Ricoh GR III HDF Compact Camera

Ricoh GR III HDF Compact Camera Summary

With an all-new new Highlight Diffusion Filter, the Ricoh GR III HDF Compact Camera adds the ability to capture images with diffused highlight areas and create a blurred effect along the image’s edges.

This one-button filter effect joins an exterior design update, as well as the ability to pre-program up to three white balance settings, and customise the Fn button – which is set to activate the Highlight Diffusion Filter.

This compact Ricoh camera also sees the addition of Zone Select AF, and the colour of the shutter-release button has been changed to greyish silver, symbolising the easy shift of visual expression.

Aside from these updates and the availability of ND filters, the Ricoh GR III HDF is identical to the popular Ricoh GR III Compact Camera. It features a 24 megapixel APS-C format sensor, powerful image processor and bright 28mm equivalent wide angle lens, while remaining compact and portable for everyday shooting with ease.

Key Ricoh GR III HDF Features

• Highlight Diffusion Filter *New
• New greyish silver shutter release button *New
• Ability to customise Fn button *New
• Save three custom white balance settings *New
• Zone Select AF *New
• 24 Megapixel APS-C format sensor
• 28mm equivalent lens with 6 elements in 4 groups including 2 aspherical elements
• ISO range between ISO100～102400
• 3-axis shake reduction system built-in
• GB internal memory and SD/SDHC/SDXC Memory Card slot (UHS-I)
• Hybrid AF with Phase-matching and Contrast detection
• Face/Eye AF subject recognition
• 3.0 inch TFT colour LCD
• Bluetooth and WiFi

Sample 01: Photographer: Yukio Uchida / GR III HDF / Highlight Diffusion Filter on/off

Ricoh GR III HDF Compact Camera in More Detail

Effortlessly switch to the built-in HDF for soft, mellow images, by using the Fn button. The Highlight Diffusion Filter (HDF) enhances highlights and achieves a gentle, softened effect in your images. Utilising Ricoh's advanced printing technology, this filter diffuses highlights and adds a blurred edge effect, reminiscent of nostalgic film or cinematic imagery.

With the HDF's single-action toggle, users can seamlessly switch between two distinct visual styles – the trademark sharpness of the Ricoh GR series, and the soft, mellow tones achieved with the new HDF. This flexibility enhances your creative expression, and pushes the boundaries of everyday snapshot photography.

Sample 02: Photographer: Wolfgang Baus GR IIIx HDF // Manual // 1/1,600 sec // f5.6 // ISO 200 // BW High Contrast // HDF on

Other HDF camera features

The shutter-release button now sports a greyish silver hue, reflecting the seamless transition between visual expressions. Additionally, the Fn button defaults to toggling the HDF on/off, but users can opt for another function as well.

Users can preset up to three white-balance settings as the base white balance and fine-tune them with the White-balance Fine Adjustment function. Additionally, the camera introduces Zone Select AF, aligning focus with the desired zone after shifting the 3x3 focus area. This area matches the size of Auto-area AF (Centre) mode.

Sharp and bright f/2.8 lens

The GR lens has been imbued with Ricoh’s unique optical technology, which aims to provide high image quality at all times. The GR III HDF lens employs a slim optical design consisting of 6 elements 4 groups with a focal length of 18.3 mm (which is approximately 28 mm in 35 mm full-frame equivalent focal width) and an f/2.8 aperture.

High-refractive index low-dispersion glass lenses and aspherical high-precision moulded glass lenses are optimally placed in the lens construction according to each model’s optical system to suppress optical distortion and chromatic aberration to the absolute limit, delivering a high level of sharpness. This results in images that are sharp and clear across the entire frame even from the full aperture setting.

24.2 Megapixel APS-C Sensor

GR III HDF is equipped with a high-resolution, wide dynamic range APS-C format CMOS image sensor with approx. 24.24 effective megapixels. The high resolution sensor can handle large sized prints and an anti-aliasing (AA) filterless construction emulates the characteristics of the high-resolution lens, which results in high-resolution detail. Both the image sensor and lens are also optimised for the best possible image quality.

Fast GR Engine 6 Processor

The imaging processor on GR III HDF is the latest GR ENGINE 6, which serves to elevate the high image quality performance of the GR camera range, for greater detail. Faster processing enables a combination of high resolution sensor and multi-tone 14-bit RAW possible, which also contributes to improved responsiveness and functionality for autofocus and movies.

Excellent low light capabilities

A high-performance ‘Accelerator Unit’ is adopted on GR III HDF, which is a powerful way to support high image quality even at ISO 102400. The image sensor signal output is sent to the image processor after being optimally handled, which reduces noise and delivers superb resolution and colour across the entire sensitivity range., right up to ISO 102400.

Built-in stabilisation

3-axis, 4-step camera shake is employed for crisp images, even when taking split-second snapshots. Shake Reduction(SR) is installed while making the body size of GR III HDF and GR IIIx HDF, which minimises the shake across three yaw, pitch and roll axes. Compensation effects deliver up to 4 stops of shutter speed, based on CIPA standards.

AA filter simulator for reducing false colours and moiré thanks to Shake Reduction mechanism

The effects of the optical anti-aliasing (AA) filter are obtained with Shake Reduction(SR). Moving the image sensor slightly during the exposure suppresses false colours and moiré. You can choose whether to prioritise resolution or reducing false colours and moiré depending on your subject. Choose [High] or [Low] for effect settings.

Fast and accurate Hybrid AF

Ricoh’s AF system is a hybrid image plane phase-matching and contrast detection, combining the advantages of high-speed phase-matching AF with contrast-detection AF precision. The common contrast-detection AF issue of searching for focus peaks has been reduced to achieve quick shooting performance required on street photography and for similar moving subjects.

Ready to capture the shot

A high output motor is used to drive the lens barrel so that it quickly moves from a retracted position to the shooting position. Also, the program process of start-up is optimised to reduce the start-up time. The built-in lens barrier also makes it unnecessary to remove the lens cap, so you will not miss a sudden photo opportunity.

Multiple focus modes for various subjects

Eight focus modes are available including Continuous AF for versatile shooting styles. LCD monitor that supports touch operations is also adopted for direct control over the AF frame using touch and slide gestures. You can also focus (Touch AF) and shoot while moving the AF frame for quick shooting in any type of composition.

Face/Eye Subject detection

The camera detects faces or eyes* and focuses. This feature is enabled in [Auto Area AF], [Select AF], and [Pinpoint AF]. When the face or eye is detected and in-focused, the focusing point is framed. It is also possible to enable this feature only in [Auto Area AF]. By using this setting, when you want to focus on a subject instead of faces, simply switch the focus mode without turning face/eye detect off.

*The latest GR III firmware is required

Intuitive operation

The LCD monitor features a touch panel. Simply touch and slide to move the AF frame or access the menu. You can also pinch in and out during playback to change the magnification, flick to view the previous and next images or even go back to the centre of the image by double tapping the monitor. A control dial is also positioned around the four-way button. This layout makes it possible to quickly operate the camera with a simple action while maintaining a secure grip on the camera.

ADJ. mode and Fn button functions are customisable. You can also save the camera settings that best match your shooting intentions or the subject to U1/U2/U3 on the mode dial, making controls more convenient to match your shooting style.

Image control modes

• Standard
• Vivid
• Positive Film
• Monotone
• Soft Monotone
• Hard Monotone
• Hi-Contrast B&H
• Bleach Bypass
• Retro
• HDR Tone
• Cross Processing*

What’s in the box

• Ricoh GR III HDF Compact Camera