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10-09-2019, 02:28 AM   #1
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Ricoh GR III - Editor's choice by LensTip/Optyczne.pl

For those not familiar with folks at LensTip - it's a team of researchers from Poland with passion for optical and imaging equipment. They perform pretty rigorous tests in controlled environment and check things such as resolving power of lenses, aberration control and also things like dynamic range and noise levels of sensors.

LensTip is their site in English with reviews of camera lenses. AFAIK, their main site (Optyczne.pl) that also tests cameras is not available in English, so I'll paste some google-translated content from their summary of Ricoh GR's review.

QuoteQuote:
Construction and functionality

The housing positively surprises, and the finish gives a solid impression from the first contact with it. Nothing has changed here over the years. It's a good sign. It is true that the GR III model is slightly larger than its predecessor and heavier, but the camera is perfectly in hand and operates. The ergonomic arrangement of control elements gives the possibility of quick operation despite the lack of a dedicated aperture ring or shutter speed. A big plus is the touch screen, which allows you to quickly change the focus point. Using the camera involves also a menu and available options. To accurately describe the multitude of options, we would have to rewrite most of the manuals, which, of course, due to the limited space in the article is not feasible. All this proves that designers have a serious approach to universality and ergonomics.

The poor continuous shooting options are slightly disappointing. There are also no options for creating panoramas so popular today, and filming with this model is not satisfying. We have no choice when it comes to formats, especially 4K so popular today. If you want to film with this camera, you must obtain capacious memory cards and additional batteries. And the material itself does not impress with quality.

The advantage is image stabilization, which significantly increases the possibilities when it comes to photography in insufficient lighting. However, this does not compensate for the lack of a built-in flash. It's good to have a hot shoe.

Image cropping options known from previous models, which in the camera menu is marked as a change of the focal length of the lens to 35 and 50 mm, thanks to the sensor with a high resolution of 24 Mpix is ​​fully functional.

Autofocus works well, it's a big change compared to previous GR series models. However, while in good lighting we have no comments on his work, in a situation of weaker light he can get a little lost. In such conditions it is better to use the possibility of a predefined focus setting.

Battery performance? This is still room for improvement. When the session is to last a long time, we need to stock up on a set of additional batteries. Or an AC adapter, as long as we photograph at home (or wherever we have an available electrical outlet).

Optics

The Ricoh GR III camera lens combined with the matrix gives a relatively wide angle of view, which works great in general landscape or street photography. Together with the maximum aperture of f / 2.8 it also allows you to play with a small depth of field, but only at short distances from the photographed theme.

The lens impresses with the sharpness in the center of the frame, and the distortion and chromatic aberration are well controlled. A lot of vignetting shows how big problems the designers faced and how big a compromise this construction is.

Imaging

Users who shoot in JPEG format should be very satisfied with the use of the tested camera, as long as they adjust the parameters of creating these files to their own needs. The image quality is very good even for high sensitivities. Automatic white balance in most cases selects the color so that it is pleasant to receive. A wide range of digital filters, especially those regarding B / W allows you to get interesting effects. Why is the image not satisfactory on default settings? This will remain the manufacturer's secret.

Analyzing RAW files, we didn't find any mishaps except for one "mishap" - correct scaling of sensitivity results in problems in "pulling" from burns of bright parts. Of course, this is not a real disadvantage, and for us the opportunity to present why the sensitivity is usually "lower" by 1 or 2 EV. If this were the case in GR III, it probably would have done better in bright parts, but in truth there is nothing to crush lances for. In practice, the image has very good quality, which is especially important in the darker parts of the frame. Controlling the added constant signal, which changes for each ISO, is also a unique phenomenon. This is a sign that the designers wanted to squeeze as much as possible from the sensor. And they did it, because the sensor looks very good. Relatively low noise, high dynamics and, above all, the lack of a low-pass filter make the image extremely sharp and full of details. In short, the sensor is ​​a solid argument for choosing this camera.

Final grade


Ricoh GR III is the perfect companion for every trip. Both on city streets and in the forest backwoods, the ability to work in the step zoom mode while maintaining the lens brightness and excellent sensor properties will allow taking pictures in many situations. Wide configuration options allow for very advanced camera customization. After using the camera for several days, we are impressed by this design. Big applause!
link to the original: Test Ricoh GR III - Podsumowanie - Test aparatu - Optyczne.pl

10-09-2019, 04:42 AM   #2
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I do wonder how I'd get on with a fixed focal length camera. I don't know if I'd find it liberating or limiting.
10-09-2019, 06:00 AM - 2 Likes   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by veato Quote
I do wonder how I'd get on with a fixed focal length camera. I don't know if I'd find it liberating or limiting.
I've just returned from a couple of weeks in Uzbekistan. In my camera bag, K1, 15-30 and 50/1.4. Of the 400 odd pictures, 95% were with the GRIII. It was a matter of convenience due to some roughish trekking, wanting to be more discreet in for example mosques, mausoleums, markets.

At pixel peeping levels the K1 shows more detail. In real terms, the GR has given me fantastic results.

Some observations: In the very bright light there, the screen is unreadable. The OVF add on was essential. The ring, as reported by many others kept falling off. It's a miracle that I didn't lose it but duck tape will come to the rescue in future.
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10-09-2019, 08:37 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by veato Quote
I do wonder how I'd get on with a fixed focal length camera. I don't know if I'd find it liberating or limiting.
I have a well rounded kit for my k3ii, and the GR iii. For the right application it's amazing and not limiting at all, in my case it's street and harder hikes or bike tours. For the latter, it would be either a tiny camera or no camera at all because of weight restrictions.

---------- Post added 10-09-19 at 11:37 AM ----------

Well deserved award, the GR iii was a revelation for me

10-09-2019, 08:42 AM - 1 Like   #5
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I like lenstip because they methodically test lenses for coma distortion. It's unimportant for daylight photography but is essential for astrophotography.
10-09-2019, 09:33 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by veato Quote
I do wonder how I'd get on with a fixed focal length camera. I don't know if I'd find it liberating or limiting.
I have wondered this myself, but then I review my images and the majority of them are shot around this focal length anyway. Plus, I think the focal length suits the use-case. As @BarneyL showed, when traveling and out and about, I think I would much rather pull out a smaller camera for the kinds of travel and interior shots he took, which the wider focal length is great for. It if it was my only option I think there'd be times I would miss it, like traveling to Yellowstone and hoping to catch a bear with a longer focal length, but otherwise I think I'd be right at home.

Now to get my hands on one
10-09-2019, 02:04 PM   #7
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When I think of all the travel photos I took with my ME Super and M28/2.8, it's not surprising the GR III's focal length works so well. It looks so much like a mindless point and shoot, I've got to believe it's great on the street for not attracting attention. Big bang in a little package. This thread here has a great video link that gets into the GR III some.

Samuel L visits Ricoh, Japan. - PentaxForums.com

11-17-2019, 01:38 PM   #8
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I am a great fan of the GR cameras; I first had the GR II for a number of years and now GR III. GR II was and is an excellent camera but GR III was what finally made me leave DSLR at home when travelling to new cities. K-1 obviously beats the GR when hiking or travelling for the purpose of photography and when on vacation, but GR III is the perfect companion when you are travelling for work and only have the evenings and the occasional weekend off, and do not want all the hassle with carrying a DSLR. I have just recently been to several cities with GR III and it never occurred to me that I would have needed any other focal lengths.

---------- Post added 11-17-19 at 01:49 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by vdubois Quote
I've just returned from a couple of weeks in Uzbekistan. In my camera bag, K1, 15-30 and 50/1.4. Of the 400 odd pictures, 95% were with the GRIII. It was a matter of convenience due to some roughish trekking, wanting to be more discreet in for example mosques, mausoleums, markets.
Would you by any chance be able to share some of your itinerary in Uzbekistan? I am especially interested in any hiking experience there. Probably going somewhere in that region next year, still debating between Mongolia and the "stans". (Have done some travelling in former USSR and Central Asia.)
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11-18-2019, 12:34 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by Landscape_with_K1 Quote
I am a great fan of the GR cameras; I first had the GR II for a number of years and now GR III. GR II was and is an excellent camera but GR III was what finally made me leave DSLR at home when travelling to new cities. K-1 obviously beats the GR when hiking or travelling for the purpose of photography and when on vacation, but GR III is the perfect companion when you are travelling for work and only have the evenings and the occasional weekend off, and do not want all the hassle with carrying a DSLR. I have just recently been to several cities with GR III and it never occurred to me that I would have needed any other focal lengths.

---------- Post added 11-17-19 at 01:49 PM ----------



Would you by any chance be able to share some of your itinerary in Uzbekistan? I am especially interested in any hiking experience there. Probably going somewhere in that region next year, still debating between Mongolia and the "stans". (Have done some travelling in former USSR and Central Asia.)
Hello

I wrote a little piece here: Castles in the Sand - fotoDubois. On the same site you will find a lot of photos, all B&W and most taken with the GR-III.

Uzbekistan is an amazing place. It has had an eclectic history and it shows. You don't say how much time you have, but if limited, I'd suggest giving Tashkent a miss and concentrating on Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. If you are hiking then the Nurata mountains should be particularly interesting. The Aral sea is an important place to see if not just to understand the sheer folly of what mankind can do to our environment but it very out of the way and you'd have to go via Nukus which, apart from the remarkable Savitsky museum, is not a place worth visiting.

I cannot recommend this country enough. They are very active in promoting tourism and there are quite a few but so far it's pretty unsophisticated. No doubt this will change, probably for the worse, so now is a good time to go.

As you are hiking you may also consider neighbouring Kyrgistan. I've not been but it is on my list for visiting soon. There is much less history there but I'm told that the scenery is just out of this world and would certainly be perfect for a fit walker.

If you would like more details, also about some homestay addresses, then by all means get in touch. My email address is vincentatvanwaltdotcom.

Safe travels!
11-18-2019, 09:48 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by vdubois Quote
Hello

I wrote a little piece here: Castles in the Sand - fotoDubois. On the same site you will find a lot of photos, all B&W and most taken with the GR-III.

Uzbekistan is an amazing place. It has had an eclectic history and it shows. You don't say how much time you have, but if limited, I'd suggest giving Tashkent a miss and concentrating on Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. If you are hiking then the Nurata mountains should be particularly interesting. The Aral sea is an important place to see if not just to understand the sheer folly of what mankind can do to our environment but it very out of the way and you'd have to go via Nukus which, apart from the remarkable Savitsky museum, is not a place worth visiting.

I cannot recommend this country enough. They are very active in promoting tourism and there are quite a few but so far it's pretty unsophisticated. No doubt this will change, probably for the worse, so now is a good time to go.

As you are hiking you may also consider neighbouring Kyrgistan. I've not been but it is on my list for visiting soon. There is much less history there but I'm told that the scenery is just out of this world and would certainly be perfect for a fit walker.

If you would like more details, also about some homestay addresses, then by all means get in touch. My email address is vincentatvanwaltdotcom.

Safe travels!
Thanks! I might get in touch later. Currently still in the planning phase, most likely timing in late August or early September next year so there is still time. This year I was in the Ukraine and the previous year in Central Asia.
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