Hands on: Ricoh GR III review

The Ricoh GR was launched for the first time more than 20 years ago … and the new GR III will be the 12th generation of this camera that was designed in the era of analog. The basics of the camera remain the same. It has a fixed wide-angle lens, equivalent to a 28 mm in old 35 mm.

This luxury camera is selling on its small size and image quality. The GR series appeals to travel photographers and street specialists, who want a camera that slips easily into your pocket.

Nowadays, of course, everyone already has a wide-angle camera in the form of the camera phone. It is not surprising then that the Ricoh GR III needed to add technical tips to its arsenal to ensure its relevance in the age of smartphones.

Ricoh GR III – features

This latest digital version incorporates a decent size APS-C sensor with a 24 megapixel count. There is no anti-alias filter on the camera, but the integration of a dust control system on the system means that the vibration of the sensor can be used as an anti-aliasing filter if you must turn it on to avoid moiré problems.

To attract serious shooting enthusiasts, the GR III offers full 14-bit RAW shooting – but video recording is limited to Full HD (there is no 4K here). RAW files can be developed in the camera.

The 18.3mm f / 2.8 lens is composed of six elements divided into four groups – and has a nine-blade diaphragm to facilitate bokeh. The fixed lens of course has no zoom capability, but it offers 35mm and 50mm crop modes for those who want to get closer. And there is also an optional ultra-wide screw converter (the GW-4) that gives an effective focal length of 21mm.

A new addition is a three-axis image stabilization, which offers a four-beat improvement in shutter speed that you can achieve with hand exposures. The ISO standard has also been increased to a maximum of 102,400, which will help strengthen camera references in low light conditions.

Autofocus also now benefits from hybrid autofocus – using phase detection for speed and contrast detection for accuracy. There is a macro mode that allows you to focus on subjects between 5 and 12 cm. And you can also focus manually – with modern equipment such as focused focus to help you do it precisely.

The camera comes with no less than ten image filters, all customizable. The HDR function and an intervalometer that allows you to shoot in increments of 10 minutes up to 24 hours are more interesting. Ricoh tells us that you can superimpose up to 2,000 images on the same frame, depending on the multiple exposure mode.

Another tip is to install an integrated two-stop optical ND filter – to help you use larger openings when recording video or to increase the shutter speed for still images.

Its connectivity credentials are strong. Bluetooth and WiFi technologies are standard: you can connect the camera to your phone using the Ricoh ImageSync application. And there is a USB-C socket for data transfer and charging.

Ricoh GR III – handling

The beauty of this camera lies in its size, Ricoh has made every effort to make it smaller than its predecessor. The result is an easy-to-use camera with one hand, making it the ultimate flash camera. But it should be noted that to get the camera to this size, the GR III is doing without a built-in flash.

A weak point, however, is that you do not have an eyepiece as standard (an optional viewfinder is available and plugs into the shoe). You are therefore required to use the LCD screen from three inches to one million points on the back for composition and settings.

This LCD is now touch-sensitive, making it easy to choose the point you want to focus on, for example. However, the screen is not tilting, which can prove to be a flail when shooting at low or high angles, or in case of strong sunlight.

The camera offers a good range of buttons and dials to facilitate the use of all its features. There are front and back wheels, for example. And besides three customizable user modes, the exposure mode button also features a customizable function button (Fn) on the back. However, the dials are not particularly strong nor as pleasant to the touch as you would like with a camera at this price.

Ricoh attaches great importance to the camera's startup time …. its motorized lens can be ready and operational in just 0.8 seconds when you press the power button. However, you will soon notice that the camera is rocking early enough – which could be uncomfortable for those who want the camera to always be ready for the decisive moment.

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