Make sure this fitsby entering your model number. 24 MP CMOS Sensor with accelerator unit helps achieve remarkable image quality. 3 Axis; 4 Stop Shake Reduction ensures sharp images even in lower light conditions. It is also compatible with multi-tone 14-bit RAW image recording. 3" Air gapless Capacitive Touch LCD Screen makes controlling the GR III event easier with complete menu control as well as focus and shutter release. Compatible with Ricoh GR III Digital Camera
I was initially on the fence about this one, particularly with the increased price over previous models on launch, but due to the readdition of phase-detection (along with the standard contrast-detection) to the new hybrid AF system, I decided to take the plunge. My *only* gripe about the previous two models (GR, and GRII) were the loss of phase-detection; as stellar as they are, the AF isnt as on par as the older, smaller sensor versions, the GRDigitalIII and GRDigitalIV. That has now changed and I can report that though its not as fast as those older model at least in lowlight, it can finally focus in near darkness just like those older models, though it takes it a couple moments to do so. Using the assist-light helps considerably but I never use that merely because no one like to look at a green light pointed at them when its dark and it rather takes away from the nature of these cameras - unobtrusive, quick, stealthy. Ive yet to test wifi features and such and have only played with the camera for the better part of a day. The original 2013 GR is the first camera I ever pre-ordered and I did not regret that decision. It doesnt seem that Ill regret this one either. 5-stars for initial impressions. Ill expand on this review in a few weeks or months after Ive really gotten to know it. I love this camera line. A shooters camera through and through. ________________________ Update (brief) 3/26/2019: Just wanted to ad a couple thoughts though Ive still not had the opportunity to really test this thing. The wireless connectivity is proving fincky at best currently - evidently a major app update is coming from Ricoh in April which should address some issue. I really dont use these features so cannot speak to them well. The IBIS is fantastic and shots Ive taken as high as ISO6400 are ridiculously good IQ, much more than expected. Previously Ive held ISO to 800 (sometimes 1600 subject depending) but that has gone out the window. These cameras have *always* produced high-ISO noise that is far, far more pleasingly and film-grain-like as compared to other digital sensor/lens combinations found on any other camera, but now that is more true than ever. I was looking at 100% crops of images (both RAW and B&W JPG, more on that in a moment) and simply marveling at the natural looking noise - it resembles film grain now more than ever (Im still a film shooter about 90% of the time or more) and not only in B&W JPG files... even RAW color transitions have a look to them that just "works" for me. The JPG filter modes have been expanded further, particularly the B&W styles (4 or 5 different ones now, rather than just 2) and they look great. The touchscreen works great (even though Im not a huge fan of touchscreen) and the added focus options related to it are quite handy. I particularly like the scroll-wheel addition on the former d-pad. Its lovely to use and I can see myself preferring it to the old toggle that has been removed. Overall, whilst going through menus and shooting options thereve been a few times Ive literally said aloud "oh wow - that was a good idea, Ricoh". So yeah, Im enjoying this little beast.
jypfoto
5
Those interested in the Ricoh GR series of cameras know of its place in the industry. Its not your choice to shoot professional sports, its not your choice to film cinematic video, its not your choice when you want ultra high ISO performance, and its not your choice if you need pinpoint tracking. Lets get that out of the way. Lets also get the fact that it doesnt have a flash, the battery life is subpar, and that it doesnt have TAv, doesnt have the exposure comp rocker. For all it doesnt do/cant do, it has a lot going for it. Its a super small package, has a fantastic APS-C sensor, and the layout and button placement is top notch. The touch screen is pretty nicely implemented, not as good as the Canon/Panasonic touch screen implementation, but better than Olympus and Sony. Im a long time fan of the GR series, had the original GR (released in 2013) on 3 separate occasions. Each time I sold it because I thought it was unnecessary, but kept on going back to it. Skipped the GRII because it wasnt that much better than the III (thought I did buy it two weeks ago to hold me over for the III). The AF is definitely improved over the original and the II, but still not what I would call a speed demon. And Ricoh knows this and you should too. The inclusion of phase detect has made it slightly better, but because of the layout and the lens moves back and forth to acquire auto focus, its not the fastest out there. But other fixed lens cameras share similar tendencies such as the X100 series, the X70, and others. Snap focus is the highlight of the GR cameras and the inclusion of the touch to focus makes it much easier to use. Being able to choose touch to move AF, touch to move focus points and also AF, and also touch to move focus points, AF, and fire is a good touch. The GRIIIs attention to detail and features eliminates most of the "Why doesnt this work in this mode?" that other cameras suffer from. Yes the battery life stinks. Rated at 200 shots, after you cycle a few times, youll get that number if you shoot normally (take a few shots, power off, power on, take a few shots, power off, etc). After consistent use the body will heat up more than the old one, you could tell that its a power hungry beast. Ive gotten as few as 110 shots/clips and as many as 320. But there are lots of generics that are compatible, much like the older GR/GRII which you could use several different branded batteries, just look up for GRIII compatible batteries (I believe ones made for the Olympus TG Tracker are compatible). The lens is super sharp. Macro mode is improved to as close as 6cm. Sharp at 2.8, gets better at f4, but I have no issues shooting at 2.8. The X100/X70 at macro range is soft, and doesnt get sharp until 5.6 or so, but the GR is fine at 2.8. Video quality isnt the best, but itll do in a pinch. IBIS helps with video greatly over the II. Certainly not my first choice since it only does 1080/60 not 4k, and no mic/headphone jacks, but again, itll do for casual clips of my kids. Anything more serious Ill use my a7III. Picture profiles are really nice, not as well known as the Fuji film simulations, but useable. Like the fact that it outputs DNG natively. The fact that you could have such a powerful little camera in a small package allows me to carry it around in small bag, use the wrist strap, and not worry about carrying a heavy bag. As long as you know the limitations that it has going into it, youll be more than happy with the end result. Do I wish it was cheaper? Who wouldnt. But I could see this being my daily carry and use. It is improved over the GRII in most ways. Startup is faster, AF point movement is faster, the use of face detect in standard shooting mode and not just auto mode is great. It doesnt have a flash (which I never used), it doesnt have TAv, it doesnt have a exposure comp rocker (which I never used and accidentally hit a lot of times). I have the A7III but Ive used it less and less and have used the GR series more and more lately. No, this isnt the camera to rule them all. But for what it does, in the size that it does it in, its a great option.
Andrew D. Lossing
5
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 cameras Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connection to smartphones, and an improvement to the cameras low light focusing speed and accuracy. Thank goodness for that last addition! Im 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 didnt 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 Im sure youve 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 youre not taking photos. AF is the big bugbear. Fortunately, it’s not as bad as they say. Its 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 wouldnt 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. Heres 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. Im not sorry I replaced mine, though. Because the GR III is special.
Robert Summers
5
This is my first Ricoh camera, and I love it. Over the years, Ive bought Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Olympus, etc., but this new Ricoh GR III is the most user-friendly and best designed camera Ive ever owned. And it takes beautiful pictures. The layout of buttons and dials and the ability to assign preferred functions to them, is quite smart. I like that the camera preserves the mode you were in, e.g. macro, when you turn the camera off, so that it starts up again in that same mode. I hadnt expected the macro mode to be so good, with quite nice bokeh. Battery life is fine for me. Im not a professional photographer, so 200 shots on a charge is fine for me - mostly family events. I like that DNG is the RAW format. Autofocus plus snap shooting is brilliant. Press the shutter release button half-way to engage autofocus, or quickly all the way for a snap shot. So smart. I like the small things too - that I dont have to take a lens cap on and off, and that it easily fits in my shirt pocket. On and on... I like everything about the new GR III. Its a keeper. 5 big stars. Well done Ricoh.
KY
5
I had the Ricoh II but this version takes incredible photos comparatively - I’m stunned by the quality and vibrancy each time I review what I shot. I’ve even stopped using my Sony mirrorless and instead I take the Ricoh III everywhere now. I’m traveling abroad for a few months and it’s ideal. The battery life is abysmal — I easily go through four batteries in a couple hours of shooting — but the quality is so good, in general, nevermind for such a discreet and portable camera, that I can deal with this tradeoff. Other notes: the camera gets really hot with continuous use. Not enough where you can’t hold it, but it’s noticeable. Also, the focus isn’t great in low light. Despite the cons, I’m glad I upgraded. The photos off this thing are amazing!
Michael Zilkha
5
This is the first non-Sony camera I have bought in a decade. It takes better pictures than the RX 100 V or VI, especially in low light. F2.8 is not fast but because of the APSC sensor the Ricoh GR iii works well in evening social situations. Plus it is truly light and pocketable. I will still use my Sony X1 R 2 when I want superior quality and I prefer a 35mm to a 28mm focal length when I am walking around, but for casual snapshots of friends the GR iii is amazing. It is so easy to slip it into ones jacket pocket. I have had no issues with battery life and the auto-focus is decent, even in low light, and snap focus very effective. I am going on a trip later this week and planning to take the GR iii and the RX 100 VI for zooming in daylight, and leaving my full frame Sonys at home.
Michael Young
5
I purchased this camera for climbing photography during multipitch and alpine climbs. This camera is small and light enough to lead with in a small top loading soft case slung across my chest with a second backup keeper cord clipped to a single runner also across my chest. Image quality is great and its a easy to take out one handed and get good shots even while lead belaying. Because of the ergonomics of the gr iii, shooting one handed feels a lot more secure than trying to take photos with a slippery smartphone. The aps-c sensor means you can crop quite a bit and still get good quality pictures. Im extremely pleased with this camera. I know a lot of people complained about the lack of flash and electronic viewfinder but for climbing these are unnecessary and this camera being so small, light, and low profile is perfect.
KSR
5
This camera is not for everyone. If you are a skilled photographer who would like to have a pocketable camera you want to carry with you when you dont want to carry a big DSLR or even mirrorless, then this is the camera to get. I have tried to buy a small camera over the years to complement my DSLRs, but it has always come up short. That is until the Ricoh GR iii. Its small, compact, pocketable, one-hand operated, and has tons of features and controls to customize your camera. I have compared the outputs to my Nikon D850s, and the image quality comes so close that I wouldnt have known which camera if I didnt know beforehand. Its even smaller than my Fuji XF10, which is now sitting in my closet waiting to be sold along with my other small/compact cameras. Well done, Ricoh!
Thaddeus Flood
5
A great piece of hardware. The capabilities are extremely impressive in a package this compact. It’s very lightweight, great on the go. You can get well deep into various features and settings. The menu screens are a little tedious due to the lack of physical but work well if you can take the time to get the shot you want. Low-light and autofocus don’t mix well with this camera, but that’s not a huge issue given the overall mission of the camera. I’ll keep exploring the settings to see if I can boost its low-light performance.
