Ricoh GR Firmware v3.00 Released

A feature-enhancing firmware update

By PF Staff in Firmware Updates on Jan 23, 2014

A new feature-enhancing firmware update was released today for the Ricoh GR.  The update bumps the firmware version number all the way up to 3.00 and includes the following changes/additions:

1. New "Slight" custom image effect
   
   • "Muted" might be a better term for this JPEG preset, which makes colors appear more faint than in other modes.  This preset supports further customization of vividness, sharpness, contrast, and vignetting.
2. AF mode customization for the AFL/AEL button
   • Previously, this button could only be user for spot AF when the switch was set to AFL.  With the latest firmware update, options for mutli AF and pinpoint AF have been added, though spot AF continues to be the default setting.
3. "Ambient Brightness" film GR imitation
   
   • When the new Ambient Brightness setting is set to Original, the camera tries to mimic the lighting of photos from film GR cameras.  The default setting of Normal leaves the lighting unchanged.  RAW files taken in Original mode can be developed with Normal lighting in-camera, but the opposite does not apply.
4. Folder naming by date
   
   • You can now choose to name folders based on date (xxx_MMDD) or image sequence number, the old behavior which continues to be the default.
5. ISO Auto-High settings bugfix
   • On the ISO Auto-High Settings page, the Change Shutter Speed option will now be shown in 1/3EV increments whenever the camera's ISO (sensitivity) step is set to 1/3EV increments.
6. New aspect ratio RAW development option
   • When developing 3:2 RAW files in playback mode, you can now select the aspect ratio (3:2, 4:3 or 1:1).

As always, the latest GR firmware update is cumulative: it also includes all the previous updates, so you do not need to install any prior updates if you're still running the original firmware.

If you're ready to upgrade your GR's firmware, download the update file straight from the Pentax web site and read on for installation instructions.

Ricoh GR Firmware Upgrade Instructions

1. Download the firmware ZIP file
2. Unzip the zip file to a folder of your choosing
3. Locate the extracted .frm file (rg1_v003.frm) and copy it to the root (top level i.e. outside of any folder) of a formatted SD card
4. Insert the card into your camera and ensure the battery is fully charged
5. Turn the camera on and go to the setup tab in the menu; select the "firmware" option
6. Select "Yes" at the firmware upgrade prompt
7. Once the screen displays "Firmware update complete", turn off your camera
8. Power your camera back on and resume normal use
9. In order to verify that the firmware update was successful, go back to the firmware option in the setup menu. The screen should indicate the latest version. You can now resume normal camera use.

Need help?  Visit our Ricoh GR forum.