Ricoh GR IIIx Urban Edition Ricoh - Review 🏆

Ricoh has a long history of producing high-quality cameras, going back to the film era. The GR series in particular has been popular with street photographers and enthusiasts looking for a compact camera with excellent image quality.

The GR IIIx is the latest iteration in this line, offering a range of upgrades while retaining the classic GR formula - namely, a compact body with an APS-C sensor and prime lens. This makes it stand out from most other compact cameras which use smaller sensors.

The GR IIIx aims to build on the strengths of previous models and add new features to appeal to urban photographers. With a 24MP sensor and fast 28mm equivalent f/2.8 lens, it promises DSLR-rivaling image quality in a pocketable form factor.

Overview

The Ricoh GR IIIx is the latest digital compact camera in Ricoh's acclaimed GR series. It features a 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor and a fixed 28mm equivalent f/2.8 lens, making it a great pocketable choice for street photography and travel.

Key features of the Ricoh GR IIIx include:

• 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor
• GR Engine 6 Image Processor
• Fixed 28mm equivalent F2.8 lens
• 3-axis shake reduction system (up to 4 stops)
• Touchscreen LCD
• 49-point hybrid AF system
• ISO 102,400 max
• 4K video at 30fps
• Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity
• USB-C charging

The GR IIIx combines portability, image quality and straightforward operation in a compact metal body. It's a discreet, take-anywhere camera aimed at enthusiast and professional photographers looking for a capable pocket camera. The large APS-C sensor delivers excellent image quality, especially in low light, while the 28mm lens is ideal for street scenes and landscapes. Overall, the GR IIIx carries on the tradition of the GR series in providing an advanced fixed lens shooting experience in a highly portable form factor.

The Ricoh WG-80 Orange is a rugged and versatile compact camera designed for outdoor adventures. Featuring a 16MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor and a 5x optical zoom lens covering a range of 28-140mm, it ensures high-quality images and videos in various settings. The WG-80 Orange stands out with its waterproof, shockproof, freeze-proof, and crushproof capabilities, making it perfect for extreme conditions. Additional features include macro shooting capability with an LED ring light, Full HD video recording, and a range of creative shooting modes, offering both fun and functionality for adventure enthusiasts.

Design

The Ricoh GR IIIx has a compact and minimalist design that makes it easy to carry around. Despite its small size, it feels sturdy and durable thanks to its magnesium alloy body. The camera has a textured finish that provides a secure grip. The buttons and dials are thoughtfully placed for easy access.

The GR IIIx retains the classic GR-series design but adds a ring around the lens for enhanced aesthetics and usability. The ring comes in several color options like navy blue and orange to suit different styles. Overall, the physical design is functional yet stylish.

At just 257 grams, the GR IIIx is lightweight enough to take anywhere. The slim and flat body can slip into a pocket or bag discreetly. The smooth, rounded edges won't snag on anything when stored. Despite the light weight, the camera doesn't feel cheap or flimsy.

The build quality is superb with a durable metal body that can withstand bumps and knocks. All the moving parts operate smoothly. The buttons have a reassuring clickiness that inspires confidence. Overall, the GR IIIx combines portability and durability through its clever and minimalist design.

Additionally, consider the Ricoh Theta SC2 Bundle for an immersive 360-degree photography experience. This bundle includes the Ricoh Theta SC2 camera and essential accessories, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking to experiment with spherical images. The Theta SC2 itself is compact and easy to use, featuring intuitive controls and high-quality image stitching. It's ideal for capturing scenic landscapes, group events, and more in stunning 360-degree perspectives. The included accessories provide added convenience and functionality, ensuring you get the most out of your 360-degree photography.

Image Quality

The Ricoh GR IIIx features an APS-C-sized CMOS image sensor with 24.24 effective megapixels. This provides excellent resolution for large prints or aggressive cropping.

The sensor's design omits an optical low-pass filter in order to maximize sharpness and detail. Combined with the GR lens, it delivers images with crisp acuity.

Dynamic range is also impressive for an APS-C sensor. Shadow details are well-preserved, providing more flexibility for post-processing highlights and shadows.

Overall, the image quality stands out in the compact camera category. The larger sensor gives a noticeable advantage over typical 1-inch sensors in rival models. This allows for beautiful image rendering with a shallow depth of field when needed.

Autofocus

The Ricoh GR IIIx has a hybrid autofocus system that combines both contrast-detect and phase-detect AF. This allows for fast and accurate focusing in a variety of situations.

The camera offers several autofocus modes including Multi AF, Spot AF, Pinpoint AF, Subject Tracking AF, and Snap Focus. Multi AF uses multiple focus points to determine the focus, while Spot AF focuses on a small precise area. Pinpoint AF allows you to precisely move the focus point, great for macro shooting.

Subject Tracking AF will lock onto a subject and track it as it moves across the frame. This works fairly well for people and objects moving at a moderate pace. Snap Focus allows you to preset a distance so the camera shoots instantly without waiting to focus.

Overall, autofocus speed is very good. In bright light, focus acquisition is nearly instantaneous. In low light, there's a slight delay but still quite fast. Continuous autofocus when tracking moving subjects is decent but not on par with top-end sports cameras.

Accuracy is excellent thanks to the hybrid AF system. The phase detect pixels provide confident focusing and make sure focus is sharp. This camera nails focus in the vast majority of situations.

Video

The Ricoh GR IIIx can capture Full HD video up to 1080p at 60 fps. It uses the H.264 video compression format which helps keep file sizes manageable without sacrificing too much quality.

Overall, video quality is quite good for a compact camera. Footage has pleasing colors and decent dynamic range. Details tend to look sharp when there's enough light. However, video does get noisy and soft in low light situations. This is typical for smaller sensor cameras.

Autofocus during video is decent but not amazing. It can hunt a bit in low contrast situations. The GR IIIx lacks sensor stabilization so videos can end up shaky if filming handheld without stabilization. An external stabilizer is recommended for smoother handheld shots.

While no camera in this class will rival an interchangeable lens model, the GR IIIx produces pleasing HD video for a compact. Just be mindful of its limitations in low light and stabilization. It's a good casual video camera but may leave video enthusiasts wanting more.

Connectivity

The Ricoh GR IIIx has solid connectivity options for a compact camera. It has a USB Type-C port which can be used for charging and data transfer. The USB port supports USB 3.1 speeds for fast file transfers.

For wireless connectivity, the GR IIIx has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built-in. The Wi-Fi allows you to transfer photos to a smartphone or control the camera remotely. Bluetooth is used for easy pairing with mobile devices. Ricoh has a smartphone app called Image Sync that allows you to view, download and share photos from the camera.

Overall the connectivity options are very good for a compact camera in this class. The USB-C port and fast Wi-Fi make it easy to transfer photos. Bluetooth pairing is a nice convenience. The camera can be controlled remotely via the app which is great for selfies or group shots. The GR IIIx has all the wireless features most users will need.

Battery Life

The Ricoh GR IIIx has a rechargeable DB-110 lithium-ion battery that is rated for up to 200 shots per charge based on CIPA standards. This is a decent battery life for a compact camera of this size, but may require an extra battery or two for heavy shooting days.

In real-world use, the battery life can vary quite a bit depending on your specific shooting habits. Using features like the LCD display or wireless connectivity will drain the battery faster. The camera does have an Eco mode that can extend the battery a bit by dimming the screen and turning off features automatically. Overall, the battery life is sufficient for casual use, but professional photographers may want to invest in extra batteries.

The camera can be charged via its USB-C port which is convenient for charging on the go if you have a portable USB battery pack. But it does mean you need to remember to bring the dedicated battery charger if you want to charge batteries while still using the camera. The battery charges quickly in camera or in the charger.

Additional Features

The Ricoh GR IIIx has a few unique capabilities thanks to its specialized design as a street photography camera. One handy feature is Snap Focus, which allows you to preset a distance so the camera shoots instantly when you press the shutter, without any autofocus delay. This is perfect for capturing fleeting moments.

There are also multiple special shooting modes tailored for street photography. The Full Press Snap mode takes a photo at a set shutter speed when you fully press the shutter button, ignoring any camera shake. This helps avoid missing spontaneous shots. Interval Composite mode is useful for capturing crowds and movement, taking multiple shots over an interval and compositing them into one image.

Other useful capabilities include an Effect Bracketing mode to quickly try artistic filters on a scene, and built-in Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity to transfer images to your mobile device. The GR IIIx punches above its weight with professional-level controls and features ideal for street photography in a highly portable form factor.

Conclusion

The Ricoh GR IIIx is an excellent choice for street, travel, and everyday photography. Its compact size makes it highly portable while still delivering impressive image quality thanks to the 24MP APS-C sensor and sharp 40mm f/2.8 lens. Some of the key pros of this camera include:

• Compact, lightweight, and discreet design perfect for street photography
• Large APS-C sensor provides excellent image quality in a small body
• Fast, accurate autofocus locks onto subjects quickly
• Simple, intuitive controls and menus
• Snap focus and macro modes handy for spontaneous shots
• In-body image stabilization provides up to 4 stops of shake reduction

In terms of cons, the GR IIIx lacks a tilt screen or viewfinder which may be a drawback for some. The fixed 40mm lens (28mm equiv in 35mm format) lacks the versatility of a zoom. Continuous shooting speed tops out at 4 fps, which could be limiting for action shots.

Overall, the Ricoh GR IIIx delivers outstanding image quality and a wealth of features in a highly portable form factor. For photographers who value discreet, candid street shooting and travel photography, the GR IIIx is easy to recommend. Its blend of image quality, portability, and intuitive handling make it a powerful everyday companion for capturing impactful images on the go.