Ricoh just announced that the GR III, first unveiled to the world last year, will go on sale for everyone in March for $899. Yes, you read that correctly. If you’ve been eager to get your hands on the Ricoh GR III or have been waiting to upgrade, you will get your chance next month.
The GR III is a big improvement over the GR II. It comes with a higher resolution 24-megapixel sensor, 3-axis in-body stabilization, a rear touchscreen as well as a fixed 28mm equivalent F/2.8 lens that’s able to focus as close as 2.4-inches. It also comes with an all-new on-sensor phase-detect autofocus system that will be able to perform quicker and provide improved low-light capabilities due to its expanded ISO range of 100-102,400.
In terms of other features, the Ricoh GR III includes a Type-C USB-C port that you can charge the battery through, as well as Bluetooth and WiFi. If you’re a video enthusiast and were hoping for 4K video, there’s some bad news because it will not come with 4K video option, but will come with 1080/60p. The camera also does not come with a built-in flash and the battery life has been reduced drastically, from 320 to 200 shots.
If you’re thinking of an alternative, there is another option. You can check out Fujifilm’s X100F. The camera has a slightly wider and faster 23mm f/2.0 lens and able to take 4K video for the tune of $1,299. There’s also the XF10, which comes with an 18.5mm f/2.8 lens and a 24.2-megapixel APS-C for $500. You have plenty to choose from. Mind you, if you want image stabilization on a large-sensor and fixed-lens compact, Ricoh’s GR III is great for it, but Fujifilm will not offer it.
