Update On The Little Ricoh GRIIIx; The Ultimate Snapshooter Or Serious Photographic Tool?

I saw this while on a walk in my hometown's quaint “downtown” area.  (click to enlarge)
Ricoh GRIIIx

Note:  This is not a review of the Ricoh GRIIIx, just an update on how I’ve been using it and what I now think of it.  Everything I write is my opinion based upon my use.  Your opinionn may differ and that is fine.  Also, I included a number of 'snapshots' I've made during my daily
activities.  They are just examples of the kinds of photos I make with this camera.  None are really special.

I’ve already written two posts about this camera and thought I would write a final third post and, afterward, answer any questions any of you might have.  In the first post I wrote (10/24/2025) I commented that my purchase of this camera was tentative and I mentioned my initial likes and dislikes about the camera. You can read that post, here.  The second post I wrote about the GRIIIx was on January 16, 2026.  That post, which was a bit more detailed, highlighted my thoughts after I had used the camera (sparingly) for a time in a variety of situations.  I’m going to try not to repeat much of what I’ve already written but if you are interested you can read that post here.  This third post is just part of the continuing narrative about how I’ve adapted to it and my thoughts about it as a ‘everyday carry camera (EDC).’

The Ricoh GRIIIx is a really nice camera—for some.  For others, I don’t think it will be for them.  Why do I say that?  The camera is so small it is literally pants pocketable.  It has a fixed lens.  The lens is the full frame equivalent of 40mm, f/2.8.  It has no viewfinder—optical nor electronic.  The sensor is APS-C sized.  The sensor only has 24mp.  The autofocus is at least a generation behind 'cutting edge.'  The battery is small (as it has to be if you want a camera this small).  Its small size and rectangular shape makes it somewhat hard to handle.  Maybe, for some, it is too small.  I suspect that several of those things I mentioned would be deal breakers for many photographers.

(click to enlarge)

All that said—I really like this little jewel of a camera.  I didn’t think I would but I do.  It has grown on me over the past several months.  Yes, that surprised me.  Is this camera (or its brethren—the GRIII, GRIV & GRIV Monochrome) the ultimate 'snapshot' camera or a serious photographic tool?

This camera is marketed primarily as one for street photographers.  Well, I’m not a street photographer but I’ve been carrying it whenever I go out (even if I take other cameras).  Why?  Because I literally can put it in my pocket and not have to take any bag or, in lieu of a bag, have to use a strap to hang it around my neck.  When I need it I can just pull it out, press the off/on button and by the time I get it out in front of me, it is ready to shoot.  Immediately.  The doggone little thing turns on in less than a second and is ready to go.  Additionally, the lens is excellent.  I continue to be surprised at how sharp the lens is.  It produces outstanding images.  And…I like the colors from the files.  I especially like the black & white recipes.  I love how configurable it is.  Also, the controls work well for me and are positioned where they feel natural to my grip.  The menu is configured in such a manner that I can easily find things when necessary.  What I guess I’m saying is for me this camera is very easy to use—even one-handed if I so choose.

This is the full image of two U.S. Navy warships in drydock.  Below is the same image but
cropped.  (click to enlarge)

This is 4.4mp of a 24mp file cropped to 16 x 19 of the image above to demonstrate the sharpness and
fine detail of which the Ricoh 26.1mm f/2.8 lens is capable.  
1/400th sec. @ f/8; ISO 100   (click to enlarge)

Over the past year I’ve now acquired two cameras with fixed lenses—the Fujifilm X100VI and now this camera.  The GRIIIx has a 40mm~ f/2.8 lens and the Fujifilm a 35mm~ f/2.  Both have worked very well for me.  Forty millimeters has been my favorite focal length for many years but the 35mm lens of the Fujifilm camera is also fine.  As you would suspect, I’ve occasionally encountered a scene where I needed a wider lens than 40mm and there is a workaround for that—make two vertical exposures and composite them together.  Not ideal but it works (I guess one could instead purchase a GRIII or GRIV with their 28mm~ f/2.8 lenses to carry in tandem with the IIIx).  However, more often, I wished I had a longer focal length lens.  That is where the Fujifilm X100VI with its 40mp sensor allows more cropping to fine tune a composition.  The Ricoh’s 24mp doesn’t allow as much cropping.  I wish Ricoh would make a camera with a fixed 75-85mm~ f/2.8 lens for those situations.  Carrying two tiny cameras would not be a chore.  I could be happy carrying two small Ricohs—one with a 28mm lens and the other with a 85mm lens.  For many years I used to carry a 35mm film camera kit just like that.

Initially, the biggest impediment for me was no viewfinder.  I’m basically a viewfinder kind of photographer.  Putting my eye to the viewfinder isolates me psychologically from my surroundings and allows me to fully concentrate on what’s in front of me.  No distractions.  But, it seems over the months I’ve gotten used to using the LCD to compose—as we do with our phones.   Many have remarked that seeing the viewfinder in bright daylight is problematic.  When I first used the camera I found it problematic as well.  However, there is an easily accessed EVF brightness control.  I increased brightness by one level and that problem disappeared.  There is additional step up in brightness available but I have not needed it.  Using the histogram in conjunction with the highlight warning “blinkies,” I’ve had no issues getting proper exposure and composition.  What I would like, however, is a tilting LCD.  That would make a difference.  A tilting LCD is such a convenient feature I don’t understand why any company would not include those in their camera bodies.  Yes, I know it would make the body a tad larger, but the trade-off is well worth the little bit of extra size.

These are wooden ‘deadrise’ oyster boats.  Deadrise refers to their construction.  (click to enlarge)

Other than that, I’ll take the camera just as it is.  It has all of the controls, features and options to make it a serious tool that can be used in several different genres of photography.  For how it is designed and for its intended purpose, it is a fine little camera.  It is not a ‘do everything’ camera, of course.  It has limitations but if you understand them, they really don’t restrict you much.  Others may not think so.  In fact, I’ve seen quite a few videos with the presenters saying they don’t really like this camera, especially with a non-interchangeable lens and handling its tiny rectangular body.  But the same things could be said about the Leica Q3, Fujifilm X100VI, the Nikon Zf and a number of other currently available cameras.  I think they just don’t like cameras with these restrictions and attributes.

The most frequent objection that I see expressed is the price.  Well, things are worth what people will pay for them and, evidently, a lot of people think the price is worth it as these cameras have been continuously sold out for years.  Individual judgment call.  Now that the GRIII and IIIx are no longer sold new, buying new/old stock or one in excellent condition on the used market makes this camera more attractive, in my opinion.

Another criticism I’ve seen is dust getting into the camera and onto the sensor.  I’ve taken steps to prevent that (you can read about what I did in one of my previous posts) and, after almost a year, no dust.  So far, for me, dust has not been an issue.

(click to enlarge)

Some have commented about the autofocus being slow and hunting in low light.  I haven’t shot any night photos and I don’t normally shoot fast moving objects so I have had no complaints about the speed or accuracy of the autofocus mechanism.  I do like the Snap Focus function.  I find it very useful.  I find it certainly can make up for AF that is not state-of-the-art, especially as easy as it is to set up or modify on-the-fly.

 All in all the camera just works for me.  I enjoy carrying it with me.  It is a little gem.  That said, I will admit I don’t like it as much as I like my Fujifilm X100VI or my all time favorite digital camera—my Fujifilm X-T5.  But I can’t put either of those in my pocket unless I go to clown school, graduate and then get my baggy clown clothes with giant pockets (I would then have to buy a car in which 30 clowns can fit as they do in the circus!).  Being able to put the camera in my pocket makes a bigger difference than I would have ever thought.  Maybe in my old age I’m getting a bit lazy?  Or…maybe I enjoy the convenience.

The camera has a nice close-up capability.  This is a 5mp crop from the original 24mp file.
If you click the image and look closely, you can see the tiny hairs on the stems rendered quite
sharply.  (click to enlarge)

One thing we have a lot of in this area—oysters!  In fact, there are roadbeds made entirely of
oyster shells.  No kidding.  (click to enlarge)

Until a couple of years ago, someone actually lived here.  (click to enlarge)

For my uses, I think it is a great EDC snapshot camera but that doesn't mean it can't do serious work.  It has all the technical capabilities to produce professional level images.  The difference being your intentions for your imagery.  

As I wrote, the camera has a lot of shortcomings and won’t work for many of you but in spite of those shortcomings—no EVF, only 24mp (which really is sufficient), no EVF, small battery, etc.—to me those aspects are negated by the quality of the images I’ve made with it, the fun I have using it and the convenience of pocket-ability.  If you think you could be happy with a camera like one of the Ricoh GR series of cameras, I can recommend them.  After all, in the end, to me photography is about two things—the images I make and the enjoyment I get making them.

DISCLAIMER:  I have no affiliation with any company.  I don’t have advertisements, affiliate links, nor click-through sites.  I don’t get any commissions, discounts nor in-kind compensation for my opinion about various products.  I pay what you pay most likely from the same retail establishments that you use.  My goal is to share my knowledge, opinions and experiences to be helpful to others so hopefully they can enjoy  photography as much as I have enjoyed it over the past 54 years.

Join me over at my website, https://www.dennismook.com.  

Thanks for looking. Enjoy!  

Dennis A. Mook  

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