The Ricoh GRD-III is a digital compact camera descended from the company's revered GR film cameras (more on those here in this filmwasters.org post). It can be used as a simple point-and-shoot or, because of its larger-than-average sensor and bright/wide lens, as a near-professional tool. Ricoh sells a bunch of very expensive add-ons to cater to that crowd, like an optical viewfinder that fits into the flash hotshoe, and a teleconversion lens.

 

Full manual controls are available if you want them, although there aren't multiple dials for setting exposure compensation, ISO speed, etc. like you will find on other "bridge" or prosumer cameras such as Canon's G series or Fujifilm's new X series. However it's still easy to access all settings and make adjustments with its two function wheels under the thumb and forefinger.

 

It has one of the best screens you'll find on a camera in this category, very high-density at over 900,000 dots. If you can remember the difference between the displays on the original iPhone and the iPhone 4, it's something like that compared to an entry-level camera.

 

It also has a pop-up flash that I've never had to use, partly because I hate firing flashes, but more because it's never really necessary. The f1.9 lens lets in lots of light, making this a viable camera in dimly-lit places. Fully open, you also get shallow depth of field effects when shooting objects nearly a meter away.

Speaking of the lens, it's relatively wide at 28mm (the 35mm film equivalent), which is the perfect focal length for me. A couple of my other cameras start at 24mm, which is great for shooting scenery and buildings, but too far away for people. The GRD-III has quite a following amongst street photographers.

 

Oh, and it doesn't zoom. At all. It's a dealbreaker for some people, I know, but how many compact film cameras had zoom back in the day? The Lomo LC-A is one that's still popular today. It's a creative restriction I enjoy, and the trade-off is a lens of extraordinary quality.

Most people don't think of Ricoh as a great Japanese camera company (often they don't know Ricoh makes cameras at all), but the GRD-III is my absolute favorite compact camera, amongst the many Canons, Sonys, Fujis, and Panasonics I've used.

It's the perfect size and weight, just slender enough to slip into a jeans pocket, has a rough and ready retro style about it, and takes great pictures. Just as the Olympus XA-2 was often called the professional photographer's off-duty vacation camera of choice, the Ricoh GRD-III is like a tiny, limited SLR for traveling light. It came out in 2009, but is a timeless tool you'll be using years from now. 

 

Shop: Ricoh GR DIGITAL III

The GR Digital IV will be out later this year, largely unchanged from the III except for a new, faster autofocus system. Consider the III as a worthwhile buy, especially if the price drops.

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Here are some photos I shot last year in Japan: