Ricoh GR III HDF Digital Camera

The Ricoh GR III HDF is a premium compact camera featuring a large APS-C-size CMOS 24.24 megapixel image sensor for high quality, high res images. Also featured is a GR 18.3mm f/2.8 Lens, super-fast Hybrid AF, Shake Reduction (SR) mechanism and touch-screen operation for intuitive control. The compact & stylish body of the GR III is made made of highly rigid magnesium alloy to improve durability.
The Ricoh GR III HDF features a newly developed, built-in HDF (Highlight Diffusion Filter), which is designed to deliver mellow, softened images with diffused highlight areas. This filter allows the user to add a totally different kind of visual expression to captured images, depending on the subject or creative intension.

Built-in HDF (Highlight Diffusion Filter
The GR II HDF includes the newly developed HDF (Highlight Diffusion Filter) to emphasize highlights and produce mellow, softened images. This special-effect filter is designed to diffuse highlight areas and create a blurred effect along the image’s edges, making it possible to capture images resembling those captured in film photography or movies. Since the HDF can be instantly switched on and off with a single action, it lets the you effortlessly alternate between two completely different visual expressions — clear, sharply focused images symbolic of the Ricoh GR series, and mellow, softened images captured by the HDF.

Other new features include:
- The colour of the shutter-release button has been changed to greyish silver to symbolize the easy shift of visual expression.
- The default setting of the Fn (Function) button has also been changed to the ON/OFF switching of the HDF. The user can also select another function as the default setting of the Fn button.
- The user can pre-program up to three white-balance settings as the base white balance.
- It is also possible to couple the base white balance with the White-balance Fine Adjustment function.
- The new model features Zone Select AF, which automatically sets the focus at the most appropriate point within the image area, after the user shifts the 3x3 focus area to the desired zone. The 3x3 focus area is identical in size to that of the Auto-area AF (Centre) mode.

High-resolution GR lens
The GR III incorporates a newly developed GR LENS 18.3mm F2.8, which harmonizes exceptional imaging performance with a slim design. Its super-slim optics consists of six optical elements in four groups, while retaining the 28mm angle of view (in the 35mm format) and large F2.8 maximum aperture of its predecessor. The optimal positioning of a high-refraction, low-dispersion glass element and a glass-molded element allows it to deliver the clearest, sharpest images in GR-series history, while reducing distortion and chromatic aberration to a minimum. It also minimizes the generation of flare and ghost images when shooting against backlight. To deliver high-contrast, high-resolution images of a variety of subjects and in varying photographic conditions, it also comes equipped with a macro shooting capability at a minimum focusing distance of six centimeters, and incorporates an ND (Neutral Density) filter to open up the aperture by two stops. Its nine-blade diaphragm creates a natural bokeh (defocus) effect and a truthful sense of depth at open aperture, while capturing beautiful light beams at closed-down apertures.

High resolution images
The GR III incorporates a large APS-C-size CMOS image sensor with an anti-aliasing (AA) filter-free design to enhance image resolving power, and a newly developed GR ENGINE 6 imaging engine. Thanks to its approximately 24.24 effective megapixels, this image sensor assures super-high-resolution images that are rich in gradations. It is also compatible with multi-tone 14-bit RAW image recording. The camera also features the accelerator unit, which is designed to optimize image data delivered by the image sensor, and provides a top sensitivity of ISO 102400 for super-high-sensitivity photography.

Hybrid AF system for high-speed autofocus
The GR III features a hybrid AF system combining a contrast-type AF mechanism superior in focusing precision with a phase-detection-type AF mechanism assuring high-speed focusing operation. Taking advantage of both mechanisms, it assures faster, more responsive autofocus operation.

SR mechanism
Three-axis, four-step shake reduction: Thanks to the originally developed SR (Shake Reduction) mechanism, the GR III effectively compensates for camera shake at the time of shutter release. Its three-axis mechanism minimizes adverse effects of camera shake caused by pitch, yaw and roll by as much as four shutter steps.

AA Filter Simulator
By applying microscopic vibrations with sub-pixel precision to the image sensor unit during exposure, the camera’s AA (anti-aliasing) Filter Simulator* provides the same level of moiré reduction as an optical AA filter. This innovative simulator allows the user not only to switch the AA filter effect on and off, but also to select the effect to the level best suited for a given subject.

Compact design
Despite the incorporation of the large APS-C-size image sensor, the GR III is designed to be extremely compact and functional, almost equal in size to the GR DIGITAL IV (which is equipped with a smaller 1/1.7-inch image sensor), providing the outstanding portability in keeping with the GR-series concept of the camera as a pocketable imaging tool or a handy picture-taking tool. It provides such user-friendly features as a short start-up time of approximately 0.8 seconds, the control dial conveniently positioned next to the four-way controller, and effortless touch-screen operation, to enhance operability and allow the user to swiftly react to once-in-a-lifetime shutter opportunities. Its exterior frame is made of highly rigid magnesium alloy to improve dependability and durability when it is being carried.

High-definition LCD monitor with intuitive touch-screen operation
The GR III features a 3.0-inch high-definition LCD monitor with approximately 1,037,000 dots. Introduced for the first time in GR-series history, its touch-screen operation provides intuitive control of various camera functions, such as AF frame shift, menu selection, and image magnification and advance during playback. It also features an air gapless construction, in which special resin is placed between the LCD touch-screen monitor and a protective cover made of reinforced glass, to effectively reduce the reflection and dispersion of light for improved visibility during outdoor shooting. Its Outdoor View Setting allows instant adjustment of the monitor’s brightness to the desired level for greater visibility under unfriendly lighting conditions.

Image Control function
The GR III’s new Image Control function provides a new type of finishing touch control that integrates effect modes into conventional image setting operation. Using 10 basic Image Control modes, the user can easily adjust various parameters, such as saturation, hue, key, contrast and graininess,* to the desired level, and create a finishing touch of their choice. A set of adjusted parameters can be added as a custom setting to the Image Control function.

Bluetooth and wireless LAN dual communication
The GR III provides wireless LAN functions for easy pairing with mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers. By installing the dedicated Image Sync application on a mobile device, the user can display a Live-View image on the device’s monitor, release the shutter and send various commands from the device. The wireless LAN connection also makes it easy to upload captured images onto SNS sites. The camera also provides seamless Bluetooth® connection to facilitate camera operation. Thanks to the Bluetooth® connection, just by selecting application's shooting mode, camera can be activated and establish wireless LAN connection even though it is in the Sleep Mode. By connecting with the Image Sync app the location data obtained by the smartphone can be recorded onto captured images.