Photo: Dan Bracaglia
I`m of the opinion that if you use a phrase like `shut up and take my money` in the title of an article about a camera, you`d damned well better buy it. It`s not about gear acquisition (honest it isn`t) it`s about reader trust.
Yeah, right. But either way, I was serious. It wasn`t long after writing our review of the Ricoh GR III that I bought my own, right before a trip to Japan this summer. I`ve been to Japan a few times for work, but this was to be a proper vacation for once. Just me, a couple of guidebooks, some depressing podcasts and a sturdy pair of hiking boots. And the GR III.
In the end, it didn`t end up being all vacation (one of those `Hey, so we`re planning a video project in Japan, and since you`re going to be there anyway...` things) but I did get in a decent amount of hiking, and the GR III was with me every step of the way.
ISO 200 | 1/400 sec | F5.6
The GR III wasn`t the only personal camera I took to Japan (I also grabbed my Nikon Z7 with a 24-70mm F2.8 lens, just to be on the safe side) but it was the one I ended up using most. Partly that`s because it`s a great camera and I love the images that come out of it, but that`s equally true of the Z7. Mostly it`s because the GR III is small enough to fit into a shirt pocket.
In terms of image quality, the new sensor in the GR III offers a useful resolution boost over its predecessors, but more important to me is the addition of stabilization and a major increase in usable Raw dynamic range.
ISO 160 | 1/400 sec | F7.1
There`s no doubt that 28mm equiv. is a limiting focal length, but it also turns out to be perfect for trail landscapes and for quick grab shots walking around cities. Considering that the GR III is barely any bigger than my phone (albeit thicker) it`s hard to imagine a better traveling companion, provided of course that you don`t need to shoot video.
Downsides? Naturally there are a few. The aforementio ...
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