Ricoh GR III camera hands-on review

admin · May 19, 2019

Here is my quick hands-on review of the Ricoh GR III camera.

First, some additional pictures of the camera:

What’s in the Ricoh GR III box:

Ricoh GR III size comparison with my other favorite compact camera – the Leica D-Lux 7:

Usable ISO – for color photos I would not go over 6,400, for black and white I can probably go up to 12,800 (files exported from RAW without any modifications):

Ricoh GR III at ISO 1,600:

Ricoh GR III at ISO 3,200:

Ricoh GR III at ISO 6,400:

Ricoh GR III at ISO 12,800:

Ricoh GR III at ISO 25,600:

Ricoh GR III at ISO 51,200:

Ricoh GR III at ISO 102,400:

The 18.3mm f/2.8 lens (28mm equivalent) is surprisingly sharp across all apertures (files exported from RAW without any modifications):

Ricoh GR III at f/2.8:

Ricoh GR III at f/4:

Ricoh GR III at f/5.6:

Ricoh GR III at f/8:

Ricoh GR III at f/11:

Ricoh GR III at f/16:

I guess one of the disadvantages of having such a compact retractable lens is the heavy vignetting (files exported from RAW without any modifications, the new Ricoh GR3 also has a Peripheral Illumination Correction setting):

Ricoh GR III vignetting at f/2.8:

Ricoh GR III vignetting at f/4:

Ricoh GR III vignetting at f/5.6:

Ricoh GR III vignetting at f/8:

Leica Summicron 35mm f2 at f16

The GR III camera doesn’t have a very good battery life – get a spare battery, there is also this cheap $12 version:

For a full list of Ricoh GR III camera accessories check this post:

I like to use the optional Ricoh GV-2 28mm viewfinder in bright daylight or when using the snap mode and I just need a quick way to frame the picture:

Cases for the Ricoh GR III: I got the Lowepro Tahoe CS 20 camera pouch because I can fit the camera with an attached viewfinder and have a front pocket for an extra battery:

If you want to carry just the camera, the original Ricoh GC-9 soft leather case is great and it fits like a glove:

Noe that there is no extra space for a battery and it is impossible to fit GR III with a viewfinder:

Check out also the Ruggard cases:

String wrist strap – several options are available:

Screen protection – I got this one:

Neck strap – I got the Nikon AN-CP23:

Ricoh GR III camera pros and cons:

Pros

The wake-up time is fast
14-bit RAW files (the previous Ricoh GR II had 12-bit RAW files)
IBIS works very good
I always liked the Ricoh GR menu system and the GR III is not an exception
Very fast – start-up time: 0.8 seconds
The new touchscreen is a very nice addition
New LCD screen outdoor view setting (very usefull)
Built-in ND filter
Magnesium alloy frame
Dust removal introduced for the first time
Multiple exposure mode that can overlay up to 2000 images in one frame.
The GR III has a new anti-aliasing filter simulation mode to eliminate moire (the camera doesn’t have a built-in anti-aliasing filter
You can charge the battery from a powerbank (but you cannot operate the camera form a powerbank)

Cons

Still no weather sealing
Battery life could be better
I had some problems with focusing in macro mode (hard to focus at the minimum focusing distance of 10 cm from the lens)
Manual focus is done with the rear control dial which can be strange to some users
I noticed that after long use, the camera does get a little hot.
No flash (I personally don’t care about the flash)
No tilting screen (irrelevant for me personally)
No 4k video
I personally think the finish of the previous GR model was better – unfortunately, I no longer own the old model in order to compare
Wobbly control dial/pad:

Here is another video of the Ricoh GR III camera autofocus test comparison before and after firmware update 1.10:

Sample photos taken directly from the camera without any post-processing (most of the sample photos were taken with the original firmware):

I was even able to take a photo of the Milky Way with the GR III (different edits):

For Ricoh GR III camera pricing and availability check B&H Photo.

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Ricoh GR III camera hands-on review

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