First shots with the Ricoh GRIV

When you’ve been practicing photography for many years it can kind of lose it’s magic. Lugging around a huge camera on trips can get cumbersome, and despite having the convenience of an iPhone right in my pocket, the artist in me cannot be without a dedicated camera.

I’ve got a big trip coming up at the end of the year and it’s something I truly want to enjoy. I always bring along the trusty Canon R5, and with an array of lenses, cards, cords and readers. It can pack a bag quick.

I decided I wanted something different – something light, packable, discreet..and fun. When I started my search the Ricoh GRiii came highly recommended. Even more to my luck, the camera, which was first released in 2018 was soon getting an update. I decided to hold out and see if I could get my hands on the newest one.

I got lucky and snagged a GRIV unit during one of Ricoh’s limited runs. This camera was selling out preorders fast and B&H had already emailed me about an indefinite ETA. I wasn’t sure it was worth putting this much into. What if I hated the camera? I was a true Canon snob and had already tried and returned a couple Sony’s cause I just couldn’t make the switch.

Once the camera arrived, I still wasn’t sure. It’s SO SMALL. Like tiny. At least as small as all the disposables I used to enjoy in high school. It’s even completely customizable and you can program it with unique recipes to match your own shooting style and look like the pictures you shot with that disposable. I quickly fell in love with the camera’s own Positive Film and will probably park it there most of the time.

I took it for a spin in the Myriad Gardens after a senior session and knew it was a keeper. Just look at those tones. Every shot is just lovely.

This is a camera that actually makes you want to shoot every day. It slips in a pocket, fires up fast, and the 28mm-equiv f/2.8 lens with the new APS-C sensor is legit—sharp, clean, and fast. The Ricoh GR World app makes image transfer to my phone so simple. The Ricoh GRIV can shoot raw, but honestly I love the SOOC images so much, I might just switch the settings to jpg only. It brings back the joy of photography and crafting an image. I am going to have so much fun with this thing.