I received a note today from my editor at Macworld Magazine. She acknowledged receiving the draft of my assigned review of the Ricoh GR compact camera. Good news of course. I'll soon be paid. But that also means that she'll soon be asking me to send the camera back. I really don't want to.

I receive equipment for testing and reviewing from different sources. In some instances, I have a contact with the manufacturer or the PR agency representing the company. Those are the best because, if they like you, they tend to be more lenient about loan duration. Even when they ask for the product back, I can negotiate a stay of execution for a few more weeks. (Of course some gear I can't wait to send back and get it out of my sight.)

These same agencies send gear to publications for review. In those situations, everything seems to be more by the book. In large part, the publication, such as Macworld Magazine in my case, wants to maintain an image of journalistic professionalism. And rightly so.

But it also means that I will soon have to say good bye to this beautiful compact camera with an APS-C sized sensor. It's such a joy to shoot with the Ricoh GR. It feels like it was designed by serious photographers who understand how we think. I call it the little camera with a big heart.

Maybe the loan will slip everyone's mind for just a bit longer.

-Derrick