In Praise of the Ricoh GR III

By: James Wilder

Why is the Ricoh GR III so popular when it's not retro or full frame? It is because the Ricoh GR III is a specific camera for a specific customer.

Because the Ricoh GR III is designed for a specific purpose the Ricoh GR team doesn't care about chasing fads. When featurespec camera writers whine about Ricoh falling behind the competition, I'm sure the Ricoh team doesn't care. For that matter, who cares about the media today?

In 2024 an article on a popular camera website stated "The Ricoh GR III makes excellent images but the technical specs are falling behind the competition."

This just in: The Ricoh GR III has no competition. What other camera on the market today can you actually put in your pocket? What other camera weighs 257 grams? If there's a better camera then I would own it.

The Ricoh GR is unapologetically a snapshot camera with a crisp lens and large APS-C sensor. This camera is designed for people who demand portability, love to take photographs in a casual way, and want to enjoy the entire experience.

Is the Ricoh GR III perfect? Almost. When the Ricoh GR IV is released you can count on it being the same camera, but just a little better.

The Ricoh Story

Read the guiding principles of the Ricoh GR from Ricoh:

"It can be said that the GR's history is a rebellious one. Paying no attention to the convenient zoom lens, the GR has continued use a wide-angle, single focus lens. Amidst the surge of new products, the GR has not changed in two years, but rather the camera has matured through expanded functions via firmware upgrades. The design is simple and rustic at a glance, and the design language of the GR is unchanged whenever there is a model change. Part of that is that the GR is the antithesis of trends and fads. Its backbone is the feedback from those who never stop loving photos. In that way, the history of the GR is the trail of interaction between the creators of the GR and its users connected around the photos. It is also the passionate path taken by its creators with the goal of creating a universal value that always ascertains the essence of the GR."

"As long as there are people who resonate with something in this GR Story, and continue to grow along with us, the GR will continue to grow and evolve."

All quoted text above (c) the Ricoh GR Team.

Bravo! Long live the Ricoh GR.

Read the rest of the story, the Five Development Principles, and see the history of each GR camera from 1996 to today.

The Ricoh GR Story

Finally

The Ricoh GR III is the only truly pocketable camera on the market for photography enthusiasts. It's truly every day carry. It's truly exceptional.

I enjoy their blog as well.

www.grblog.jp/en/

Happy sunappu!