Someone at work mentioned the phenomenon of unboxing the other day—the fetish of meticulously recording the process of opening brand new electronics for the vicarious enjoyment of others.

At first I was horrified. I mean, really, could anything more superficial signify the gross consumeristic malaise afflicting this country? But the more I thought about it, the more I came to appreciate it as a playful act of reverence, a way for adults to relive the simple joy of unwrapping presents and to share that joy with others. So I’ve decided to play along. But how did I get here?

A funny thing happened while I was waiting for my Canon A570 IS to arrive. I stopped wanting it. In fact I realized what I wanted was quite different (and quite a bit more expensive): a camera with a full frame, 35mm sensor. But I wasn’t ready to drop $3000 for the Canon 5D and a lens or two just yet. So I decided to return the A570 and keep waiting…

Then a few days later Tim Bray mentioned that Ricoh was releasing an updated version of their completely unique GR Digital. This was a camera I really wanted. A wide fixed focal length point and shoot with SLR features in a small body. Previously I’d been put off by its age, price tag, and supposedly lackluster image quality. But comparing an updated GR Digital to the price and size of a Canon 5D was a no brainer. I jumped on the GR Digital II, and pre-ordered one from Adorama straightaway. It finally arrived today!