The Ricoh GR III is the third compact camera in Ricoh’s GR range, and it features a sensor that is quite big for an APS-C format camera.
Theoretically, this should give it the same type of image quality that you would expect from a mirrorless camera or a DSLR; however, the benefit here is that the camera can fit into your pocket, which is a huge advantage.
GR III maintains the same fundamental design ideas as GR II, but every essential component has been updated. For example, a new APS-C sensor with 24.2 megapixels has been installed instead of the older model’s 16.2-megapixel APS-C sensor. This new sensor is paired with an updated GR ENGINE 6 CPU, which results in improved image quality and increased processing speed. Regrettably, this does not enable the recording of 4K video, but we do at least have Full HD capture of up to 60 frames per second.
Ricoh GR III Digital Compact Camera, 24mp, 28mm F 2.8 Lens with...
- 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
- 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 inches Air gapless Capacitive Touch LCD Screen makes controlling the GR III event easier with complete menu control as well as focus and shutter release; It is confirmed that a USB connection can be established between the camera and the following OS's; Windows 10(FCU, CU) (32 bit, 64 bit), Windows 8.1(32 bit, 64bit), Windows 8(32 bit, 64 bit), or Windows 7(32 bit, 64 bit); Mac macOS 10.14 Mojave, macOS 10.13 High Sierra, macOS 10.12 Sierra, OS X 10.11 El Capitan, OS X 10.10 Yosemite
- The GR III features a hybrid AF system combining a contrast type AF mechanism, superior in focusing precision with a phase detection type AF mechanism assuring high speed focusing operation; Taking advantage of both mechanisms, it assures faster, more responsive auto focus operation
- "The GR III provides wireless LAN functions for easy pairing with mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers; By installing the dedicated Image Sync application on a mobile device, the user can display a Live View image on the device’s monitor, release the shutter and send various commands from the device"
- Full HD movie recording (1920 x 1080 pixels, 60 frame rate) in the H.264 recording format
- Compatible with Pentax AF 201, AF360 FGZ II and AF 540 FGZ II Flashes
Ricoh GR III Build Quality
The GR series has always been about prudence, and the Ricoh GR III continues in that spirit in much the same way as its predecessors. The body is made of magnesium alloy, and it is entirely black. The functions and buttons on the body are denoted with extremely delicate marks.
The body seems to be made of the same sturdy material as earlier iterations of the GR camera, and it has a somewhat bulbous grip that wraps around the front, which enables you to get a nice, secure handle on it. Additionally, this is covered in a tactile rubber extending to the back plate, where the thumb rests are located.
The pill-shaped shutter release button is beautiful and big, and the mode dial operates effortlessly. However, before it can spin, it must be released from a catch on its side, which keeps it from falling out of position when you aren’t paying attention to it.
The multi-functional Adj. The lever is well located for rapidly adjusting critical choices like focus, metering mode, etc. All the buttons have a positive push into the body with a pleasing click, and all buttons have a favorable press.
The menus can be navigated quickly thanks to the new processing engine, which works in tandem with the intuitive menu pad dial located on the rear of the camera (which has also been redesigned for the better).
You can also modify many settings using the touchscreen, which responds well to taps, swipes, and other movements and is clear and crisp. This helps alleviate frustration associated with the lack of a joystick-style focus lever.
About this topic, the focusing system provides various distinct patterns and modes. These include auto-area, pinpoint, Snap focus, and manual, continuous, and infinite options.
Although it may be a bit unexpected and reluctant in low light, the system works swiftly in regular use, even though it can be slow.
Ricoh GR III Image quality
Amazingly, the Ricoh GR III manages to fit an APS-C sensor into a pocketable body. However, it does this feat while still producing exceptional image quality, much like its predecessors. In addition, the new sensor significantly improves resolution compared to the 16.2MP found in GR II and assures low noise levels over most of the dynamic range.
When we say most, we mean the sensitivity can reach an absurd ISO102,400. This setting, along with the handful that comes before it, creates photographs with much too much noise to be of any practical value, and it is nearly difficult to process images with such a high level of noise properly.
However, keeping the ISO settings in the four-digit range lets you discover that the camera performs admirably in almost all circumstances. As a side note, given that both cameras have the same number of pixels, the highest sensitivity setting, and hybrid autofocus technology, it appears highly plausible that the two cameras use the same sensor, or at the least, very near cousins of the same sensor.
However, now that you have the new Shake Reduction technology built-in, you probably won’t need to use these high ISO settings as frequently as you formerly did. Even at shutter speeds as slow as 0.5 seconds, this system does an excellent job of maintaining the sharpness of the photographs, but if you push it, you may still obtain acceptable images.
The new lens is typically extremely capable of performing, with barely any traces of lateral chromatic aberration, low distortion, and excellent sharpness throughout the frame. Additionally, the lens has an exceptional edge across the frame.
Although there is a slight increase in consistency when stopping down the aperture, the result is still far better than anticipated at f/2.8. However, vignetting is unexpectedly present across the aperture range. Therefore, maintaining effective Peripheral Illumination adjustment active is essential to correct this issue.
The camera has a fixed lens, which may give the impression that it is less flexible than other models; however, the ability to focus from a distance of 6 centimeters away from your subject, in conjunction with the crop settings of 35mm and 50mm, enables you to take close-up pictures of flowers and other more minor issues with backgrounds that are nicely blurred.
The Ricoh GR III is lacking in performance in the video department. There is no capability to record in 4K, and the quality of the film captured in Full HD is not comparable to that of even the most affordable cameras.
Blemishes frequently mar fine details, and the camera’s focusing system isn’t the finest in this regard; nonetheless, the rolling shutter isn’t all that terrible.
Because the metering system will typically attempt to balance scenes with a wide dynamic range so that highlight details do not get lost, you may find that you occasionally need to adjust exposure compensation or use the tools for Shadow and Highlight Correction to maintain all of the scene’s details.
The performance of Auto White Balance appears to be accurate in various scenarios, even though the Standard Image Control option sometimes results in too neutral colors (particularly when you have the Peripheral Illumination and Shadow Corrections settings enabled).
The camera provides a wealth of controls to help you achieve the results you need without post-processing, ranging from the Vivid option that is very pleasing for nature to the Hard Monotone setting that can create black-and-white effects that resemble infrared. Again, these controls can help you achieve the desired results without usingprocessing (see image five above).
Overall, the Ricoh GR III is a camera that offers some substantial improvements over its GR II predecessor. It is always a pleasant surprise to achieve this grade of image quality from such a small camera, and the Ricoh GR III does just that.
Even though the battery life, so-so focusing system, video quality, and results at the highest ISO settings do not excite us as much as we had hoped, the design, speed of operation, and dependable image quality make it a powerful alternative.
Ricoh GR III Spec
Body type | Large sensor compact |
---|---|
Body material | Magnesium alloy |
Sensor | |
Max resolution | 6000 x 4000 |
Image ratio w:h | 1:1, 3:2 |
Effective pixels | 24 megapixels |
Sensor photo detectors | 25 megapixels |
Sensor size | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) |
Sensor type | CMOS |
Color space | sRGB, Adobe RGB |
Color filter array | Primary color filter |
Image | |
White balance presets | 8 |
Custom white balance | Yes |
Image stabilization | Sensor-shift |
CIPA image stabilization rating | 4 stop(s) |
Uncompressed format | RAW |
File format | JPEG (Exif v2.3)Raw (14-bit DNG) |
Optics & Focus | |
Focal length (equiv.) | 28 mm |
Maximum aperture | F2.8–16 |
Autofocus | Screen/viewfinder |
Autofocus assist lamp | Yes |
Manual focus | Yes |
Normal focus range | 10 cm (3.94″) |
Macro focus range | 6 cm (2.36″) |
MultiCenter-weightedHighlight-weighted spot | |
Articulated LCD | Fixed |
Screen size | 3″ |
Screen dots | 1,037,000 |
Touch screen | Yes |
Screen type | TFT LCD |
Contrast Detect (sensor)Phase DetectMulti-areaCenterSelective single-pointTrackingSingleContinuousTouchFace DetectionLive View | Yes |
Viewfinder type | Optical (optional) |
Photography features | |
Minimum shutter speed | 30 sec |
Maximum shutter speed | 1/4000 sec |
Exposure modes | ProgramAperture priorityShutter priorityManual |
Built-in flash | No |
External flash | Yes (via hot shoe) |
Flash modes | Auto, Flash On, Flash On+Red-eye, Slow-speed Sync, Slow Sync+Red-eye |
Flash X sync speed | 1/4000 sec |
Drive modes | Single FrameContinuous ShootingBracketingMulti-exposureInterval ShootingInterval Composite |
Continuous drive | 4.0 fps |
Self-timer | Yes |
Metering modes | MultiCenter-weightedHighlight-weightedSpot |
Exposure compensation | ±5 (at 1/3 EV steps) |
Videography features | |
Format | MPEG-4, H.264 |
Modes | 1920 x 1080 @ 60p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 30p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 24p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM |
Microphone | Stereo |
Speaker | Mono |
Storage | |
Storage types | Internal, SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I supported) |
Storage included | 2GB |
Connectivity | |
USB | USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec) |
USB charging | Yes |
HDMI | No |
Microphone port | No |
Headphone port | No |
Wireless | Built-In |
Wireless notes | 802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth |
Remote control | Yes (via smartphone) |
Physical | |
Battery | Battery Pack |
Battery description | DB-110 lithium-ion battery & USB charger |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 200 |
Weight (inc. batteries) | 257 g (0.57 lb / 9.07 oz) |
Dimensions | 109 x 62 x 33 mm (4.29 x 2.44 x 1.3″) |
Other features | |
Orientation sensor | Yes |
Timelapse recording | Yes |
GPS | None |
Ricoh GR III Conclusion
Ricoh GR III Digital Compact Camera, 24mp, 28mm F 2.8 Lens with...
- 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
- 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 inches Air gapless Capacitive Touch LCD Screen makes controlling the GR III event easier with complete menu control as well as focus and shutter release; It is confirmed that a USB connection can be established between the camera and the following OS's; Windows 10(FCU, CU) (32 bit, 64 bit), Windows 8.1(32 bit, 64bit), Windows 8(32 bit, 64 bit), or Windows 7(32 bit, 64 bit); Mac macOS 10.14 Mojave, macOS 10.13 High Sierra, macOS 10.12 Sierra, OS X 10.11 El Capitan, OS X 10.10 Yosemite
- The GR III features a hybrid AF system combining a contrast type AF mechanism, superior in focusing precision with a phase detection type AF mechanism assuring high speed focusing operation; Taking advantage of both mechanisms, it assures faster, more responsive auto focus operation
- "The GR III provides wireless LAN functions for easy pairing with mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers; By installing the dedicated Image Sync application on a mobile device, the user can display a Live View image on the device’s monitor, release the shutter and send various commands from the device"
- Full HD movie recording (1920 x 1080 pixels, 60 frame rate) in the H.264 recording format
- Compatible with Pentax AF 201, AF360 FGZ II and AF 540 FGZ II Flashes
If you enjoy Ricoh’s GR series of cameras, you will adore their accomplishments here. GR III has a great deal going for it, including brisk operation, consistent image quality, a clear and sensitive touchscreen, and a design that is even more compact than its predecessor. However, it is not inexpensive, and because it has such an effective Shake Reduction technology, the battery life is significantly reduced.
Ricoh GR III FAQs
How good is Ricoh GR III?
The Ricoh GR III is a portable camera that boasts high image clarity and is designed for both amateur and professional photographers.
Is Ricoh GR III suitable for beginners?
Because of its more sophisticated features, it is possible that it is not the best solution for newcomers.
Why buy a Ricoh GR III?
The Ricoh GR III boasts an impressively high picture quality, a lightning-quick autofocus system, a space-saving design, and a wide variety of shooting settings.
Is the GR III Street Edition worth it?
The Street Edition offers a distinctive appearance but brings no significant new functionalities.
Is Ricoh GR III good for landscape photography?
With a constant focal length of 28 millimeters, the Ricoh GR III can take photographs of breathtaking scenery.
How much is the Ricoh GR III worth?
The Ricoh GR III can be purchased for approximately $899 at stores.
Is Ricoh gr3 waterproof?
Although not watertight, the Ricoh GR III resists moderate precipitation and splashes.
How long does the Ricoh GR III battery last?
The Ricoh GR III has a battery life of approximately 200 photos per charge.
Can you zoom in on Ricoh GR III?
The lens on the Ricoh GR III is a fixed focal length of 28 millimeters; it does not have magnification capabilities.
When was Ricoh GR III released?
The Ricoh GR III was first made publicly available in February 2019.
Does Ricoh GR III come with a viewfinder?
The Ricoh GR III does not include a viewfinder, but an electronic viewfinder is a distinct accessory that can be purchased independently.
Is GR3 full frame?
Instead of a full-frame camera, the Ricoh GR III utilizes an APS-C sensor.
Is Ricoh gr3 mirrorless?
The Ricoh GR III represents a mirrorless camera system.
Does Ricoh GR III have WIFI?
Connectivity options like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are already integrated into the Ricoh GR III.
What size does Ricoh GR III print?
The resolution of the recorded picture determines the maximum print size that can be achieved with the Ricoh GR III.
Does Ricoh GR III have a manual focus?
The Ricoh GR III can be focused manually if the user so chooses.
Does Ricoh GR III have GPS?
Although the Ricoh GR III does not have a built-in GPS, it can connect to a smartphone and receive position info from that device.
Is Ricoh GR III good for travel?
Because of its small size and wide range of capabilities, the Ricoh GR III is an excellent choice for taking on trips.