about the availability on kakaku. I was lucky as well; as soon as a shop receives some stock, it sells out quick. It's supposed to arrive tomorrow. woohoo! After reading your blog as well as comments from other sites, I picked up the GR Digital.

I’ve been without a camera for months (the last one broke) and was fed up with grainy photos of the compacts and decided to splurge with the GR.

I don’t know anything other than point and shoot, but with the manual features of the GR, I may start looking into F settings and such. Sounds like fun with this camera.

BTW, you were right about the availability on kakaku. I was lucky as well; as soon as a shop receives some stock, it sells out quick.

It’s supposed to arrive tomorrow. woohoo!

]]> By: Rick http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1396 Rick Wed, 16 Nov 2005 07:26:35 +0000 http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1396 Man that's a lot to study! Man that’s a lot to study!

]]> By: Roy http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1395 Roy Tue, 15 Nov 2005 02:19:37 +0000 http://blog.q-taro.com/gadgets/gr-digital/#comment-1395 Using the zoom on a compact usually doesn't work either. Unless it is an exceptional compact. The reason is that as you zoom a lens the minimum aperture setting increases. Generally compacts have slow lenses so you can't get a wide enough aperture to begin with. As you zoom out the minimum aperture opening decreases and your depth of field increases. This is really hard to explain in words and easier to understand if you have an SLR and some lenses to play with. These sites have very good explanations if you are interested <a href="http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/950/depth-of-field.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/950/depth-of-field.html</a> <a href="http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/fototech/htmls/depth.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/fototech/htmls/depth.html</a> And this site may answer your question about how to choose a digital camera in the context of depth of field. <a href="http://www.wrotniak.net/photo/dof/" rel="nofollow">http://www.wrotniak.net/photo/dof/</a> Using the zoom on a compact usually doesn’t work either. Unless it is an exceptional compact. The reason is that as you zoom a lens the minimum aperture setting increases. Generally compacts have slow lenses so you can’t get a wide enough aperture to begin with. As you zoom out the minimum aperture opening decreases and your depth of field increases. This is really hard to explain in words and easier to understand if you have an SLR and some lenses to play with.

These sites have very good explanations if you are interested
http://www.cs.mtu.edu/~shene/DigiCam/User-Guide/950/depth-of-field.html
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/fototech/htmls/depth.html

And this site may answer your question about how to choose a digital camera in the context of depth of field.
http://www.wrotniak.net/photo/dof/

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