Ricoh Ricoh GR III

Hopefully it is not s slippy. Just kidding, a Coolpix A has with me for about many years and this is the first time I dropped it.
Watching the boards for a nice used GRIII...
I've dropped GRIIIs several times. Never sustained more damage than a broken glass screen protector, and at least one of those times it would have been the LCD if I hadn't had the protector, so... buy a screen protector.
 
I have dropped my GR... severely. Once, the pocket on my shorts ripped open, the GR dropped down (while I was sprinting to catch a train, with my child in my arms), and I kicked the GR five meters across the pavement. Put it back in my (broken) pocket, and sent it flying again. It broke off an entire corner of the body, and shattered the screen protection glass. The camera continued shooting, though, and remained sharp. And we did catch the train.

Another time I had a bike accident. Sailed across the asphalt and landed rather uncomfortably on the curb's edge—with the GR's lens as my first point of contact, and 75 kg of squishy human flesh to drive it home. That made a sharp dent in the lens barrel, and a bigger one in my hip. The camera continued shooting, though, and remained sharp as ever.

The GR III, I have somewhat less confidence for. I dropped it badly once, and the lens front shield popped off (where it says the focal length). To its credit, the repair was affordable (€90), quick, and the camera continued to work without the shield. I dropped it several other times without issues.

From these experiences, I believe the lens assembly is very sturdily built, and perhaps more importantly, very safely stowed when retracted.
 
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Rare for me, a square crop of an older image, with some DXO editing applied.
 

Not sure just how rigorous Petapixel's "reporting" is (pretty sure it isn't at all) so take their theories about the cause with a grain of salt, but at any rate it sounds like the demand for this camera is pretty strong!

I just went out and looked. Had it at Adorama and Amazon has them ready to ship. I've not really been able to trust PetaPixel. I'm not a fan of click bait, inflammatory titles that they often put out.
 
Amy issues with sensor dust in the GRIIIx?
I have one speck of dust in the GRIIIx. It seems to be a bit of a lottery: many have no complaints, some do. I never win anything in a regular lottery, but this time…

I’ve always carried the camera in its leather pouch, never straight in a pocket to protect it from pocket lint. Still, you can see dust collecting on the lens which does retract into the body when closing.
 
I have one speck of dust in the GRIIIx. It seems to be a bit of a lottery: many have no complaints, some do. I never win anything in a regular lottery, but this time…

I’ve always carried the camera in its leather pouch, never straight in a pocket to protect it from pocket lint. Still, you can see dust collecting on the lens which does retract into the body when closing.
We're not really supposed to put them in our pockets are we. But many of us do, I do every day.
 
Regardless of the dust issue, it is a brilliant camera though. I’ll gladly pay to have dust removed from its sensor now and then, since it allows me to have such a great camera always with me. That might change once I learn the cost of cleaning. It’s such a great camera that so far I don’t want to miss it for the time it takes to clean the sensor.
 
Regardless of the dust issue, it is a brilliant camera though. I’ll gladly pay to have dust removed from its sensor now and then, since it allows me to have such a great camera always with me. That might change once I learn the cost of cleaning. It’s such a great camera that so far I don’t want to miss it for the time it takes to clean the sensor.

I had to work on site the other day and I wanted to have something that I could put into my laptop bag. Out of everything I have, the GR III made the most sense. Small, light, unobtrusive...yet I love the files it produces. My second choice would have been the Leica M240 with the Zeiss 35mm f/2.8...but that is bigger and heavier (not by much, but gram for gram it is).

I went out for my lunch and just popped the camera into my front pocket of my khaki's and there it is, when I needed it. I did get the JJC ALC-GR3 auto lens cap attachment for it so have less worries about dust and such since that surrounds the lens element when closed up. When open, bonus lens hood without having to think about it.

Honestly, my only downsides of the GR III are - no viewfinder - which is fixable as I got a 28mm OVF for the hotshoe and the small battery and weak (compared to other cameras) battery life. I just always have 2 extra batteries with me when using the camera.

Walking between the skyscrapers, you find little gems in the alley's like this - the oldest pub in Columbus entrance:
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