Snap focus is only because a thing on Ricoh cameras because the autofocus on GR is so terrible. It may have got better on the APS-C sensors, but on the GRD CCD cameras that are now over 10 years old are truly terrible at AF, UNLESS the Snap function is turned on, and then you will at least have a better chance of getting something in focus (I say this out of experience having my own GRD IV- which I still love, because it is so small as well as silent). Fanboy cult hype is an incredibly powerful marketing tool.
@@robinwong thanks for the pin, but there a grammatical error in there which is bugging me, and because it's now pinned I can't change it! It should read: 'Snap focus is only a thing on Ricoh cameras because the autofocus on GR is so terrible.' (I get wound up by these little things because I'm dyslexic and try to do my best to hide it!!)
I don't think snap focus on the GR is just a version of zone focusing. The GR can with a full shutter press "snap" to the preset zone focusing point, no matter how you are currently focused. That means you can keep the camera in autofocus mode and shoot normally, but whenever you need to grab a quick zone focus shot, there is nothing to adjust, the camera "snaps" into the preset zone focus. You simply cannot do that on a camera without snap focus. On other cameras you will have to be in either manual or autofocus mode, on the GR it's like being in manual and autofocus mode at the same time.
"Snap Focus" is a Ricoh marketing term. Lots of street photographers do it when "camping" to capture people walking through a scene. I've been doing it for years with old film cameras.
It's fun, but the 15mm a truly horrible lens. The 9mm otoh though is surprisingly sharp, I've even had an image taken with one of those used on a giant billboard at a rather luxurious awards event in Mayfair, London!
Very true comment on snap/zone focus. In fact, I've been doing some street photography lately with the 7Artisans 18mm f6.3 lens cap/pancake lens on my Fuji X-T20 with full manual mode and zone focus, in B&W. I think a more unique feature on the GR and Fuji X100 series is the leaf shutter... daytime flash photography in bright background without the hassle of cumbersome high-speed sync flash setup or ND filters. Happy shooting, everyone. Robin, good to see your presence after dropping OM. Way to go!
Once upon a time film cameras (notably compacts without through the lens focusing) had hyperfocal range printed by the aperture ring of the lens. You set the aperture and the focus point somewhere in front of the actual subject. You would get roughly 1/3 in front and 2/3 behind in "acceptable focus", this was sometime called hyperfocal focusing. Yeah, snap focus. You could leave the lens set like that for holiday snaps.
There are definitely differences in usability. In later firmwares, Ricoh GR III and GR IIIx have a pretty nifty feature called Snap Distance Priority, which adjusts the aperture based on a chosen distance and depth of field (there are three settings, with the 3rd providing the largest DOF). This allows, based on photographer's confidence and skill in judging the distance, to have the optimum aperture selected automatically (e.g. not too small opening if the subject is far, small enough if the distance is short). This is actually the only way how I use the snap focus, it makes the zone focusing very straightforward.
Hi Robin. Very interesting review. I have an E-M10 Ii an E-PM1 and I very recently bought this 7artisans lens for it's portability. I'm in vacation and I'm using this camera-lens combo to go at the beach as it fits in a pocket and is pretty much inexpensive so there is not much problem in damaging with sand or water. For me, the main caveat of the combo is the fact that the E-PM1 doesn't have viewfinder or focus peaking, in that way, the lens is more usable with the e-m10 Ii. But, in the other hand, it really is a pocketable combo and, although I am a raw shooter and the lens has it's own "character", I am having great results strait in jpeg by shooting in "vivid" with +2 contrast and +2 sharpness.
Good video Robin. Back in the day (film) I had an Olympus Trip 35. It had an f2.8 lense aperture priority shutter, and used no battery. I usually used Kodachrome 64 film. It had a viewfinder. It had symbols on the lense fore zone focusing. However most of my shots were in bright sunlight and I didn't even bother setting the zone focus. Most shots were in focus and properly exposed, within an f stop or 2. The big problem was the offset viewfinder. Closer photographs the viewfinder would result in a cut off heads.
Robin, another very informative video. I have the UFO version of this lens for my M43 cameras and I also got the version II for Sony E mount. Been a bit too busy to go out and shoot with them but now I want to make time for it. Another useful tool in the bag.
Great little lens, I have one, but I tend to prefer the Funleader cap lens. A little more expensive and a little slower at F/8 but image quality is a bit better and easier handling with it's nice focus lever. Great video! Thank you.
In zone focusing the sharpness has a bel shape, the more you are out the selected distance the more unsharp... the sharpness in zone-focusing is considered as a "acceptable sharpness", if you want better sharpness use Pre-focusing if possible. But the auto-focus system this days are so efficient that the only use of zone-focusing I reserve is for my manual vintage lenses. For judging sharpness of your pics use 1:1 not the screen of your smartphone of course.
Hi Robin, great video. I had a Ricoh gr3x but sold it. Not because it was bad I just couldn't use it every day as I was just so aware of how expensive it was. I was so paranoid about dropping the camera or getting dust into the sensor. I know you have shot lots of alternatives. What would you say gets the closest to it but on a budget ? I have been looking at old pens with the pana 20mm lens ? Any advice would be great
Whenever I think I want a GR or a Q, I just put on a small prime or even my old BCL-15. All I need to do is wait out my impulsive brain. No doubt I still really want the new Q, but it’s the equivalent of 6 months of mortgage payments and I’d like to stay married 😊
So some genius at Ricoh re-branded zone focus as "snap focus" and now all the TikTok influencers are talking about it? I must be out of the loop, as I haven't heard that term until I watched this video. I own the original "UFO" version of this lens. It can be fun--I like to use it in a high contrast B&W mode. It's also good to use it with the other Art modes, like "Toy Camera" and "Pinhole Effect".
Not true. I don't think Olympus 9mm or 15mm is any better than the 7Artisans 18mm optically. And one thing for sure, the 7artisans is metal built, vs cheap plastic body cap lenses from Olympus. Not to mention the 7Artisans has very nice throw for manual focus, unlike the tiny useless lever on the Olympus version.
Snap focus is only because a thing on Ricoh cameras because the autofocus on GR is so terrible. It may have got better on the APS-C sensors, but on the GRD CCD cameras that are now over 10 years old are truly terrible at AF, UNLESS the Snap function is turned on, and then you will at least have a better chance of getting something in focus (I say this out of experience having my own GRD IV- which I still love, because it is so small as well as silent). Fanboy cult hype is an incredibly powerful marketing tool.
This comment needs to be pinned.
@@robinwong thanks for the pin, but there a grammatical error in there which is bugging me, and because it's now pinned I can't change it! It should read: 'Snap focus is only a thing on Ricoh cameras because the autofocus on GR is so terrible.' (I get wound up by these little things because I'm dyslexic and try to do my best to hide it!!)
I don't do street photography, but I always enjoy this channel.
I dont even have a camera, but i do love to watch. Its so amazing to see all the photos taken by old camera but still better than smart phone
I don't think snap focus on the GR is just a version of zone focusing. The GR can with a full shutter press "snap" to the preset zone focusing point, no matter how you are currently focused. That means you can keep the camera in autofocus mode and shoot normally, but whenever you need to grab a quick zone focus shot, there is nothing to adjust, the camera "snaps" into the preset zone focus. You simply cannot do that on a camera without snap focus. On other cameras you will have to be in either manual or autofocus mode, on the GR it's like being in manual and autofocus mode at the same time.
"Snap Focus" is a Ricoh marketing term. Lots of street photographers do it when "camping" to capture people walking through a scene. I've been doing it for years with old film cameras.
Amazon is showing it for $60 now - must be the “Wong Effect”! 😆😆
This reminds me of the Olympus 15mm body-cap lens. I've had a lot of fun with that, and even took it on vacation once as my only lens!
It's fun, but the 15mm a truly horrible lens. The 9mm otoh though is surprisingly sharp, I've even had an image taken with one of those used on a giant billboard at a rather luxurious awards event in Mayfair, London!
At the end it is all about: know your gear a the eye of the photographer. You skill both Robin. Very nice vid.
Thanks bro! KL looks amazing in your photos and I miss it too much.
Very true comment on snap/zone focus. In fact, I've been doing some street photography lately with the 7Artisans 18mm f6.3 lens cap/pancake lens on my Fuji X-T20 with full manual mode and zone focus, in B&W.
I think a more unique feature on the GR and Fuji X100 series is the leaf shutter... daytime flash photography in bright background without the hassle of cumbersome high-speed sync flash setup or ND filters.
Happy shooting, everyone.
Robin, good to see your presence after dropping OM. Way to go!
Once upon a time film cameras (notably compacts without through the lens focusing) had hyperfocal range printed by the aperture ring of the lens. You set the aperture and the focus point somewhere in front of the actual subject. You would get roughly 1/3 in front and 2/3 behind in "acceptable focus", this was sometime called hyperfocal focusing. Yeah, snap focus. You could leave the lens set like that for holiday snaps.
There are definitely differences in usability. In later firmwares, Ricoh GR III and GR IIIx have a pretty nifty feature called Snap Distance Priority, which adjusts the aperture based on a chosen distance and depth of field (there are three settings, with the 3rd providing the largest DOF). This allows, based on photographer's confidence and skill in judging the distance, to have the optimum aperture selected automatically (e.g. not too small opening if the subject is far, small enough if the distance is short). This is actually the only way how I use the snap focus, it makes the zone focusing very straightforward.
Snap focus is some genius marketing
what a cute lense, so small an fun to use.
Zone focus should help a lot in street photography when using a manual focus lens like this.
Hi Robin. Very interesting review. I have an E-M10 Ii an E-PM1 and I very recently bought this 7artisans lens for it's portability. I'm in vacation and I'm using this camera-lens combo to go at the beach as it fits in a pocket and is pretty much inexpensive so there is not much problem in damaging with sand or water. For me, the main caveat of the combo is the fact that the E-PM1 doesn't have viewfinder or focus peaking, in that way, the lens is more usable with the e-m10 Ii. But, in the other hand, it really is a pocketable combo and, although I am a raw shooter and the lens has it's own "character", I am having great results strait in jpeg by shooting in "vivid" with +2 contrast and +2 sharpness.
I do zone focusing with my Lumix 20mm 👌
Good video Robin. Back in the day (film) I had an Olympus Trip 35. It had an f2.8 lense aperture priority shutter, and used no battery. I usually used Kodachrome 64 film. It had a viewfinder. It had symbols on the lense fore zone focusing. However most of my shots were in bright sunlight and I didn't even bother setting the zone focus. Most shots were in focus and properly exposed, within an f stop or 2. The big problem was the offset viewfinder. Closer photographs the viewfinder would result in a cut off heads.
one slim bodycap lens vs 1k griii lol. another great video.
Thank you Robin … nice country, nice people, nice lens. Greetings from Belgium !
Robin, another very informative video. I have the UFO version of this lens for my M43 cameras and I also got the version II for Sony E mount. Been a bit too busy to go out and shoot with them but now I want to make time for it. Another useful tool in the bag.
Great little lens, I have one, but I tend to prefer the Funleader cap lens. A little more expensive and a little slower at F/8 but image quality is a bit better and easier handling with it's nice focus lever. Great video! Thank you.
In zone focusing the sharpness has a bel shape, the more you are out the selected distance the more unsharp... the sharpness in zone-focusing is considered as a "acceptable sharpness", if you want better sharpness use Pre-focusing if possible. But the auto-focus system this days are so efficient that the only use of zone-focusing I reserve is for my manual vintage lenses. For judging sharpness of your pics use 1:1 not the screen of your smartphone of course.
Yep - I always used zone focussing on my old Minox 35GT, it was ace......though the camera was unreliable!!🤣
Hi Robin, great video. I had a Ricoh gr3x but sold it. Not because it was bad I just couldn't use it every day as I was just so aware of how expensive it was. I was so paranoid about dropping the camera or getting dust into the sensor. I know you have shot lots of alternatives. What would you say gets the closest to it but on a budget ? I have been looking at old pens with the pana 20mm lens ? Any advice would be great
Thank you Robin .🤝👍🏼
Whenever I think I want a GR or a Q, I just put on a small prime or even my old BCL-15. All I need to do is wait out my impulsive brain. No doubt I still really want the new Q, but it’s the equivalent of 6 months of mortgage payments and I’d like to stay married 😊
I LOVED this video..❤
So some genius at Ricoh re-branded zone focus as "snap focus" and now all the TikTok influencers are talking about it? I must be out of the loop, as I haven't heard that term until I watched this video. I own the original "UFO" version of this lens. It can be fun--I like to use it in a high contrast B&W mode. It's also good to use it with the other Art modes, like "Toy Camera" and "Pinhole Effect".
Thank You...
Thank you :) That was funny :)
I bought this lens but didn't test it properly until now.
If anyone wants a toy lens for mft then just get the 9mm or 15mm f8 Olympus body cap lens, so much better optically than this one. :)
Not true. I don't think Olympus 9mm or 15mm is any better than the 7Artisans 18mm optically. And one thing for sure, the 7artisans is metal built, vs cheap plastic body cap lenses from Olympus. Not to mention the 7Artisans has very nice throw for manual focus, unlike the tiny useless lever on the Olympus version.
Oh, and the 7Artisans is also CHEAPER!