Return of the Ricoh
My Ricoh GX100 has made it back from the Ricoh authorized repair facility in Arizona. This has been it’s THIRD trip: first two under warranty (lens movement issues) and the third under my own dime (power supply issue).
My feeling is that there were definitely quality control problems with this product. If it breaks again, I will not pay to repair it.
And yet, I felt a strange elation at the camera returning to me. It’s suprising how much I enjoy shooting with this camera given the kind of problems I have had with it. Point Ricoh for nailing the ergonomics like no other camera maker has.
This also hammers home to me how much I love a good serious compact. I’ve been having fun shooting with the Panasonic GH1, but it is just in another league. That’s another league as in good for file quality, but bad for portability. It felt great to put the GX100 back in its very small case and sling it over my shoulder. At this time, with the GH1 kit lens, I cannot do the same with it. I am looking forward to trying some smaller lenses on the GH1 to see if I can come up with a manageable “carry everywhere” package.
This Ricoh reminds me of an old college girlfriend: can’t live with her, can’t live without her. I can tell you how that ultimately turned out: she’s history.
