Ricoh GR II

£530/$640 It’s a streetwise little camera

For those who feel that travel photography is all about capturing foreign culture, more like street photography, the Ricoh

GR II is a good fit. It’s very small and unassuming, and certainly won’t attract attention. It’s actually the smallest and lightest camera on test, and easily pocketable.

The APS-C format image sensor gives the fixed prime lens an effective focal length of 28mm, which is a little wider than the 35mm of the competing Fujifilm X100F. The GR II’s megapixel count is lower, at 16.2MP instead of 24.3MP, and the controls feel basic. Given the ‘street’ suitability of the camera, the ‘snap focus’ facility is great. It enables you to set the focus to one of a range of preset distances, complete with depth of field indication.

Performance

Compared with the X100F, autofocus accuracy is a little inconsistent and there’s the same lack of image stabilisation. But with no viewfinder, no touchscreen control and no LCD tilt facilities, it feels basic. Images look less vibrant and high-ISO noise is noticeable – the GR II is small, but that’s all.