Ricoh GR IIIx, Black, Digital Compact Camera with 24MP APS-C Size CMOS Sensor, 40mmF2.8 GR Lens (in The 35mm Format)

UPDATE, 4/23/2019: My original review is below, however I wanted to change my initial assessment from four to five stars due to a couple of considerations. One, I have found battery life to be fairly consistently better than the 200 shots advertised, unless I spend a lot of time editing RAW files or similar processor-intensive activity. Second, and more important, Ricoh released their first firmware update on 4/22, a month after the US release date, and it includes two things: support for the updated Image Sync app, allowing the camera's Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connection to smartphones, and an improvement to the camera's low light focusing speed and accuracy. Thank goodness for that last addition! I'm impressed with Ricoh for getting something out so fast to address the biggest downfall with the camera, and it does indeed improve things. Focus speed in very low light is still a lot slower than my Panasonic GX85 (but keep in mind, I am testing that camera with lenses that have wider maximum apertures than the GR III) but it is much faster and hunts a lot less than it did pre-update. This improvement applies directly to the main reason that I didn't initially rate this camera at five stars, so I am happy to be able to address that with a positive improvement. I know there are still forthcoming firmware updates, since the camera still has a "Grain" setting on some JPEG modes that is not fully functioning, and that future update is actually mentioned in the camera literature. END OF UPDATE, ORIGINAL REVIEW BELOW. The Ricoh GR III has been long awaited by Ricoh users now, since the original APS-C GR was released in 2013 and used 2013 technology, and the GR II really only added connectivity to the same camera. Sensor, processor etc. have been from that era for six years now, so it was high time for an update. I was lucky enough to be one of the first batch of Amazon stock, so I’ve had some time to get to know the camera. Now, if you don’t know what the Ricoh GR series is about, watch some videos or read some of the reviews for earlier models; the recipe hasn’t changed. It’s a truly pocket-sized camera that, unlike other pocket cameras, has excellent ergonomics, is designed for quick and effective operation, even one-handed, and delivers unique and powerful images with high quality and fidelity. I’m coming from using the Ricoh GR II for almost a year, and the GR III came at the right time (close to my birthday) so I was able to sell my previous model with little wear and tear and try the new model. I’ve used APS-C and Micro Four Thirds in the past, with a Panasonic GX85 being my main camera at present, but the Ricoh GR series has always been a unique spin on a camera, and one that complements another system quite well. I loved the GR II but always worried about developing dust on the sensor (the first one I bought had dust from the factory, even, so I exchanged it), and the dust removal system of the new model was icing on the cake for me along with all of the other updated features. Rather than give a lengthy review which most people won’t read (I tend to like to ramble on), I’m going to give some bullet points on what I think this camera offers over the previous models, and similar cameras among the competition. Everything else you can get from a spec sheet or a review in a lengthier format. • Image quality is absolutely fantastic. I love it. High ISO looks great, the feel of images is just incredible. GRs are tuned to be... different, in a good way. This one preserves that, while dialing up the IQ at the same time. Now, if you really liked the effect filters from the GR II, they are here except for cross process (sadly... firmware update? Ricoh is very good about improving and developing on their cameras post-launch, and they listen to users better than most, which not going so far as to compromise what they see as the core concept of the GR cameras) but they have a slightly different feel. There are a lot more parameters to change, but the GR II felt expertly tuned from default. So, what about Fuji JPEG colors? Personally, I’ve always felt that Fuji’s colors were only special in an era when most manufacturers’ JPEGs were bad. Everyone has gotten better, but Fuji can’t iterate because they’ve already given their film simulations fancy names, and people know what to expect. I think Ricoh’s Positive Film style bests Fuji’s Classic Chrome, personally. And the contrasty B&W options Ricoh makes are a lot different than the more subtle ones Fuji makes, so it’s not much of a comparison. • The touchscreen is awesome, Ricoh really got it right. It feels almost like a Panasonic, sadly without a screen to access all the main functions via touch on the same screen, like Panasonic or Olympus. But surprisingly, touch to focus and shoot is a fantastic addition to the repertoire of a GR. I can even shoot with the camera in my left hand! Anyone who has ever juggled a drink and a camera should appreciate being able to compose and shoot with either hand! Unlike the cheaper Fuji XF10, there’s no lag or jankiness to the touch functions, they just work. • Image stabilization works super well! In such a tiny camera, shake is harder to eliminate, as I'm sure you've noticed with the GR II. This is a welcome addition. Some people said that wide angle lenses don’t need image stabilization, but some things come from experience, not spec sheets: it’s much harder to avoid shake on a small camera body that is very light, so anything to aid in getting stable photos is good. Plus, being able to handhold down to half a second or longer, with care, allows for very cool light trail and movement blur effects handheld which you just couldn’t do with previous GRs, or any of the small Fujis. • The added resolution makes 35mm crop a lot more viable. Macro function is improved, and very sharp. 50mm crop combined with macro can be quite surprising. On a camera which is limited to a single, wide angle focal length, resolution enough to allow for fairly heavy cropping is a great thing. On top of this, the lens is so sharp that crops don’t suffer from a noticeable drop in resolution. The previous GR lens was super sharp, this one is even sharper if you believe the specs and tests, and my experience backs these up. • There are a few flaws. No camera is perfect, and not every previous flaw in the GR’s design was thoroughly fixed. Battery life is sure not great, but you can eke a lot more than the rated 200 shots out of it by switching the camera off when you're not taking photos. AF is the big bugbear. Fortunately, it’s not as bad as they say. It's very similar to the GR II, except noticeably faster in good light, and possibly worse in very bad light. My GX85 eats it for lunch in very low light, but I hold that the AF only completely falls on its face in lighting you probably wouldn't think to get photos in. Low, indoor artificial light is the main culprit. Even in low twilight outside, I got focus to lock pretty consistently. It’s a significant disappointment even so, and the biggest reason I couldn’t give this camera five stars out of the gate, because the lackluster AF in the previous model has been talked about so much, Ricoh knew it would be a big deal to users in the new model. And they tried. The camera now has phase detect and contrast AF in hybrid form, which theoretically should cut way back on hunting and racking focus. In good light, it does. But in bad light, it still really needs work. Ricoh has pointed out that the design of the lens requires that a larger group of elements, instead of a single lens element, need to move around to focus the camera. This allows for the high image quality. But it shouldn’t make the camera hunt as much as it does in bad light. I do expect things to get somewhat better in firmware updates, and I may even add a star. Here's the thing: the GR III is definitely a worthy upgrade over the GR II, and rockets the GR back into a premium option. But the GR II is special in its own right, and you could miss the recipe that that camera was made of, including the grainy, dirty high ISO look and the long and slim body style. And the flash. I'm not sorry I replaced mine, though. Because the GR III is special.

La mejor cámara que pude haber adquirido. Después de tanto buscar encontré lo ideal, compacta, ligera, saca fotos hermosas y la transferencia de fotos al celular es muy sencilla.

Update: Simply put, I couldn’t recommend this camera more. I absolutely LOVE it. Everything about it, actually. Goes in my jacket pocket everywhere I go. Takes GREAT pictures. The transfer of photos to my iPhone is also smooth and easy. I’ve been away from photography for a while, and this little Ricoh has brought me right back. If you’re curious about the picture quality, check out my Instagram, “Jasokrish”. (Keeping in mind that Instagram uses pretty aggressive compression.) Just buy this camera. You will not regret it! I received my Griii “Street Edition” on March 6, 2021. If you’re like me, you may have had a difficult time figuring out which Street Edition version this is. As you can see in the picture, my kit includes the Street-Edition camera finish and orange ring. It does NOT include the view finder or the strap with the matching-orange patch. Instead, it comes with a simple plain black strap. For me, I don’t care about those two things. I bought this camera as a replacement for my iPhone. I love the portability of the Griii. And thinking about it like my iPhone, I have never once wished my iPhone came with a viewfinder. I can take pictures from any point-of-view, very stealthily, and practically instantly, with the griii’s snap focus. I think the “limited Edition” kit includes the viewfinder for about $300 more, but it can also be purchased separately, if wanted. For me, I don’t think I’d ever use a viewfinder. Kind of defeats the purpose of the camera. The kit, however does include an extra battery, so that was a nice surprise. (How many batteries this kit includes is not very clear in the Amazon description.) It also includes a cable and electrical plug for charging the battery in camera. There is no external battery charger. Quick one-day impression of the camera itself is just, “wow”. The YouTube reviews all praise the sharpness of this camera, and I can vouch for how detailed my photos are. (Especially compared to my iPhone 11 Pro, which also is a decent camera—but no where able to produce the sharpness of the griii.). Ease of use, after living with YouTube instructional videos for a year or longer has also been a welcome surprise. It’s really simple, or as complex, as you want to make it. My first few shots have been impressive. I actually said, “Holy crap” when I looked at the pictures on my camera for the first time. Transferring images from the camera to iPhone is also very simple. Works through wifi or Bluetooth, which is sweet! I will update this review as I go. So far I’m absolutely loving this camera.

Llegó Justo la que anuncian un día antes de la fecha estipulada. Todo perfecto 👌🏼

Ricoh Ricoh Ricoh. The gr3 is in a class of its own. I came from Fujifilm where the colors could not be compared to other brands. Fujifilm cameras are impossible to find and are insanely high on the used market. I kept seeing recommendations for the Ricoh and gave it a go. First off griii vs griiix. My favorite lens on my Fuji mirrorless camera was a 27mm. That’s close to a 40mm equivalent in full frame size; the same size as the griiix. The 40mm is wide enough to use indoors and up close. I really like it and would buy it again. I found myself cropping photos on my older compact camera. I still do with the Ricoh, but not as drastically. I’m able to retain a lot of detail and sharpness this way. Cons: battery life and low light noise. Battery life is junk. Buy 2+ extra batteries and a separate charger. The camera has high noise in dark environments. Shutter speed is good, but noise is high. Camera: I wanted a HIGH quality compact camera that can fit in a pocket. Phones nowadays have insanely good image quality. This takes photos that look more distinct with an added flair of quality. The lens is incredibly sharp. I saw many reviewers mention this and did not comprehend. I can take a photo of someone from 8ft away, zoom into their face, zoom into their glasses and see myself holding the camera. When I take pictures of pets, I can zoom in to see all the individual hairs. My older camera smoothed everything out and I never really noticed the lack of detail. I mainly got this for family photos. I’ll have one kid smiling and other making a face. The shape lens lets me zoom in and make a great photo out of an imperfect circumstance, redirecting the photo to the smiling person. My old camera had a lot of autofocus issues. I haven’t dug in too deep yet, but I’ve already found a sweet spot. I took pictures of my kids running up the hill, just a random point and shoot. They came out sharp and clear. Sometimes the autofocus doesn’t hit and that’s clear. My old camera would “lock on” and still miss this shot. This will hit if it locks on. I’d like to see eye recognition in this. With face, sometimes it grabs something in the background. Film simulations I loved how my old cameras had built in film sims. Ricoh has them too. They are different and not necessarily copies of Fuji. There is a community of custom recipes. I immediately picked my favorites and have them saved as u1, u2, u3. You can save 6 total. If you want to dabble in this, I recommend taking screenshots of the recipes and adding in notes as you test them out. Some work great indoors while others only look normal outdoors in the sun. I generally aim to have a bold, regular and muted sim loaded. Dust: dust getting inside the camera is a big concern with Ricoh. I got the jjc stick on lens. For dusty dirty environments, I plan to use the filter adapter since that encompasses the moving lens. With that, the thinking is i can wear the Ricoh on my neck and not worry while being out all day. This camera is tiny. I can fit it in the front pocket of my shorts. I’d love to get a griii regular now too, but it’s not needed. It would be great though, just low on my list. I think this will be an indispensable item for many. You can easily bring it with you everywhere.