Ricoh GR III: If you only use ONE preset, make it THIS one!

[@byfleetsurrey]

Thank you so much this is going to change my photography it’s brilliant

[@photosoftaiwan]

Great to hear! Have fun!

[@Kids11111]

Thank you so much. I’ll be shooting street for the first time as a beginner, and this helps.

[@photosoftaiwan]

Thanks for the comment! Enjoy your street photography!

[@timothyschmoll3037]

I’ve been using this preset for about a week and love the results. Thanks for the amazing tip and keep them coming.

[@photosoftaiwan]

That’s great! I’m glad you found it useful!

[@Johnny641]

A nifty point and shoot setting , just added to my GR3. Thanks.

[@photosoftaiwan]

Thanks for the comment! I have more presets coming soon :)

[@steveshadowphoto9346]

Great video, thanks! Its nice to see old-school technique applied to a digital; well done!

[@photosoftaiwan]

Thanks for the kind comment!

[@gillyb44]

Thank you from a newbie. Excellent . 😅

[@photosoftaiwan]

Thanks for the comment! Enjoy!

[@buyaport]

Using f 8.0 with 1/320 s means you need a lot of light. Already with f 5.6 you can get everything in focus from 1.5 m to infinity (hyperfocal distance, set the snap focus distance to 3.5 m). Setting the snap focus distance is the same as setting the manual focus distance. (But you need to set focus mode to Snap then). I find snap easier to use, but it really is a matter of taste.

[@photosoftaiwan]

Thanks for the comment. Yes, you need a decent amount of light, or be prepared for increased ISO. I’m blessed to live in a really sunny location. The preset update advocates switching to Snap Distance Priority. It takes a bit of getting used to but it’s great! These presets are a starting point. I just hope that they get people using the presets, they are one of the best features of the camera

[@kbstabs5982]

Really good. Much better than faffing around with snap focus

[@photosoftaiwan]

Thanks for the comments! I actually updated my preset to incorporate Snap Focus Priority. When you switch to the preset it’s essentially the same setup, but SFP has several benefits and I believe it’s worth exploring. 2024-04-25 f8 and Be There & Emotion Presets Update kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3qwp6uep9CZidU

[@fredlee2239]

Hi there, I found this setting very useful. However, I couldn't set the min, shutter speed on my original GR (I version) under Auto ISO menu (3:36). Is there a way to do so on the original GR or an alternative?

[@photosoftaiwan]

Thanks for the comment. I don’t have an original GR to try. I would just shoot in Manual mode with the shutter speed set to 1/320th and f8. Then adjust your manual focus to get maximum coverage. Set the ISO to auto and choose your upper limit. Then save it. Let me know how it goes!

[@jeffreysmith8633]

Impressive tutorial. Thanks. Subscribed.

[@photosoftaiwan]

Thanks for the comment and the sub!

[@TimParker]

Great video! How did you get it so when you change mode the mode information shows up on the screen with the name and properties? thanks!

[@photosoftaiwan]

My camera has always done that when using presets. U1-3. Incidentally, the shooting info display settings also get saved with the preset.

[@joelrosario8960]

Hi, I'm really interested with your Night&Low Light preset. Do you mind sharing it too? Thank you

[@photosoftaiwan]

Thanks for the comment and the interest! Yes! I will make a preset video for night shots

[@ericecheverry]

Great suggestion!

[@beduboy1]

for some reason, when I set the camera to auto ISO 100-6400 with the minimum shutter priority speed to 1/320, the camera seems to be stuck on an iso of 6400 and the shutter speed goes above 1/320 to as much as 1/30. Any thoughts why that might be?

[@photosoftaiwan]

Check that the iso is actually on auto. Just setting it up doesn’t mean auto iso is active. By default the rear wheel left will switch it

[@BMadPhoto]

Great idea - I just checked on the GR3x, at f8, you can 2m-infinity at f8, need f13 or f14 to really cover all the way to 1m which is doable on sunny days, or just go with 2m - i find shooting at the 40 length anyways, 2m is usually good

[@photosoftaiwan]

Thanks for checking that! Yes, 2m is close enough for that lens!

[@steveearlse]

Hi, wondering if anyone else is having an issue, maybe i have something wrong, but was out shoiting last week with this setup and a lotcof my shots were in pretty bright sunny spaces yet the camera returned shots at iso of 2000 @ 1/320 and f8. Im finding the noise and iso really bad for shots in bright conditions? Help ..

[@photosoftaiwan]

Thanks for the comment. Let me give you my thoughts on this. This is quite subjective, what is acceptable for one person is not for another. Here are the steps I would take to tune your setup: 1. Shoot in RAW. 2. Make test shots at different ISO settings. 3. Fine tune your noise reduction process. Lightroom doesn’t do a great job here. For special images I will use DXO or Topaz Labs software. 3. Once you have established your own ISO limit. Set that in the Auto ISO settings. 4. Remember that once the ISO limit is reached, the shutter speed will start to slow down. If you are getting blurred images, then you will need to open the aperture a bit and lose some depth of field. Photography is always a balance and we tread a fine line to get the results we want. This preset works for me most of the time because here in Taiwan, it’s often bright sunlight and harsh shadows. Another option is to use snap distance priority. Use DOF 3 and f8. It gives perhaps better results than the original preset because it can be more flexible. I hope this helps, if you have further questions, just ask, I’m happy to help.

[@cb2721]

Whoa, your iso is way too high for daylight. Are you on auto iso? It should be around 200-400 imo. If you’re on auto iso, turn it off, set it to manual and try these settings. ISO 400, f/8, 1/250, center-weighted metering This setup defaults to overexposed but puts you in the midpoint to easily adjust. If you’re shooting in a lit area up the shutter to 1/500 - 1/1000 or higher if needed. If you’re shooting in shadows and need more light drop it to 1/125 or lower if needed. I like to set the metering to center-weighted so the screen doesn’t go berserk trying to correct exposure based on where the focus point is at. Just note that this setup is only for outdoor daytime situations. Hope that helps!

[@photosoftaiwan]

Thanks for commenting. I get what you mean about the ISO, however in this case, Auto ISO is essential for this to work. It's a preset after all. You can lower the upper ISO limit to match your personal taste. To maintain the f8, the shutter speed will drop anyway once the ISO limit is reached. One of the reasons I made this video was to make people aware of the presets, and how powerful they are. Nothing is set in stone, take away the things you like. Most of all, keep shooting!

[@tommartin909]

when I try increase the focus distance on MF the yellow bar also moves, not sure if you have any hacks for this?

[@photosoftaiwan]

Sorry for the late reply, the yellow bar on the MF indicator is the actual focus distance. The green section is the depth of field. Make sure you set up in Av aperture priority, then you will see the green section clearly.

[@menzlo]

I miss Taiwan. Cool video!

[@photosoftaiwan]

Thanks for the kind comment! Taiwan is great! 🇹🇼

[@RobOK_BTC]

Why not use Snap Distance Priority? Does same thing

[@photosoftaiwan]

Snap distance does not do the same thing. You have to set the snap distance and then judge when the subject is in range. If you have the snap distance set close, i.e. 0.3 or 1m and the aperture is pretty wide, the background will more than likely be out of focus. The main reasoning for f8 is that when the focus is set manually and saved by the GR III. It removes the need to worry about focusing at all. Incidentally should the subject be closer than 1m, you can tap the screen to focus closer and shoot. Afterward, go out of the mode and back in to reset the focus distance though

[@RobOK_BTC]

@@photosoftaiwan To clarify, I am talking about the added Snap Distance Priority mode, not simple Snap Distance. Within it you can set the DOF mode which in essence is setting the aperture. There is a video about it, i will post if i find it

[@photosoftaiwan]

@RobOK_BTC ahh, yes. I have never gotten to grips with using that. Maybe I should revisit that feature and compare it. Thanks for your observation. I always like to keep an open mind and am eager to learn from others!

[@Knightyear]

@@RobOK_BTCcan you post that video?

[@crimsonautumnsun]

Why are the photos in B&W?

[@photosoftaiwan]

B&W is my personal preference. I actually shoot in RAW so I can choose later

[@nicklopro]

I hate thinking when shooting! I may have to try this out. I love snap focus on my Ricoh Gr IIIx. Lets me capture so much that I would have missed otherwise. I just put out a youtube short where I use it to catch cool shots of my wriggly dog who cannot sit still lol. Check it out if you got 56 seconds to spare Thanks for sharing this man. Excited to see what I can get. Subbed!

[@photosoftaiwan]

Thanks for the kind comment! I will check out the dog!

[@xavax4695]

Oh thank you! This isn't just an awesome snapshot mode. I also finally understood how easy it is to set up and save user settings. That was always a red flag for me.

[@photosoftaiwan]

Thanks for the comment. I’m happy it was useful information. I’m working on another preset video right now. It should be ready later. It’s very different to f8 and be there!

[@xavax4695]

Thanks, I'm curious

[@Bewar3them00n]

I presume this is in bright sunny conditions?

[@photosoftaiwan]

Yes, it was fairly bright, but not all in direct sunlight

[@secondintime1118]

Nice video. Tried it and don’t get a single shot in focus. Shutter speed never goes above 1/30 unless pointed at direct sunlight. ISO never below 6400 which makes pictures unusable. Been over and over the settings and they are exactly the same as yours.

[@photosoftaiwan]

Just check these for me: Mode dial: Av and aperture set to f8 ISO Auto: upper limit 6400 Lower limit 100 Minimum shutter speed 320 Set the manual focus distance save the settings to a box Make sure the box is recalled or assigned to U1,2 or 3 Once it’s set change the mode dial to U1,2 or 3 Let me know if this helps

[@secondintime1118]

@@photosoftaiwan hi, thanks for getting back to me. No change. Files are unusable. Even in really good light, static subject, iso never drops below 4000 and the noise is just terrible. Even reset camera. If I take same shot, on another mode a get a lovely sharp image. No good for street and as you were using it though as subjects are there blurred. No idea how you are getting the images you are getting with those settings.

[@photosoftaiwan]

@secondintime1118 if you are shooting in daylight and the ISO never drops below 4000 then something is off. Are you sure the ISO is set to Auto? I would start in Av mode. Set the camera to f8 and take a shot. It should be fine, then add the settings one by one and see where it goes wrong. I’ll do a zoom call with you if that would help

[@IAcePTI]

@@secondintime1118 Do you have the ND Filter ON? If yes turn it off

[@photosoftaiwan]

@IAcePTI that’s a great observation! I believe it’s a 2 stop reduction

[@youphototube]

It is not a bad setting but you are always better off to shoot manual with auto ISO . This gives you far more control on the fly over DOF. All you need to know is what Aperture will give you full DOF if you need it and use snap focus for focal distance. Also, it seems to be a KZbin mantra to set the upper limit of ISO at 6400. This is wrong advice. You can get good results up to 12800. What happens to your photos if your camera needs a higher ISO than 6400, nuts!. The only caviat is if shooting at high ISOs then expose correctly as dynamic range is reduced. I get great results on my OM-1 (micro 4/3) and Ricoh GR3x up to and including 12800 if exposed correctly, and over ISO 20000 on my Nikon Z8.

[@photosoftaiwan]

Thanks for taking the time to comment! Some very useful information there

[@ulfgreger]

Great video. Miss my Ricoh GR sometimes. Using a Fujifilm X-Pro1 w/ 35mm myself

[@photosoftaiwan]

X-Pro1 is still a great camera. Are you waiting for the GR IV?

[@ulfgreger]

@@photosoftaiwan yes Im waiting for gr4. Hope the weather seals it and I miss the flash

[@dirkpehrke9909]

There is no difference between your settings and snap focus. Only one: you’re loosing the flexibility of snap focus. Let your display settings show you the distance of what’s in focus. No matter if snap is set to 1.5, 2 or 3 meters, at f/.8 everything from about 1 meter to eternity is in focus. But in snap you know if setting the Aperture to 5.6 or 4 or 2.8, if it’s set to 2 meters the settings will work at that distance. With your settings you’re lost. Snap is no miracle. It uses manual focus at given distances, but with the flexibility of changing it fast and transparent. Your proposal just takes the flexibility. I might use it on cams that don’t have snap focus.

[@photosoftaiwan]

That's a really great comment, thank you. I only briefly tried snap focus priority, and I had problems with it. Not because of the mode, because of the rear wheel on my camera. Like many others, it has become defective and unreliable. My preset in this case is more reliable for me. I have been trying to fix the wheel. If I can get it working reliably, then I will make an updated video using that mode. Once again, thank you so much for your input

[@sayhowling]

i was wondering- why not just be in Snap mode. theyre almost similar

[@NickDixon]

I dunno. Feels like "cargo cult" photography - do what those people did and surely you'll get the same result. The reason Weegee proposed "f8 and be there" was about choosing a simple general setting and getting the shot. These days we can use Auto modes or Program mode for that.

[@photosoftaiwan]

It’s still open to debate whether or not Weegee actually coined that phrase. Many say that the Speed Graphic wasn’t usually shot at f8. There are a number of reasons for f8, and why it’s still very relevant today. In the case of the GR III it effectively removes the need to focus thereby making it easier to concentrate on the shot. The other reason is that most lenses perform better when stopped down a bit. I’m definitely not a pixel peeper and prefer to get the shot over trying to get perfection

[@ixoye56]

As long as there is enough light...

[@photosoftaiwan]

Thanks for the comment. Decent light is a requirement although, the preset is meant to be a guide for folks to take and use as they like. I would switch to a different setting for low light

[@youphototube]

What you have essentially done is set apperture priority mode up the same way as manual mode with auto ISO i.e. by selecting a minimum shutter speed of 1/320. For me that is a wast of time and versatility. So, to do the same as you in manual mode with auto ISO. Just choose an aperture of f8 and a shutterspeed of 1/320. Manual mode with auto ISO is far more versatile. As I can change the shutter speed at the flick of a dial when needed or the aperture. 1/320 shutter speed is not a universal constant for sharp images. Or intentional blur. I use manual mode auto ISO on my Ricoh and Nikon Z8. If shooting street I often have my Ricoh shutterspeed at 1/500 and the Z8 1/000 or higher. Oh, it is simple to set up the Z8 to zone focus. What a street demon that camera is. Bit difficult to fit in your pocket though!

[@iwe7078]

Might as well just use your iPhone 😢

[@photosoftaiwan]

May I ask, do you have a Ricoh GRIII?

[@iwe7078]

@@photosoftaiwan Yes. imo if you only use one preset this camera is probably a waste of money.

[@photosoftaiwan]

@@iwe7078 I totally agree with you. From chats with other GR users, many of them never use a preset at all. The presets are wonderful.

[@seamanjive]

Or use your phone....

[@photosoftaiwan]

Phones are good too. Whatever works for you