One month with the world's best pocket camera?

It was Ulysses Aoki who mentioned how hard it is to get a straight picture, I think…and he was right. It’s always a little crooked.

I use Hama Trinidad 80M "bag". Cheap and it's pocketable.

Totally... Worth noting that 'weather sealing' generally includes dust resistance. In dry conditions, dust penetration is a nightmare. This is a real problem common to all the premium fixed lens cameras tho (Fuji X100, Leica Q etc). Obviously, it can affect camera function and image quality, but also camera resale, so worth being aware of. Add weather sealing and a viewfinder and I'd buy it tomorrow!

You should try the Canon G1X Mk III. It’s a little larger than the Ricoh, its specs are a little dated by todays standards (especially low light performance is pretty weak) but it has a very nice 24MP APSC sensor and a reasonably sharp zoom lens that starts at a equivalent 24mm at the wide end going all the way to ~70mm at the long end. And most importantly: It is weather sealed! So it makes for a very nice jacket pocket camera. I get really nice results from it in terms of sharpness and color. And it has a viewfinder as well.

Hey James, great video! Regarding the trouble you're having with shooting level images...I haven't yet received my GRIIIx but I did notice in the manual that there is a setting in the menu to correct the Horizontal Camera Angle. Perhaps it just needs to be calibrated? I'm getting mine tomorrow and will check it out. Cheers from Texas!

I had the GR I, II, and III and never had dust issues

Sorry you had the experience that the lens cover was transferring lint after being in your pocket — but thanks for sharing that! I‘m currently contemplating this camera (the 28mm version) and was thinking about the lens cover, too. Might skip it now :) Also, very useful tips in the comment section — thanks everyone for sharing all those suggestions!

You're really not selling the Ricoh to me! XD

The price of the Ricoh is crazy. I wouldn’t buy it for $300.

The comic editing in this is perfect.

I am very clumsy and I don't think I Can ever have a camera that isn't a phone because they are so robust nowadays (especially with covers). I drop things constantly. Oh "strap strap strap"you say, i can and will drop it putting it on and taking it off, and what if i forget to put it on one day?

with a phone you can drop it and get it wet, and if you do manage to break it you can replace it cheap because they (as long as it's not the two most famous ones) plummet in price, unlike cameras

So recently I got this camera, just need to figure out with the blown out sky issue

My biggest reservation is about the lens extension mechanism, which has a reputation (in the earlier GR cameras at least) of going out of sorts shortly after the warranty expires.

My problem with only having a screen on which to compose is a personal one, not the fault of the camera. I wear polarized, prescription sunglasses outdoors. I have been learning to flip them out of the way when I want to use my phone or the screen on my a7III.

Pocketable isn't a concern for me--again, this is just me--because I've never made a decent image with a camera in my pocket. My pockets usually are full of other stuff, not including the pocket lint, so the camera won't fit anyway.

For menus, if I can't have buttons and dials, I want aperture, shutter, and ISO close at hand. Any mention of "weather sealing" gets me snoozing: no camera really is weather sealed, and I think it's mostly a marketing gimmick people now are convinced they need.

I, too, love the 40mm. I spent a month in Southeast Asia in 2019 with a 40mm Zeiss Batis darn near welded to a Sony a9. I've just now started experimenting with a 40mm f1.8 Konica Hexanon manual focus lens adapted for my a7III. The problem there is, I have trouble putting down the Konica FS-1 that came attached to the lens: it's loaded with Ilford HP5, which was my go-to B&W film back in the day. Pentax (now a Ricoh subsidiary) makes the only true normal (focal length corresponding to the diagonal of the image plane) lens for the 35mm frame, the 43mm f1.9. It's a beautiful lens, a relic from film days and so AF is a bit slow (relatively speaking) and noisy (I'm not a videographer, so the latter isn't a concern) and lacking the bells and whistles of modern digital lenses, but also lacking their weight, bulk and price tag. It has character, though, something lacking in many modern lenses, which are optimized for marketing purposes and not for photographic art. If I were to go full frame Pentax (or even APS-C), and I may, I'd start with that 43mm lens. I think a K-1 and a GR would make a great travel kit.

Ricoh actually has the Sony sensor. So when you say «different» sensor you mean size?

Weather sealing? I take my GR everywhere, in every weather you can imagine - seriously, don't worry about it.

I swear, this guy is like if Peter McKinnon was good.

The colours from the GR are so much nicer than that sony. That sony sucks.

I wish it had an EVF. Even my tiny Panasonic GM5 has one.

I own the Leica M11 and a Sony A7R4. I find most of your comments right, except the one concerning the lack of IBIS. I find the M11 files at High ISOs to be good. Also, because the lens I am shooting is a 50mm f1.2 prime, I can handhold at 1/15 of a second if needed. I love this camera. My daily carry is this camera and a Leica Q2 mono. However, if I do a paid job or want to use the telephoto, I'll bring the sony kit. I used to often wonder if Leica was worth it? It must be; I don't want to sell it.

For straight photos use "auto Horizon correction" in settings to correct minor horizon tilt.

Got a GRiiiX three months ago. Autofocus is disappointingly slow and inaccurate.Look and leave your finger away from this overpriced toy.

Confused with the gr3 and 3x. I got the gr3 but thinking if I should return it for the 3x

Bro

Questionable viet nam build quality

look like a Rollei 35, a pocket 135 camera

Hi, your photos are lovely… I would love to know what settings you are using. And are you editing after?

I also felt the same after buying the thumb grip, but decided to take it off…

Thanks

I love to own one of the best pocket small cameras in get the best screamo from the management.

Anyone know what his rain jacket is?

For years now I trust my Sony RX100 (Mk6 for the moment) and I never had to complain.

😂 … lingering lint pocket issues & binging on bins for your holiday … your natural dry humor helps put my very annoying perfectionist serious BS in check with lots of laughter …. thank you!

Pentax Q s-1
Pentax MX-1
Panasonic Lumix GM5
olympus stylus 1
Ricoh GR ii
Leica M6
Sigma DP 1 classic
Fuji X-E2s
Panasonic LX100ii

Wanted to ask for an opinion hope you can help me as I'm not aware much of what to get just some basic need for a hobby and the selection above is what I narrowed it down, just wanted to know which one of then are more compact and fun to use
Would really appreciate it

I was about to ‘pull the trigger’ on a GRiiix when I saw a random review of the Lumix (MFT) GX9 - say what??
I already own a Lumix G9 (from which the GX9 is derived ) and a plethora of lenses (inc a few vintage style manual lenses).
So I picked up a new GX9 for £450 and a mint Laowa 17mm (35mm eq) lens for £130.
It even has an EVF (of sorts) and a tilty rear screen . . . IBIS . . . AF (unused) . . . and the ability to change lenses and clean the sensor!!
That’ll do nicely!
I still covet the GRiiix though obviously 🤦‍♂️

I use a 2005 8.1 megapixel Ricoh GR digital and never had a problem with dust. I love it so much especially using it for black and white.

lol i like the jokes

I love the colors and atmosphere of the photos your showing. Is this all off the camera? Or have they been edited?

MPB are good tbh and perfect sponsor

可以拍视频吗

its not the camera its the person !

Are the photos better than iPhone 14?

My favorite pocket camera is my DJI Osmo Pocket, I got it refurbished because I was 1. Broke and wanting to get into photography and video and 2. Don't see DJI as an ethical company. But it is great, I've taken some of my favorite photos with it and I often use it for videos. Tripod not needed because it is literally a gimbal. And it is very easy to fit into the pocket. Biggest issue is that it's sensor is basically a really really good phone sensor. If you want background blur then you won't get it, there is no manual focus, and the viewer is too small to fit the entire frame of what you're shooting. But I've found it very handy, especially when I want to get a nice macro photo that still has the background in focus. That application may seem odd, but I have a very nice closeup of some mossy roots and mushrooms hanging over a river that my normal camera would not have been able to do without focus stacking. Just because of the way sensor size impacts the image.

I have a Ricoh GX 100 {small sensor with a zoom lens] and I find the ergonomics superb. Everything works but it's quite slow, 
just like a Fujifilm X100 on steroids if you shoot RAW. Interestingly I also find getting images level problematic so perhaps it's a quirk of the body/grip shape. It also has a detachable articulating viewfinder so was quite forward thinking in its design. I don't use the viewfinder myself but it shows how Ricoh have tried different ideas in the evolution of this line of cameras. The images this camera can produce can be sublime and certainly belie the sensor size. Is this yet another CCD marvel?

I use this camera a lot to take photos of my niece and nephew who are 1yrs and 2yrs respectively. Very easy to take to family outings. And I agree, the quality of the images are great

James, Re-dust: Speaking as a Ricoh owner for the past few years: one day perhaps you might get dust on the sensor or perhaps you won't. My advise is: don't worry about it as there's probably nothing you can do to stop it. I know people have various ideas about how to stop it but I doubt that any of them are scientifically proven to work. If you do get dust, chances are it'll be a small amount and easily sorted with spot removal. So, relax, stick it in your pocket and pull it out when you need it. I also use my GR1 in the rain, not heavy, and have had no problems yet. Great vid as always Cheers.

Best Pocket camera in the world in Sony RX1, followed by Sony RX100. Had the Ricoh, it broke quite quickly. The lens mechanism failed.
Very disappointing as I babied the hell out of it. Sonys never quit, they are way sturdier than they look.

you inspired me to become a photographer just starting off keep the good work up 👍

My phone is better