A Big Summer

Ricoh GRIIIx

My wife and I spent the last 10 weeks or so driving around Western Canada and Alaska. I’ve been traveling with a simple kit: the Leica M10-R, a 28mm Ultron v2, the 50mm Summilux, and the Ricoh GRIIIx. Mini review time!

Leica M10-R

My primary camera. I’ve shot about 20k photos on this since I purchased it new in October of 2021. I use this camera about 90% of the time; it’s been with me to all over the lower 48, Europe, up and down a handful of mountain hikes, and through the ringer on some off road motorcycle trips, and now to Alaska and back. It’s beat to hell - dents, cracks - but still works perfectly. No plans to sell or stop using it.

Voigtlander 28mm Ultron v2

It’s fine. Huge value for the money. Very sharp, small, easy to use. It vignettes a lot harder than I like, even up at f5.6. I don’t know if it’s my copy, the M10-R’s sensor, or some combination. The images can feel a little sterile? I’m not big into “character” in lenses, but this may lean too far in the other direction (similar to their APO-Lanthar 50mm).

Edit: I’m an idiot and had a weird lens profile set on the M10-R for this lens. The vignette improves dramatically with it manually set to a 28mm Summicron. Just because the 28 & 50 is a killer travel combo I’ll hang on to this lens; also want to try the 35mm version.

Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH

Easily my favorite M-mount lens. I love 50mm, too. Much ink has been spilled on this so I won’t belabor the point; an amazing piece of kit, very much a “life” lens.

Ricoh GRIIIx

Unbeatable size to quality ratio. I often chuck it in my pocket even if I’m carrying another camera. It allows me to get photos I wouldn’t otherwise get in places I wouldn’t carry a “big” camera. It’s kind of like a phone camera in that way. The 40mm focal length is clutch.

End mini review time!

Additional thoughts

I’ve had a few cases where I wanted a longer lens. Or an EVF. Or both. I think I may ditch the 28mm Ultron v2 (or switch to the 35mm Ultron v2) and either use the Fuji 18mm f1.4 or double down on the Q2. I can adapt my 90mm Color Skopar to the Fuji for a 135mm option. Still thinking it through…I love not having eight cameras to choose from.

If I were really brave (or actually talented) I would drop everything and just bring the GRIIIx. Or the Leica and a 50mm. Make do, you know?

Some photos

Some random shots. I need to do a better job of collecting the ones I really like.

Ricoh GRIIIx

Leica M10-R, 50mm Summilux

Ricoh GRIIIx