Ricoh GR IIIx with GA-2 and GT-2 Ricoh - Review 🏆

The Ricoh GR IIIx: Urban Edition is a premium high-end digital compact camera designed for street, documentary, and everyday photography. This special edition model features a metallic gray body paired with the compact and lightweight Ricoh GR lens.

Key features of the GR IIIx include a 24.2MP APS-C CMOS image sensor, the fast GR Engine 6 processor, a 28mm equivalent f/2.8 lens, 3-axis shake reduction, 1080/60p video recording, built-in WiFi/Bluetooth, and USB-C charging. The camera has a durable magnesium alloy body that is dustproof and weather resistant.

With its large sensor in a pocketable size, fast autofocus, and array of manual controls, the GR IIIx aims to deliver excellent image quality and responsive handling for capturing spontaneous moments on the go. Its discreet metallic gray styling suits street and urban photography. This review will examine the GR IIIx's design, image quality, features, and performance.

Design

The Ricoh GR IIIx has a very compact and portable design despite packing in an APS-C sized sensor and 28mm equivalent lens. It measures just 109.4 x 61.9 x 33.2mm and weighs just 262g with the battery and memory card installed. This makes it easy to carry around in a coat pocket or small bag, ideal for street photography on the go.

The magnesium alloy body with metal interior frame gives it a very solid yet lightweight feel. The textured rubber coating also provides a nice grip. Overall the build quality is excellent with tight seams and controls. The camera is weather-sealed and can withstand light rain, though it is not fully waterproof.

For those looking to enhance their Ricoh experience, the Ricoh GR III with GC-9 Soft Case offers added protection and versatility. This custom-fit soft case not only shields the camera from bumps and scratches but also allows for easy access to the controls. With a stylish design that matches the GR III, it is an essential accessory for photographers who are always on the move.

Image Quality

The Ricoh GR IIIx features a 24.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS image sensor, which delivers excellent image quality and high resolution photos. It is paired with the latest GR Engine 6 image processor, enabling the camera to produce sharp, detailed images with accurate colors and low noise.

The sensor has no optical low-pass filter, allowing it to maximize sharpness and resolution. Images have a high degree of fine detail and texture. The sensor's native ISO ranges from 100-102400, providing flexibility in low light shooting. Noise control is very good through ISO 6400. At higher ISOs, noise increases but detail holds up reasonably well.

Overall, the image sensor and processor combination enable the GR IIIx to capture photos with outstanding image quality for an APS-C sensor camera of its size. Crisp details, vivid colors, low noise, and excellent dynamic range allow photographers a lot of flexibility for shooting in various conditions.

For those looking to enhance their photography further, the Ricoh 28-300 f3.5-5.5 VC P10 lens offers versatility with its impressive zoom range and image stabilization features. This lens allows for capturing everything from wide landscapes to distant subjects, making it an excellent companion for the GR IIIx. The combination of this lens with the GR IIIx enables photographers to explore various creative possibilities in their photography adventures.

Features

The Ricoh GR IIIx has a number of standout features that make it a compelling choice for street, documentary, and travel photography.

Image Stabilization

The camera incorporates a 3-axis shake reduction system that helps minimize the effects of camera shake. This is useful when shooting handheld, especially in low light situations. The stabilization allows you to shoot at slower shutter speeds and still come away with sharp images.

Autofocus

Autofocus is another area where the GR IIIx shines. It uses a hybrid system that combines both contrast detection and phase detection for fast and accurate focusing. Subject tracking works very well, with the camera able to keep pace with moving subjects. The autofocus system is also nearly silent, which is great when shooting events or street photography where you don't want to draw attention.

Macro Focusing

A highlight feature of the GR IIIx is its macro focusing capability. It can focus as close as 2.4 inches from your subject, allowing you to capture fine details in close-up photography. This adds to the camera's versatility for everyday shooting.

Touch Screen

The rear LCD is a touch screen that allows you to set focus points, access settings, and review images with intuitive taps and gestures. This makes operation quicker and more seamless compared to using just the physical buttons.

Built-in ND Filter

The GR IIIx has a built-in neutral density (ND) filter that reduces incoming light by 2 stops. This allows you to use slower shutter speeds in bright light when you want to achieve motion blur or shallow depth of field. It's a handy feature to have built right into the camera.

Customizable Buttons

There are several external buttons that can be customized to quickly access your most used camera settings and functions. This allows you to optimize the camera controls to suit your personal shooting style.

Video Capabilities

The Ricoh GR IIIx has solid video capabilities for a camera focused on still photography. It can shoot 1080p Full HD video at up to 60 fps. For standard frame rates, it offers 24, 25, and 30 fps options. The camera records video using the H.264 codec, which balances quality and file size well.

While not a videography powerhouse, the GR IIIx provides enough tools for capturing short clips and home videos. The maximum recording time per clip is 25 minutes, providing flexibility for longer takes. Slow motion modes are also available, with 120 fps at 1280 x 720 resolution. This allows for creative slow-motion effects in Full HD videos.

Overall, while designed primarily for stills, the Ricoh GR IIIx can produce nice-looking HD video for personal and social media use. Just don't expect advanced features like 4K resolution or LOG gamma profiles. The implementation focuses on straightforward, casual video needs.

Connectivity

The Ricoh GR IIIx offers several connectivity options to make transferring photos and videos easy.

Ports

For wired connectivity, the GR IIIx has a USB Type-C port that allows you to connect the camera directly to a computer or other device using a USB-C cable. This makes transferring photos fast and convenient.

The camera also has a Micro HDMI (Type D) port which allows you to connect it directly to an HDTV using an optional HDMI cable. This lets you play back photos and videos on a large screen.

Wireless Connectivity

In terms of wireless connectivity, the GR IIIx has both Bluetooth and WiFi built in. The Bluetooth allows for easy pairing with smartphones or tablets for wireless image transfer.

The WiFi allows you to connect the camera directly to a smartphone, tablet or computer wirelessly. Using Ricoh's dedicated Image Sync app, you can remotely control the camera, transfer images, or add GPS data to your photos. The WiFi makes sharing photos directly from the camera quick and easy.

Overall, with its USB, HDMI, Bluetooth and WiFi, the GR IIIx offers versatile wired and wireless connection options for transferring files or remote shooting. This level of connectivity makes the camera very versatile.

Battery Life

The Ricoh GR IIIx comes with a rechargeable DB-110 lithium-ion battery that provides enough power 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 photographers who plan on taking it for a full day of shooting may want to pack a spare battery or two.

The battery can be charged in-camera via the USB-C port, which is convenient for topping it off between locations. Charging takes about 3 hours to go from empty to full. There are also optional external chargers available if you want to charge batteries outside of the camera body.

Overall the battery life is fairly average for a camera in this class. The GR IIIx isn't going to have the stamina of a DSLR, but the 200 shots per charge should be sufficient for casual use. Street photographers who plan on having longer outings may want to budget for extra batteries. But the battery capacity isn't a major weakness of the camera either.

Ease of Use

The Ricoh GR IIIx has an intuitive and easy to use interface thanks to its simple button and dial layout. Despite its small size, the camera is very comfortable to hold and operate due to its deep grip and thumb rest on the back. All of the buttons and dials are within easy reach of your fingers.

The camera uses a control dial on the front of the grip and a 4-way controller on the back for quickly changing settings. There is also an ADJ lever and Fn buttons that can be customized to your preferred settings. The menus are clear and easy to navigate using either the d-pad or touchscreen.

Overall, the interface is streamlined with a focus on giving quick access to shooting parameters without having to dive into menus. This makes the GR IIIx a very nimble and easy to use camera. Its small size does not hinder the ergonomics or get in the way of making adjustments on the go.

Pros

The Ricoh GR IIIx offers a lot of standout features for a compact camera. Some of the main pros include:

• Excellent image quality and sharpness thanks to the 24MP APS-C sensor and GR lens which has been specially designed for this camera. Images have beautiful color rendition and lots of detail.

• Great high ISO performance up to ISO 6400 with very low noise. This allows you to shoot in low light conditions and still get clean images.

• Fast autofocus that's accurate even in low light. The camera can lock focus very quickly on subjects.

• The camera has image stabilization which helps avoid blurry photos when shooting at slower shutter speeds handheld.

• Compact, lightweight and pocketable design makes it very portable. Weighs just 262g with dimensions of 109 x 62 x 33 mm.

• Intuitive controls and menus, making it easy to change settings. Has custom Fn buttons and control dials.

• Built-in ND filter which allows you to shoot at wide apertures in bright light. Useful for portraits and shallow depth of field.

• Snap focus distance mode allows pre-focusing at set distances. Helpful for street photography.

• Good battery life of around 350 shots per charge. Enough for a full day of shooting.

• Produces DNG RAW files giving flexibility in post-processing.

Cons

The Ricoh GR IIIx has a few limitations and disadvantages worth considering.

• The fixed 28mm lens (equivalent to 18.3mm in 35mm format) lacks the versatility of an interchangeable lens camera. While great for street photography, the single focal length limits compositional options.

• Despite improvements over previous models, autofocus can struggle in low light conditions. It's not ideal for fast action photography.

• The small 1/1.7" sensor doesn't provide the same high ISO noise performance or dynamic range as larger APS-C or full frame sensors. Image quality suffers a bit in low light.

• Battery life is relatively short at around 200-250 shots per charge. You'll need spare batteries for all-day shooting.

• Lack of built-in image stabilization means you need steady hands or a tripod, especially in low light.

• Video capabilities are basic with max 1080p resolution and no external microphone input. It's not designed as a video-centric camera.

• The GR IIIx lacks weather sealing, making it unsuitable for use in wet or dusty conditions. Care must be taken outdoors.

• While Ricoh offers some accessories like an external viewfinder and tele conversion lens, aftermarket support is relatively limited compared to other systems.

Overall the GR IIIx prioritizes portability and discreet shooting over versatility. Photographers should weigh if the fixed lens and sensor size meets their needs. It excels as a lightweight everyday camera for street, travel and casual use but has some limitations for low light, action and video shooting.