The camera came with a start up booklet with QR codes for registration and user guides. Neither code scanned therefore l emailed Photospecialist for advice. After a few days the email was returned undelivered, hence only four stars.I am however very satisfied with the camera but due to inclement weather and work commitments I have not been able to use the camera much. I had previously been using a Panasonic TZ 70 but after several years of use I was finding that my iPhone 13 mini was taking photos that matched or bettered it. Although I am an amateur photographer taking photos for fun, with retirement pending and my partner being a serious photographer I now wish to be able to take nicer photos hence my purchase. I have since downloaded the user guide. My four ... MoreThe camera came with a start up booklet with QR codes for registration and user guides. Neither code scanned therefore l emailed Photospecialist for advice. After a few days the email was returned undelivered, hence only four stars.I am however very satisfied with the camera but due to inclement weather and work commitments I have not been able to use the camera much. I had previously been using a Panasonic TZ 70 but after several years of use I was finding that my iPhone 13 mini was taking photos that matched or bettered it. Although I am an amateur photographer taking photos for fun, with retirement pending and my partner being a serious photographer I now wish to be able to take nicer photos hence my purchase. I have since downloaded the user guide. My four stars is not for the capability of the camera just that the after sales was not as expected.

A pocket cam that packs a mean punch

If it's true that the best camera is the one you that's with you, than this is by far the best camera I have ever owned. I have been using the GRii nearly everyday for over a year now. Its small body not only makes it incredibly convenient to carry around, but it is also super discreet for getting candid shots of people. With it's 16 mp APS-C sensor, this camera takes very sharp, professional quality images with great color reproduction. I truly get disappointed on the rare occasions when I do not have this camera on me and have to opt for my iPhone camera. My main use of the GRii is for street photography, and it has yet to let me down. The autofocus is fast and very rarely misses. The ability to setup hot keys makes getting your camera settings a breeze when time ... MoreIf it's true that the best camera is the one you that's with you, than this is by far the best camera I have ever owned. I have been using the GRii nearly everyday for over a year now. Its small body not only makes it incredibly convenient to carry around, but it is also super discreet for getting candid shots of people. With it's 16 mp APS-C sensor, this camera takes very sharp, professional quality images with great color reproduction. I truly get disappointed on the rare occasions when I do not have this camera on me and have to opt for my iPhone camera. My main use of the GRii is for street photography, and it has yet to let me down. The autofocus is fast and very rarely misses. The ability to setup hot keys makes getting your camera settings a breeze when time is of the essence. Also the built in ND has come in handy more times than I can count when shooting on the fly. I also purchased the wide angle conversion lens and although it makes the camera too large to fit in your pocket, if you are going on a longer shoot and plan on roaming around with your camera ready in hand, than the wider focal length is totally worth it in my opinion. One of the major pros about this camera is its durability. Even though this camera is not weather sealed, I have used it many times in the rain and snow with no issues. My only criticism is that the low light performance could be a bit better. I try to never go above 1600 iso with this guy, so if you plan on doing a lot of low light stuff and want to keep your shutter speed up then I would not recommend this camera. Also, if this camera just had an articulating screen for shooting from the waist and an EVF then it would be the most amazing thing since sliced bread for a street photographer like myself. Maybe well see that on the GRiii, but until then this camera will remain in my pocket as my go to street shooter. So overall, if you are looking for a camera that is super convenient but still takes very sharp pictures with accurate color reproduction and are mainly looking take photos with a wide focal length, than I highly recommend this camera. I have gotten my moneys worth a long time ago and there has not been a day that I have regretted this purchase. Happy shooting!

Exceptional, sharp images. An outstanding outdoors camera.

I feel silly at how long it took me to get this camera, and how long and windy path I had to take to it. I take most of my photos outdoors, hiking, mountain biking, and being a turist. I started with a mix of DSLRs (Olympus E-M1, Pen-F lately), and Panasonic LX100. They were great, but the DSLRs were too complicated -- no easy way to carry in such a way that they are always ready, and I would slow down my companions when I needed to take them out to take a photo. The LX100 and LX7 before are very nice, but not outstanding.The GRII takes photos that are simply stunning. The detail, color rendition, pure sharpness is second to none. I think that perhaps the 75mm Olympus on E-M1 is closest, but that's the best M43 lens. It is a universe of difference from any other ... MoreI feel silly at how long it took me to get this camera, and how long and windy path I had to take to it. I take most of my photos outdoors, hiking, mountain biking, and being a turist. I started with a mix of DSLRs (Olympus E-M1, Pen-F lately), and Panasonic LX100. They were great, but the DSLRs were too complicated -- no easy way to carry in such a way that they are always ready, and I would slow down my companions when I needed to take them out to take a photo. The LX100 and LX7 before are very nice, but not outstanding.The GRII takes photos that are simply stunning. The detail, color rendition, pure sharpness is second to none. I think that perhaps the 75mm Olympus on E-M1 is closest, but that's the best M43 lens. It is a universe of difference from any other point and shoot I have had.And so, for me, the GRII has become a wonderful compromise. Yes, it does one thing only -- wide angle. But it does it so well! And wide angle is so useful outdoors! So perhaps I come back with only 70% of the photos I could have taken with a zoom camera, as I need to pass on certain framings. But the photos I come back with are stellar, and in the end this matters more to me; they are a true feast for the eyes. They have a certain edge... I have photos of backlit grass and trees that seem to reveal just how pure the light was that particular day... it's not a matter of pixel peeping; also micro-contrast, rendering the small shines of small things, getting the impression of being immersed in teh scene... And I can carry the camera always ready in a small belt pouch, and take photos quickly without slowing down anyone.Don't be fooled by thinking "only" 16 MP. Remember that 24 MP is sqrt(3/2) = 22% more pixels linearly only, and a sharp lens on 16 MP is much better than a meh lens on 24 MP. Also, there's something to be said for having RAW files that are 18 MB; I am not sure I would enjoy every RAW (well, DNG in fact) file be 27 MB. Ok, space is getting cheaper, but the speed of doing backups is not really getting any better, and the flash memory of my laptops is not cheap.

Fantastic camera

I used to love to shoot black and white film, develop, and print, taking the time to get everything right, capture the feeling of that moment. But there is no place like Pittsburgh Filmmakers here in Baltimore for me to do these things, and even if there were, work and family now take 99.5% of my time. Perhaps someday the luxury of film will again become possible for me. Until then, I had been taking pictures with my cell phone, which does a passable job and got me very used to having my camera in my pocket. And with everyone else taking pictures with their phones all the time, people hardly notice; they carry on naturally with whatever they were doing, and the attempt to capture doesn't destroy the spontaneity of the moment. I reached a point where I wanted to see ... MoreI used to love to shoot black and white film, develop, and print, taking the time to get everything right, capture the feeling of that moment. But there is no place like Pittsburgh Filmmakers here in Baltimore for me to do these things, and even if there were, work and family now take 99.5% of my time. Perhaps someday the luxury of film will again become possible for me. Until then, I had been taking pictures with my cell phone, which does a passable job and got me very used to having my camera in my pocket. And with everyone else taking pictures with their phones all the time, people hardly notice; they carry on naturally with whatever they were doing, and the attempt to capture doesn't destroy the spontaneity of the moment. I reached a point where I wanted to see if someone who enjoys setting an aperture or shutter speed might be able to find a serious digital camera that is small, to be both at-hand and unobtrusive. I searched a bunch of lists for best point-and-shoot and the GR/GR II came up many times. I didn't even know Ricoh made cameras. I read the reviews on B&H and everyone seemed to love it. I bought it and spent a few hours trying to get good and quick with basic operations. Took it on a family trip -- absolutely fantastic camera. I love the image quality, the speed of shooting, the flexibility for fully manual, fully automatic, lots of gradations in between. The sharpness of the pictures is amazing. It is just as pocketable and unnoticeable as one could hope. The spontaneous moments, landscapes and portraits are phenomenal. Messing around one night in the middle of nowhere, no light pollution, blanket of stars above, I took 5 second exposures once a minute for 5 minutes -- you can see the trails made by the stars as the earth spins. Unreal. I wish it could name image files by the date and time (with suffix if needed for more than one image/second) as done by an Android phone. Trivial quibble. Excellent camera! Zoom w/ your feet!

Fantastic ricoh griiix

This camera arrived super fast. So happy with Service and delivery. And the camera is terrific. Small lightweight and love the colour of urban edition. Photos turn out amazing. Couldn't be happier. I am taking this camera with me everywhere which is exactly what I wanted.

For Me, Not For Everyone

I was tired of lugging my DSLR when mtn biking or doing long hikes, and I wanted something compact, light, great IQ, and that wont break the bank. This definitely fit the bill. I was able to take it out both biking and hiking this past weekend and was extremely pleased with the results. I recommend purchasing a mini-tripod to get some great slow-shutter shots for landscapes.Cons:18mm APS-C Fixed focal length lens (may be a con for some, but the simplification can definitely be beneficial)Optional wired shutter release vs option for IR remote shutter releaseMust buy battery charger separately if you don't want to charge battery in-camera (recommend buying non-Ricoh brand charger for savings)Pros:18mm APS-C is a very useable focal length in many ... MoreI was tired of lugging my DSLR when mtn biking or doing long hikes, and I wanted something compact, light, great IQ, and that wont break the bank. This definitely fit the bill. I was able to take it out both biking and hiking this past weekend and was extremely pleased with the results. I recommend purchasing a mini-tripod to get some great slow-shutter shots for landscapes.Cons:18mm APS-C Fixed focal length lens (may be a con for some, but the simplification can definitely be beneficial)Optional wired shutter release vs option for IR remote shutter releaseMust buy battery charger separately if you don't want to charge battery in-camera (recommend buying non-Ricoh brand charger for savings)Pros:18mm APS-C is a very useable focal length in many situations14mm APS-C wide angle conversion lens with surprisingly excellent image quality (highly recommend getting this)[accepts 62mm filters] Note: this weighs almost as much as the camera itselfMacro conversion lens (I do not have this, so I cannot comment on quality, but it amplifies magnification and allows you to get closer to objects)Highly customizable menus and buttons6 savable user modes (the dial has 3, but you can switch them out easily with other saved user modes)Relatively quick and snappy focusAccepts filters with the GH-3 attachment (49mm) [GH-3 attachment sold separately and needed for conversion lenses]Wired shutter release has a 'half press' for focusing just like the camera. It is actually more a 'touch press' which is really niceSelectable ND filter. This is great for getting nice flowing water shots or for other reasons you may want to extend shutter speed or use a wider aperture in brighter light. I am not sure how many stop equivalents this is, but I would say it is at least a 3 stop ND equivalent, if not more. If you want something stronger then you can attach a filter to the GH-3 attachment (or conversion lens).Large, APS-C size sensor packed in a small camera bodyNoise is very well controlled and comparable to my Pentax K-5iisInexpensive replacement batteries (non-Ricoh brand)Sharp wide open at f/2.8Small and lightweight at about a half a pound

I'm impressed with this pocket sized camera

I never thought I'd be buying a point and shoot camera! But this one is on steroids. All the bells and whistles you'd possibly want, except of course for lens interchangeability and and a finder, EVF or OVF. Even though it has a fixed lens, comparable to a 35mm 2.8, which is very sharp, what I do miss, which is why I gave it 4 stars, is image stabilization. I have and still use a EM5, with its five axis stabilization, and I've become used to being 'bailed out' while using a shutter speed of 1/15th of a second. So I'm spoiled. But the GR II makes up for it in other ways. Navigating it's menus is easier then the Olympus. Setting up the MySet's on the mode dial is nice. The screen is bright, and only becomes a problem in really bright sun. High ISO sensitivity is ... MoreI never thought I'd be buying a point and shoot camera! But this one is on steroids. All the bells and whistles you'd possibly want, except of course for lens interchangeability and and a finder, EVF or OVF. Even though it has a fixed lens, comparable to a 35mm 2.8, which is very sharp, what I do miss, which is why I gave it 4 stars, is image stabilization. I have and still use a EM5, with its five axis stabilization, and I've become used to being 'bailed out' while using a shutter speed of 1/15th of a second. So I'm spoiled. But the GR II makes up for it in other ways. Navigating it's menus is easier then the Olympus. Setting up the MySet's on the mode dial is nice. The screen is bright, and only becomes a problem in really bright sun. High ISO sensitivity is excellent. Shots taken at 6400 look pretty clean. And the fact that the lens collapses into the body, at the same time is covered, makes for more worry free toting in your pocket. There's no lens cap to come off, and get lost, and accidentally exposing the lens to scratches. As far as battery life, it appears to be decent, though I haven't had it long enough. Ricoh supplies a AC adapter that allows you to charge the battery while in the camera. Its workable but not really practical if your used to having a extra battery or two. But chargers are out there, and the non Ricoh brands work just as well and are pretty cheap. My son is getting married in a few weeks, and thats when I intend to put this camera through its paces! Should be fun!

Just what I was looking for!

I was looking for a camera that I could take with me everywhere and the Ricoh GR II was the perfect choice. It's not convenient to pack around a DSLR for those random unexpected moments when inspiration hits. The GR II fits in my jacket pocket and is always at the ready. It only takes one second to power up and start snapping and with the ability to create 3 custom user profiles, as well as tweak the factory built profiles, I always know exactly how the camera will perform. The built in filter effects are also surprisingly nice to work with and the B&W mode is absolutely beautiful. It has every feature you would want in a Pro DSLR and then some. I wanted the second generation GR over the original because of the NFC and Wifi funtions, offering the ability to transfer ... MoreI was looking for a camera that I could take with me everywhere and the Ricoh GR II was the perfect choice. It's not convenient to pack around a DSLR for those random unexpected moments when inspiration hits. The GR II fits in my jacket pocket and is always at the ready. It only takes one second to power up and start snapping and with the ability to create 3 custom user profiles, as well as tweak the factory built profiles, I always know exactly how the camera will perform. The built in filter effects are also surprisingly nice to work with and the B&W mode is absolutely beautiful. It has every feature you would want in a Pro DSLR and then some. I wanted the second generation GR over the original because of the NFC and Wifi funtions, offering the ability to transfer photos directly to my smartphone for sharing on the spot. The transfer over Wifi is spotty at best and takes a few tries to connect properly. If you're patient enough it is worth it to keep trying as this camera provides photos that no smartphone camera can offer. I also don't get remote control from my Android phone or IPad as advertised, but to be honest I wasn't interested in this function. I also feel that these hiccups could be fixed with firmware updates so I'm not entirely disappointed. I would highly recommend this camera to anyone who is looking for an affordable, portable discreet camera with incredible image quality. Carry one in your jacket pocket and you'll be surprised at how often inspiration strikes!

Little Big Camera Scores a Win!

I gave a 5 star rating because we all know that this is a 28mm (equiv.) fixed lens and is the latest version of the cult favorite Ricoh GR series. How can we find fault for the very reason we want the camera? Of course it's not for everyone. But if you're reading this, it's probably a camera that you'd love. I have had my eye on the GR digital series for some time now. I started with film long ago and made the digital transition from Canon EOS to Canon Digital EOS. I now shoot Nikon (nothing against Canon as I love their system). The Nikon D700 better fit my needs than the 5DMKII, but that's another story. I also shoot with the Fuji X100 (love it) and the Fuji X-Pro 1. I've owned and used way too many cameras to list but let's just say that I've been searching for ... MoreI gave a 5 star rating because we all know that this is a 28mm (equiv.) fixed lens and is the latest version of the cult favorite Ricoh GR series. How can we find fault for the very reason we want the camera? Of course it's not for everyone. But if you're reading this, it's probably a camera that you'd love. I have had my eye on the GR digital series for some time now. I started with film long ago and made the digital transition from Canon EOS to Canon Digital EOS. I now shoot Nikon (nothing against Canon as I love their system). The Nikon D700 better fit my needs than the 5DMKII, but that's another story. I also shoot with the Fuji X100 (love it) and the Fuji X-Pro 1. I've owned and used way too many cameras to list but let's just say that I've been searching for the perfect street camera for years (sorry, but the Leicas have always been out of my price range). A couple of months ago I purchased a used Ricoh GR Digital (the original one from 2005). Weird little guy with a small sensor that simply rocks. It's very limited of course but set on jpeg black and white only with the display turned off (and using the optional viewfinder) it's a blast for street photography. This made my want the APS sized image sensor next. The new GRII is a whole new world compared to the 2005 model. I use them both though. Each has it's own purpose. The GRII is getting some complaints (by people who haven't used it) because it isn't much of an upgrade from the GR1 (2013 model). I disagree. If you already own the GR1 then upgrading probably doesn't make much sense but to say that the GRII upgrades don't amount to much is purely subjective. I've already said too much (or perhaps too little) to list all the upgrades on this new version but wi-fi is pretty cool and the improved auto-focus is always a plus. STROBIST ALERT: I'm going to get a Pentax flash that will allow wireless TTL high speed sync also. Wireless TTL flash doesn't mean much to many folks but is huge for some of us. Yes, I use wireless manual flash with it already and take advantage of it's extreme high sync speed just like I do with my Fuji X100. The crazy effects button (some new ones have been added I believe) is actually pretty neat for some cool effects straight out of the camera. The Pentax TAV selection on the mode dial is a fast way to go from full manual to manual plus auto-ISO. I'm not one to turn my nose up at new or different approaches to taking pictures. If it helps me to create an image that fits my vision and can do so in a fluid motion, I'm more than okay with learning new tricks. The interval composite is awesome for star trail composites straight out of the camera (it saves each image and adds to it as you go....astrophotogs should love this feature). Pixel mapping, improved battery life, improved in camera raw processing (great for sending an image via wifi to the web) are also important to many of us. I'm sure that I'm missing something new that's important, but if you're wanting a great little camera that will fit into your pocket (not tight jeans kind of pockets, more like loose fitting khaki or cargo pants kind of pockets) this is really hard to beat. If 28mm is too wide for you, then get something else.

Small but mighty

I bought this camera because I needed a truly pocketable camera (not just compact like an X100V, but truly actually fits in a pocket). Considering how incredibly tiny it is, the image quality is superb, and really shines in contrasty direct sunlight. The biggest complaint I have is with the auto focus selection points, it often misses focus even when it should be clear what I'm pointing it at. My primary camera is a canon R5, so I'm spoiled by its lightning fast AF, and it's not fair to compare this to that. But really, that's my only complaint! Weather sealing would be nice, but not the end of the world. Would definitely recommend if you want something light, compact, but still great images.