biglouis
Veteran
This is not a scientific review but I hope it will give you some idea about the construction and use of the Ricoh GW-3 Wide Conversion Lens for the Ricoh GR.
As you can see the kit comprises two separate components. You must purchase the Hood and Adapter GH-3 in order to mount the GW-2 lens. This seems to me to be a bit shoddy on the part of Ricoh - you can purchase a combined kit but I could not find it in stock. In the end I actually ordered the GH-3 from one company and the GW-3 from another in order to try and keep the costs down. RRP for both items is in the order of GBP 250 but by splitting the components I managed to get it down to GBP 200 including delivery.
The mount is a solid plastic tube which clicks satisfyingly into place onto the GR body. You need to remove the mount cover, which is the bevelled ring surrounding the fixed lens in order to fit the mount. Once fitted the GW-3 lens screws into the mounting tube. At first I was pretty unimpressed with this method of mounting. However, the mounting tube also allows filters to be used with the fixed lens. As I already have an investment in the superb Lee 75 filter system this could open up creative possibilities. My one main concern though is that the tube is plastic and therefore so is the filter thread. I suspect I will have to be very careful and precise if I swap the GW-3 for my Lee filter holder to avoid cross threading when mounting. In fact, for the moment I have left the lens assembled with the GH-3 and anticipate I will swap it out very rarely. Incidentally, the whole assembly fits very nicely in the supplied soft lens bag and there is even a front and rear lens cap.
Note that in the photograph I have not unwrapped the lens hood for the GH-3, nor do I plan to do so. It is large and incongruous. You can also see the supplied lens hood for the GW-3 which is made of soft flexible rubber, more on that later.
This is the whole kit assembled and tricked out with the GV-1 external viewfinder - which conveniently comes with both 28mm and 21mm framelines built in. I also recently purchased a DPSTCH wrist strap which is one of the best straps I've obtained recently. I had to order it from the USA but it arrived quickly and is very high quality.
The most important thing for me with any kit is not how it looks but how it works. Here are two unprocessed RAW files (converted to JPEGS in LR5) to demonstrate the basic field of view and performance of the GW-3.
I did not precisely adjust the horizon on the above shot - because I was using the external viewfinder to frame and not the LCD screen. I am sure the 'Cycle Hire' post is not curved(!) so I can only conclude that the GW-3 exhibits a certain amount of barrel distortion. However, I could not see any evidence of this on another unprocessed frame, taken inside one of the new District Line rolling stock on the London Underground (below).
All the lines look perfectly straight to me here. The bright yellow poles on either side of the carriage are in fact curved so if there is barrel distortion perhaps it is being masked?
In any case - and this may be a heretical statement - I have come to worry less and less about lens performance with each passing release of Adobe Lightroom. The fact that the software can correct so many forms of distortion at the move of a mouse means that very little is beyond adjustment and I have printed processed files up to 30x20 with no visible imperfection.
So, the real test is what the lens can deliver creatively over the fixed 28mm lens and here the results (I hope) speak for themselves. Unfortunately, this unit has arrived in the middle of winter with dark mornings and early evenings so nearly all my captures so far are at very high iso (at least iso3200 and sometimes iso6400). Nevertheless I think the unit has performed very well. Of course, my preference for recording urban grunge may not be to everyone's taste but there is a reason for using the GR in such circumstances - the discrete size of the unit.
I also unhesitatingly do not apologise for the various forms of post processing used in these captures. To me a digital camera is a blank canvas - the post processing software is my studio for creating the vision in my minds eye (if you will pardon the somewhat pretentious sound of that statement).
The famous Beigel Bakery in Brick Lane, before dawn
Near Pedley Street arch, Spitalfields
Whitechapel dawn, arrival of the Air Ambulance at the Royal London Hospital
Shoreditch High Street
Corner of Brick Lane and Cheshire Street
Sclater Street Spitalfields
New builds, Sclater Street, Spitalfields
Some final conclusions.
The main pros of this unit is that it extends the use of the basic GR. On some occasions 28mm is just not wide enough. Picture quality using the GW-3 is perfectly fine for probably 99% of uses. I would argue that even if you are a fine art professional photographer earning a living from your work then with the judicious use of correction software in post processing you will get perfectly acceptable results with this attachment.
If cosmetics are important to you then all items are nicely packaged and the form factors are good. Although the mount is plastic it is quite sturdy, I would just be aware of the use of a plastic filter thread which may (will?) degrade over time with regular use. That said, for many users once mated with the GH-3 it is unlikely you will ever detach the GW-3.
There is one obvious disadvantage which I am not going to hold against Ricoh and that is the size and weight of the unit which means that once mounted the GR is no longer the pocketable camera that it is without the GW-3. Of course, you would have to be blind not to notice that in any consideration of the purchase of the GW-3.
I have two more serious issues with the unit. The first is cost. Altogether, if you don't shop around you are likely to pay nearly half the price of the GR itself to own this extension. I think that is excessive but you will have to make up your own mind if you agree. Secondly, beware of the floppy rubber lens hood. Unlike rigid hoods which normally lock into place, this slides on to the barrel from the rear end. There is a small raised point on the hood to show how it aligns with the barrel but I missed this. It is imperative that it is aligned correctly or it will occlude the frame and show up in photographs. Personally, after using it for two days I've decided it is a waste of time and will probably not bother with it any more.
So, in fact - no real serious issues as long as you are willing to pay the price.
If you need the extension to 21mm it is a truism to say you have no other possibility but in any case it does extend the creative possibilities of the GR albeit at a cost both in terms of the price and the impact on portability. I plan to carry the GR in one pocket and the GH-3/GW-3 in another so I am not obliged to carry both in a camera bag and therefore remain 'travelling light' while photographing.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
As you can see the kit comprises two separate components. You must purchase the Hood and Adapter GH-3 in order to mount the GW-2 lens. This seems to me to be a bit shoddy on the part of Ricoh - you can purchase a combined kit but I could not find it in stock. In the end I actually ordered the GH-3 from one company and the GW-3 from another in order to try and keep the costs down. RRP for both items is in the order of GBP 250 but by splitting the components I managed to get it down to GBP 200 including delivery.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
The mount is a solid plastic tube which clicks satisfyingly into place onto the GR body. You need to remove the mount cover, which is the bevelled ring surrounding the fixed lens in order to fit the mount. Once fitted the GW-3 lens screws into the mounting tube. At first I was pretty unimpressed with this method of mounting. However, the mounting tube also allows filters to be used with the fixed lens. As I already have an investment in the superb Lee 75 filter system this could open up creative possibilities. My one main concern though is that the tube is plastic and therefore so is the filter thread. I suspect I will have to be very careful and precise if I swap the GW-3 for my Lee filter holder to avoid cross threading when mounting. In fact, for the moment I have left the lens assembled with the GH-3 and anticipate I will swap it out very rarely. Incidentally, the whole assembly fits very nicely in the supplied soft lens bag and there is even a front and rear lens cap.
Note that in the photograph I have not unwrapped the lens hood for the GH-3, nor do I plan to do so. It is large and incongruous. You can also see the supplied lens hood for the GW-3 which is made of soft flexible rubber, more on that later.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
This is the whole kit assembled and tricked out with the GV-1 external viewfinder - which conveniently comes with both 28mm and 21mm framelines built in. I also recently purchased a DPSTCH wrist strap which is one of the best straps I've obtained recently. I had to order it from the USA but it arrived quickly and is very high quality.
The most important thing for me with any kit is not how it looks but how it works. Here are two unprocessed RAW files (converted to JPEGS in LR5) to demonstrate the basic field of view and performance of the GW-3.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
I did not precisely adjust the horizon on the above shot - because I was using the external viewfinder to frame and not the LCD screen. I am sure the 'Cycle Hire' post is not curved(!) so I can only conclude that the GW-3 exhibits a certain amount of barrel distortion. However, I could not see any evidence of this on another unprocessed frame, taken inside one of the new District Line rolling stock on the London Underground (below).
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
All the lines look perfectly straight to me here. The bright yellow poles on either side of the carriage are in fact curved so if there is barrel distortion perhaps it is being masked?
In any case - and this may be a heretical statement - I have come to worry less and less about lens performance with each passing release of Adobe Lightroom. The fact that the software can correct so many forms of distortion at the move of a mouse means that very little is beyond adjustment and I have printed processed files up to 30x20 with no visible imperfection.
So, the real test is what the lens can deliver creatively over the fixed 28mm lens and here the results (I hope) speak for themselves. Unfortunately, this unit has arrived in the middle of winter with dark mornings and early evenings so nearly all my captures so far are at very high iso (at least iso3200 and sometimes iso6400). Nevertheless I think the unit has performed very well. Of course, my preference for recording urban grunge may not be to everyone's taste but there is a reason for using the GR in such circumstances - the discrete size of the unit.
I also unhesitatingly do not apologise for the various forms of post processing used in these captures. To me a digital camera is a blank canvas - the post processing software is my studio for creating the vision in my minds eye (if you will pardon the somewhat pretentious sound of that statement).
The famous Beigel Bakery in Brick Lane, before dawn
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Near Pedley Street arch, Spitalfields
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Whitechapel dawn, arrival of the Air Ambulance at the Royal London Hospital
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Shoreditch High Street
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Corner of Brick Lane and Cheshire Street
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Sclater Street Spitalfields
New builds, Sclater Street, Spitalfields
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Some final conclusions.
The main pros of this unit is that it extends the use of the basic GR. On some occasions 28mm is just not wide enough. Picture quality using the GW-3 is perfectly fine for probably 99% of uses. I would argue that even if you are a fine art professional photographer earning a living from your work then with the judicious use of correction software in post processing you will get perfectly acceptable results with this attachment.
If cosmetics are important to you then all items are nicely packaged and the form factors are good. Although the mount is plastic it is quite sturdy, I would just be aware of the use of a plastic filter thread which may (will?) degrade over time with regular use. That said, for many users once mated with the GH-3 it is unlikely you will ever detach the GW-3.
There is one obvious disadvantage which I am not going to hold against Ricoh and that is the size and weight of the unit which means that once mounted the GR is no longer the pocketable camera that it is without the GW-3. Of course, you would have to be blind not to notice that in any consideration of the purchase of the GW-3.
I have two more serious issues with the unit. The first is cost. Altogether, if you don't shop around you are likely to pay nearly half the price of the GR itself to own this extension. I think that is excessive but you will have to make up your own mind if you agree. Secondly, beware of the floppy rubber lens hood. Unlike rigid hoods which normally lock into place, this slides on to the barrel from the rear end. There is a small raised point on the hood to show how it aligns with the barrel but I missed this. It is imperative that it is aligned correctly or it will occlude the frame and show up in photographs. Personally, after using it for two days I've decided it is a waste of time and will probably not bother with it any more.
So, in fact - no real serious issues as long as you are willing to pay the price.
If you need the extension to 21mm it is a truism to say you have no other possibility but in any case it does extend the creative possibilities of the GR albeit at a cost both in terms of the price and the impact on portability. I plan to carry the GR in one pocket and the GH-3/GW-3 in another so I am not obliged to carry both in a camera bag and therefore remain 'travelling light' while photographing.
