Ricoh has introduced new variations of its GR III and GR IIIx cameras, although when you have been anticipating a drastic change, you are out of luck. The brand new variations add a particular built-in Spotlight Diffusion Filter for softer highlights. However past that, a lot of the authentic options of those compact cameras stay the identical.

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Ricoh GR III preliminary evaluation: Tugging on these high-end heartstrings

The GR III is coming to Europe, priced £800/€900. We acquired to play with the high-end, fixed-lens, APS-C sensor compact to see if it nonetheless appeals.

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The GR III HDF and GR IIIx HDF are official

However what’s new?

The GR III and GR IIIx, each well-liked selections for road pictures as a consequence of their compact type, share many options, together with point-and-shoot performance, a 24.2-megapixel sensor, three-axis sensor-shift stabilization, face and eye detection, and in-camera enhancing. Nonetheless, they differ of their lens specs: the GR III is provided with a 28mm lens (35mm equal), whereas the GR IIIx includes a barely tighter 40mm lens (35mm equal).

All these stats keep the identical on the brand new GR III HDF and GR IIIx HDF cameras. What Ricoh has executed is add a Spotlight Diffusion Filter (HDF) that it developed utilizing its superior inkjet expertise. The special-effect filter diffuses highlights and “creates a blurred impact alongside the picture’s edges,” says Ricoh. These results produce a softer picture, very similar to these captured by movie or in classic films. The HDF will be immediately switched on or off with a single motion, so photographers can simply change between seems.

Here is the way it seems in use:

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The above picture on the left was taken with the HDF filter off, whereas the picture on the proper is with the HDF filter on. You’ll be able to see how mushy the highlights get with the HDF filter.

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Different delicate enhancements

Past the HDF filter, Ricoh additionally modified the colour of the shutter-release button to darkish silver to distinguish it from different GR collection fashions and to “symbolize the easy shift of visible categorical,” Ricoh explains. Ricoh additionally modified the default settings of the Perform (Fn) button to regulate the HDF setting. The Fn button will be personalized, after all, however when you’re shopping for the HDF model, you may doubtless need that characteristic accessible with the press of a button.

The 2 new fashions additionally characteristic Zone Choose AF, which mechanically units the give attention to essentially the most applicable space throughout the picture after the photographer chooses the three-by-three desired zone. Sadly, the built-in impartial density (ND) filter will not be accessible on the GR III HDF or GR IIIx HDF, so you may need to do with out that.

One characteristic launched on the HDF variations can also be carried over to the prevailing fashions with the assistance of function-expansion firmware. It is possible for you to to pre-program as much as three white stability settings as the bottom white stability. That characteristic will be paired with the White-Stability High-quality Adjustment perform as nicely. The up to date firmware will probably be accessible similtaneously the market launch of the HDF fashions.

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However how a lot will they value?

Each the GR III HDF and GR IIIx HDF will probably be accessible in April for $1,070 and $1,150, respectively.