Ricoh Gr III Street Edition

Unbelievable photos! The camera is a very small package for aps-c stabilized hardware with a decent in camera raw editor. The f2.8 seems unimpressive on paper but these optics are amazing. I had reservations about not having a flash but the low light performance is bonkers. The (P)rogram mode comes set up for automatic shooting that takes near perfect pictures in anybody's hand. The (M)anual mode can be set up to give full control. There are 3 (U)ser modes that can be set up with blended features and operating modes. This thing takes the fastest pictures out of the pocket. It's very quiet. It can be used discretely. The pictures are beautiful. The camera can be used to take professional quality photos. It feels sturdy, and the ergonomics are very good, the ... MoreUnbelievable photos! The camera is a very small package for aps-c stabilized hardware with a decent in camera raw editor. The f2.8 seems unimpressive on paper but these optics are amazing. I had reservations about not having a flash but the low light performance is bonkers. The (P)rogram mode comes set up for automatic shooting that takes near perfect pictures in anybody's hand. The (M)anual mode can be set up to give full control. There are 3 (U)ser modes that can be set up with blended features and operating modes. This thing takes the fastest pictures out of the pocket. It's very quiet. It can be used discretely. The pictures are beautiful. The camera can be used to take professional quality photos. It feels sturdy, and the ergonomics are very good, the controls are simple and minimal. The wireless connectivity is OK and offers some useful features like live view and some controls. The camera is not cheap, and neither are accessories. The camera is on the larger side of what I would consider pocketable. Not having a viewfinder is something you have to adjust to. The battery is tiny and expensive and it's life can be pretty disappointing when shooting a lot, this can be counteracted by disabling ibis and shooting with the display off when in P mode in brighter situations, otherwise carrying an extra battery on longer days can be a lifesaver. Using any wireless features will drain the battery quite a bit. Overall this camera is not perfect, however it is really the only camera that is in this category, if you want big camera hardware in your pocket, this is the closest that I can find. Ricoh put great tech into this camera.

A disappointing experience

There's a lot of buzz around this camera with many photographers swearing by it. I even know some of them and like the work that they do with it. This is why when I was looking for a small lightweight camera, I hoped the GR III would be a great companion to my heavy Canon D6 II.Much to my delight the camera is indeed small and fits nicely in my jeans pocket but after a few weeks of using it, unfortunately that is the major plus I see in it.I encountered my first disappointment on the second day of use when the battery died. I didn't even get to shoot the 200 shots promised in the specs. I had read bad reviews about the battery life so the display was off most of the time to conserve the battery. I usually shoot from the hip without using the screen so in that ... MoreThere's a lot of buzz around this camera with many photographers swearing by it. I even know some of them and like the work that they do with it. This is why when I was looking for a small lightweight camera, I hoped the GR III would be a great companion to my heavy Canon D6 II.Much to my delight the camera is indeed small and fits nicely in my jeans pocket but after a few weeks of using it, unfortunately that is the major plus I see in it.I encountered my first disappointment on the second day of use when the battery died. I didn't even get to shoot the 200 shots promised in the specs. I had read bad reviews about the battery life so the display was off most of the time to conserve the battery. I usually shoot from the hip without using the screen so in that respect it was not a problem, but for a camera without a viewfinder having to keep the display off is a big minus. I have since started to keep track of the number of images each battery cycle provides and I have yet to get close to 200 shots.I found image quality to be good in bright sunlight but really deteriorating in the shade / cloudy conditionsI was considering returning it but have decided to keep it for those occasions when carrying a regular camera is inconvenient or less appropriate. Bottom line it, is quite an expensive camera considering its limitations.

Everyday camera

Maybe you wonder why a pocket camera if I already have a smartphone? What about an almost professional pocket camera if the new smartphone cameras are almost professional?Well, having a pocket camera always with you motivates you to take more pictures, taking it everywhere with you is the perfect excuse to take pictures of every moment of your life. and this makes you be a photographer and improve and enjoy it more. allows you to appreciate more the moments to photograph. not just selfies, screenshots or quick moments that you take with your smartphone.And having said that, what better camera than griii. a light and compact camera that fits in your pocket and with ergonomics that allows you to take pictures at any time, with comfort and quality! a camera that ... MoreMaybe you wonder why a pocket camera if I already have a smartphone? What about an almost professional pocket camera if the new smartphone cameras are almost professional?Well, having a pocket camera always with you motivates you to take more pictures, taking it everywhere with you is the perfect excuse to take pictures of every moment of your life. and this makes you be a photographer and improve and enjoy it more. allows you to appreciate more the moments to photograph. not just selfies, screenshots or quick moments that you take with your smartphone.And having said that, what better camera than griii. a light and compact camera that fits in your pocket and with ergonomics that allows you to take pictures at any time, with comfort and quality! a camera that makes you relive the photography of the past where (even though you can make all the necessary adjustments) it allows you to focus only in the instant. the body and construction of the camera is flawless. it is light but at the same time it feels solid.I love this camera and since I have it I have increased the number of photos I take every day. a habit that I had lost when using only the smartphone. This does not mean that all photos are perfect (that's the photographer's fault) but the amount of photos I take allows me to find that perfect photograph of a moment that I don't want to forget.I chose this camera over others because of its lens that is not telescopic like other cameras. It barely protrudes a bit from the body of the camera, which makes this camera a very discreet and professional equipment for street photography and everyday photos.

GRIII (Not X) Great camera, but...

So just a few words about the camera, and then a few words about why and what this camera is (for me anyway).I have a lot of cameras of all sorts, big and little, film and digital. None of them fit in my pocket, but the GRIII does. None of them provide a zero stress or impromptu ability to take pictures no matter where or what I am doing like the GRIII. Even if I am out with one of my interchangeable lens cameras, I keep this in my front pocket and sometimes I'll pull this instead of the big camera. I will however just take this camera out as a primary, or not even expecting to take pictures. Its small, its super easy.I like the images that come out and it is as close to a zero learning curve camera that I have used. I recommend it.Ok what is this camera. Well ... MoreSo just a few words about the camera, and then a few words about why and what this camera is (for me anyway).I have a lot of cameras of all sorts, big and little, film and digital. None of them fit in my pocket, but the GRIII does. None of them provide a zero stress or impromptu ability to take pictures no matter where or what I am doing like the GRIII. Even if I am out with one of my interchangeable lens cameras, I keep this in my front pocket and sometimes I'll pull this instead of the big camera. I will however just take this camera out as a primary, or not even expecting to take pictures. Its small, its super easy.I like the images that come out and it is as close to a zero learning curve camera that I have used. I recommend it.Ok what is this camera. Well I wouldn't compare this to a DSLR or mirrorless regardless of sensor size. That's not what this camera really competes against. I almost wouldn't even compare this to the Fuji X100V or Leica Q2 (I also have them) even though they are basically the same camera type. I would say this is a camera for either experienced OR beginner photographers who want something a little better and more engaging than a cell phone. You can get great photos with cell phones and you can get great photos with the GRIII, but the GRIII has that pull like only a camera has to make you want to take a photo. Consider composition and what is in frame, what are the settings, etc... Where as a cell phone camera is just Hey let me take a snap of this. But it just isn't really engaging, the GRIII is for me.The only negative: The button that unlocks the top selector dial easily gets pressed while its going in or out of my pocket and the dial turns. So I have to check the mode I'm in before I start shooting, which I forget a lot. Small but sometimes annoying inconvenience.

Great camera, so small

I think this camera is very much like online reviews say it is. Everything works as expected, no complaints. Here's my spin on a few topics:1. The highlight-weighted metering is a great addition, plus I'm surprised that no reviews I've read have mentioned that you can now get liveview highlight blinkies. Everything about the exposure metering greatly improved over the GR.2. I feel like the image quality from this camera is very similar to what I get with the Sony A7II and the Sony 28mm F/2 lens. So it's pretty amazing that you can get that in such a tiny camera. (Except, of course, with the Sony full-frame camera you can get shallow depth of field.)3. This camera is truly pocketable. It's often compared to the Fuji X100v, but that camera is not pocketable ... MoreI think this camera is very much like online reviews say it is. Everything works as expected, no complaints. Here's my spin on a few topics:1. The highlight-weighted metering is a great addition, plus I'm surprised that no reviews I've read have mentioned that you can now get liveview highlight blinkies. Everything about the exposure metering greatly improved over the GR.2. I feel like the image quality from this camera is very similar to what I get with the Sony A7II and the Sony 28mm F/2 lens. So it's pretty amazing that you can get that in such a tiny camera. (Except, of course, with the Sony full-frame camera you can get shallow depth of field.)3. This camera is truly pocketable. It's often compared to the Fuji X100v, but that camera is not pocketable unless you are talking about a big coat pocket. This fits in a pants pocket. No m43 camera is pocketable like this. Ricoh managed to make this even smaller than the previous version while also adding image stabilization.4. I do feel that the lens is slightly less sharp than with the older GR, but in the center of the frame you still get higher resolution on account of the sensor having 24 MP instead of only 16 MP.If you don't think this camera is for you, don't buy it. It's designed to be as small as possible while having an APS-C sensor and a very sharp lens. It's not designed to have a very wide aperture, a viewfinder, a built-in flash, a super-long battery life, fast auto-focus, an articulating LCD, or any other feature that would have required a larger camera. But it can potentially give you the image quality of a camera that's twice the price and 3 times the size and weight.

I adore this camera

I spent a lot of time agonizing over 28mm vs 40mm and opted for the GR3. Part of that was this package deal included a backup battery and SD card, and of course the street edition version of the GR3. I love the textured/anodized finish and for those wary of the bright yellow, it also comes with a black ring. The case is nothing to write home about but it serves its purpose and the camera fits easily into it.As for the camera itself, it is everything I was hoping it would be. Sharp lens with large aps-c sensor that fits in your pocket. It can be taken anywhere without being cumbersome. If you're looking for something that you can have on you at all times don't hesitate to get this!

My Little Joy

I carry the GRIII + extra battery in a belt pouch. Interesting photo opportunities appear daily, if you look, and with the RAW file I can go to Lightroom and get spectacular results. Can't do that with iPhone. Super sharp, unobtrusive (I can pull it out in public spaces and people don't get freaked out). It has been to many countries, beaches, mountains, hiking in the rain, dropped several times (in the belt pouch), and it survives. The pouch also protects against dust. No, it won't perform on the par with a bigger camera, but my bigger camera almost never goes out of the house, or on trips. This one is always there. And if I prop it on a rock, or against a tree, the IS even permits long exposures of moving water (example photo attached, camera propped up on my fist ... MoreI carry the GRIII + extra battery in a belt pouch. Interesting photo opportunities appear daily, if you look, and with the RAW file I can go to Lightroom and get spectacular results. Can't do that with iPhone. Super sharp, unobtrusive (I can pull it out in public spaces and people don't get freaked out). It has been to many countries, beaches, mountains, hiking in the rain, dropped several times (in the belt pouch), and it survives. The pouch also protects against dust. No, it won't perform on the par with a bigger camera, but my bigger camera almost never goes out of the house, or on trips. This one is always there. And if I prop it on a rock, or against a tree, the IS even permits long exposures of moving water (example photo attached, camera propped up on my fist resting on a branch). True, absent a tripod I need to take the shot a couple of times, but when a photo presents itself, this little camera can do an amazing job if you know what you're doing. I really do have tons of beautiful photos, all because the GR goes with me, and most places I can use it almost unnoticed. I always shoot RAW.

Near perfect Point & Shoot

The near perfect GR III is most likely the best over all P&S camera on the market currently. From its small size to snappy operation, it's high quality lens for extremely sharp photos, to its baked in JPEG recipes, the GR is your best bet for hitting the street or whatever you find yourself wanting to photograph. I highly recommend this beast of a camera. A few features would bring this camera to the tip top like a flip up screen and better battery life and not to mention the fact that this camera isn't weather sealed. At its price point be sure you understand what it is you need or are getting yourself into. Because of its fixed lens focal it leads to many adventure rather than just walk up and zoom.

Not the perfect GR II replacement, but good enough.

Owned / loved the GR II for many years and here's my perspective.The IBIS is a welcome feature and does add a lot of practicality for using this everyday and I do prefer IBIS over losing the flash but you may or may not agree.The close focus to enable 0.3x+ magnification basically replaces the need of close-up lens/adapter (GM-1 for GR II) which adds a lot of value to this camera because attaching the GM-1 to GR II seemed tedious and compromising (losing infinity focus). And with IBIS it works very well hand-held!The wide angle attachment GW-4 lens accessory is larger (filter thread increased from 62mm to 72mm). I used to attach the GW-3 on GR II comfortably on all the time but the GR III + GW-4 combo has a noticeable difference in weight, size, and ... MoreOwned / loved the GR II for many years and here's my perspective.The IBIS is a welcome feature and does add a lot of practicality for using this everyday and I do prefer IBIS over losing the flash but you may or may not agree.The close focus to enable 0.3x+ magnification basically replaces the need of close-up lens/adapter (GM-1 for GR II) which adds a lot of value to this camera because attaching the GM-1 to GR II seemed tedious and compromising (losing infinity focus). And with IBIS it works very well hand-held!The wide angle attachment GW-4 lens accessory is larger (filter thread increased from 62mm to 72mm). I used to attach the GW-3 on GR II comfortably on all the time but the GR III + GW-4 combo has a noticeable difference in weight, size, and aesthetics. The GR III body is smaller and the GW-4 lens is larger so this setup just got more awkward than before - the new lens cap doesn't look great either.Others may have mentioned this but the camera does get warm after 5 minutes of use and gradually gets warmer to a point where you might have some concerns. I would say it does get annoying and makes you question what else is wrong.The other annoyance is that the camera has a loose part that makes a noise as you walk, like the noise of a loose lens cap? It most likely is due to the IBIS feature but me wonder again what else is wrong?Using external flash isn't great in manual mode. The LCD will only display how the image would look like without flash and so the screen may be underexposed. Really wish there was a auto-adjust preview ability so I could compose my shot (the workaround is toggling AUTO ISO on/off in between shots).Lastly, you get a wheel now instead of the up/down button which you may like but now you need to select something before toggling.Bottom line: I will still keep this GR III since it adds a lot of practicality and more image quality than its predecessor despite its mostly superficial short-comings.

Surprised how good it is.

I have read reviews of the various models of the GR series over the years, but always resisted as I thought I would miss an eye level finder. Well I do, but the pocketability more than makes up for it. The AF is better than expected, even in modest light, the meter is careful about highlights, and the image quality is really excellent. Night scenes in urban settings do very well, shadows come up nicely, and color is very appealing. Black and white conversions are rich and satisfying. Handling is great as well. Really a long term classic, and now I see why. It's got me eyeing the iiix for a two camera travel kit......