News GR III - it's coming.

Ricoh has lots of experience making cameras waterproof... The one thing i'd love for this camera to have that it doesn't, is waterproofing. Apart from that, this really does look like a fantastic street and travel and everyday camera. If it weren't for me slowly starting to prefer longer focal lengths (as in, 35-50mm equivalent) over wider ones, this'd be right on top of my Want list...
 
Having now seen the back side and the loss of the exposure comp rocker switch. I probably won't be buying the new GR.
Even though I wasn't really in the market for this camera, I somewhat concur; I was worried about what the smaller body would do to the control layout - and it turns out I was right to be. This looks like another camera that has been touchscreened to fumblicity ...

However, let's not jump to conclusions too quickly, we'll see and read more soon enough. There is in fact an additional control dial around the d-pad - though, somewhat sadly, a FN button where AEL/AFL||C-AF was ...

But anyway, I'd hit the Play button countless times in that spot, and the click/switch control still isn't a dial ... Lots of missed opportunities, in my book.

M.
 
well, at least one can turn off the touchscreen (I hope)
The III appears to be thinner than the II, so no harm just not using the flippy screen either. Although, I admit that the pictures on the photoblog website don’t look like flip screen.

Edit: DPR says the screen is fixed.
 
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The function of the exposure rocker seems to be taken over by the ADJ toggle that has always been there, and there's also a scroll wheel around the function buttons. I'm still optimistic that the designers know what they are doing.
 
Comparison to GR II at dc.watch and interview w designer:
【フォトキナ】リコー担当者に聞く「GR III」一問一答 5年の技術進化を反映 手ブレ補正+ゴミ取り搭載 操作性も新しく
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"- The number of constituent lenses is decreasing by one. What are the merits?

Noguchi: The mechanism of the sensor shift mechanism "SR" of the PENTAX single lens reflex camera is big, and how to put it in the GR was an issue. As the thickness increases with conventional lenses, we designed the lens for the body size that seems to be GR. The number of constituting optical systems has decreased by 1. This makes the lens unit lighter, and it also has the advantage of speed of AF driving.

In addition to the highest priority image quality design, a macro mode is newly installed. When GR became an APS - C sensor, since the shortest shooting distance was 10 cm in front of the lens, there was a voice that it could not be compared with the previous 1 cm, so in GR III, it is called "super macro mode", 6 to 12 cm The mode which can shoot in range is installed.

The shortest shooting distance of 6 cm in front of the lens is decided by the balance with the main body size, but it is roughly the same distance as adding the macro conversion lens "GM - 1" to GR and GR II for calculation. In GR III, it is an image that makes it possible to get to the camera alone."
 
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Take THIS with a grain of salt since it is from the comments section.....

"The only way to move the focus points is to touch the screen."

I'm also generally opposed to using flash in my own photography, but I think leaving a flash off the camera altogether seems a bit rash.

I think they have made the camera worse in more ways than they have improved it.
 
Losing TAv mode might simply be Ricoh deciding to allow AutoISO in M mode. Saves space on the dial and it doesn't change the functionality.

It looks very good to me, I just hope they managed to put in PixelShift as well that would be awesome!

Sounds like it's a new battery though :(
 
The key to this new model for me is going to be whether the sensor has the “special sauce” as it’s often referred to by seasoned owners. Doesn’t look promising based on what’s been delivered so far but it’s early days.
 
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to me (and to varying degrees of "I just don't like it"), loss of the built-in flash, loss of the exposure comp rocker switch, loss of TAV mode (and it looks some other modes got axed, too....but they weren't ones that I use) are the principal beefs.

But if it's true that the only way to move the focus point is via the touch screen....to me, that is just heinous. If they need to add touchscreen stuff to lure people in, it should be an add-on, NOT to replace a button function that established users (CUSTOMERS) enjoy.

I also dislike the spinny wheel instead of a d-pad (sorry for the no-technical terms).

And I understand that most everyone here thinks smaller cameras are somehow better.....for me they're not. I alrerady think the GR II is a little smaller than I would like. Making it slightly smaller does not make it better in any practical way.....it's still bigger than anything I want to put into a pocket, so why bother.

Listen, a few things they added are nice....and appreciated. But none of them were NEEDED.....maybe the dust removal shake thing was needed since the GR is a vacuum. More mega pickles are nice.....but I can still use a 6MP camera and get good shots. So it's nice but not needed. Same for improved AF...nice, but I've never needed it.

But to be clear....it is just a camera. And there'll be a dozen better ones in a couple years anyways. So I won't lose sleep over it. I just had high hopes and expected Ricoh to make sensible upgrades, not strip away functions.
 
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