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Ricoh GR III ISO Range Examples

The Ricoh GR III has an ISO range from 100 to 102400. Here are some high-resolution practical examples of how that translates in real-world shooting.

Ricoh GR III

Categories: Compact Cameras, Sample Images
Tags: Ricoh, Ricoh GR III Compact Camera
Last updated about 4 days ago // Originally published about 1 year ago

The Ricoh GR III has an ISO range from 100 to 102400. That very broad range is one of several upgrades from the GR II—the previous model, the GR II, had a shorter ISO range that maxed out at ISO 25600. It sure sounds like an impressive upgrade—102400 is the same upper limit that Sony’s flagship models have, for instance.

But while the ISO numbers give you a good sense of the light sensitivity of the sensor, it doesn’t tell you anything about the image quality that comes out the other end. There can be large variations between cameras. And as you climb further up the ISO ladder, image degradation such as image noise, lower dynamic range, and shifting colors become more and more noticeable.

So where is the practical limit where the image degrades too much to be useful? There’s no right answer to that—it’s going to vary by photographer preference, scene, and intended use. My threshold might be different if I’m shooting for a magazine editor than if I’m shooting for personal use, for instance. If it comes down to getting the shot or not, I’m willing to live with much more image noise. Ditto if I’m converting to black and white. But for everyday shooting with the GR III, ISO 20000 is probably my practical upper limit. Beyond that, the noise just becomes too intrusive for my tastes. But that’s going to come down to personal preference, and one of the great strengths of the GR III—and the entire GR range, for that matter—is that it’s so flexible to accommodate a wide range of tastes and preferences and shooting styles. For many street shooters to whom the GR III would appeal, for instance, technical image quality is much less a priority than catching an interesting moment or story. And, after all, I’d much rather have those high-end options available than not.

But that’s why I’m posting these examples here: in case anyone wants to get a sense of what images from the GR III look like at particular ISOs.

Unlike some cameras, the Ricoh GR III doesn’t make an explicit distinction between the sensor’s native ISO range and an extended ISO range, and it’s not immediately clear where the threshold is between the sensor hardware’s native sensitivity and where the camera’s built-in processing engine takes over to apply a software-powered boost. But if you shoot in the very high ISOs, you’ll quickly notice that the image quality drops off markedly at the top end, with much more image noise, much less dynamic range, and much less accurate colors.

Ricoh GR III ISO Range Performance Tests / Practical Examples

Here are some practical examples of the performance throughout the ISO range. I’ve previously posted some examples focusing specifically on the high-ISO performance (ISO 6400 and above). You can find that post here.

This is a scene I often use for its smooth tonal gradations from highlights to shadows and colors that can really show up any ISO problems.

There are some things worth noting when looking at these. Like most cameras, the GR III applies noise reduction to its JPG images. By default, at least—it is possible to turn it off. That noise reduction setting also applies to the JPG thumbnail previews that are embedded within the DNG RAW files, but it doesn’t have any effect on the underlying RAW data.

In taking these shots, I used the RAW+JPG setting with the default noise reduction. I haven’t done any post-processing on these—they’re just as they came directly out of the camera. But the versions you see below were generated directly from the JPG files, so you’re seeing the effect from the camera’s built-in image processor. You can click on each image to open a full-size version for a closer look. You can also use the links in each caption to download the original, untouched JPG and DNG versions. The JPGs are around 1.5MB; the DNGs range from around 30MB to 45MB.

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 100. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 125. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 160. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 200. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 250. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 320. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 400. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 500. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 640. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 800. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 1000. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 1250. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 1600. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 2000. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 2500. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 3200. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 4000. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 5000. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 6400. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 8000. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 10000. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 12800. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 16000. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 20000. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 25600. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 32000. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 40000. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 51200. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 64000. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 80000. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Ricoh GRIII ISO Range Sample Images

Ricoh GR III at ISO 102400. Download original RAW (DNG) file | Download original JPG

Where to Find Them

You can find the Ricoh GR III at B&H Photo. That’s where I bought mine.

By David Coleman
Instagram: @havecamerawilltraveldc

Last updated on January 20, 2021

Categories: Compact Cameras, Sample Images
Tags: Ricoh, Ricoh GR III Compact Camera

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News & Deals

With the holidays fast approaching, there’s some great deals on photography gear and services available. I’ve put together a roundup of Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2020 Photography Deals. It’s a running list as new deals are announced, so be sure to check back.

Canon announces new EOS Rebel T8i DSLR. Canon has announced their new T8i DSLR. 24MP APS-C cropped CMOS sensor, 4K24 video, and updated image processing and detection systems. It’s available for preorder from B&H Photo.

New Firmware for the Ricoh GR III. Ricoh has release firmware v1.31 for the GR III. Release notes are: “Corrected — When shooting with the multiple exposure, in rare cases the live view may not display correctly. Improved stability for general performance.” You can download it here.

New Canon 1D X Mark III Pro DSLR Announced. Canon has announced their new flagship model of pro DSLR, the 1D X Mark III. They’re sticking with a 20.1MP CMOS sensor, but it’s a new and improved version and boasts an incredible native ISO range of ISO 100 to ISO 102400 and an extended range that goes up to a jaw-dropping ISO 819200. With revamped autofocus, a new image processor, and all sorts of other bells and whistles, it’s no wonder that Canon is billing it as “The Ultimate EOS.”

New Manfrotto Pro Rugged Memory Cards. Manfrotto, an Italian probably best known for their tripods and studio accessories, has launched a new Pro Rugged range of high-end SD, microSD, and CompactFlash cards. While they don’t have a huge selection of sizes and speeds, the cards are aiming for very fast cards that can put up with rugged demands. For instance, they claim that their V90 rated SD cards can withstand three times the force (20kg / 45 lbs) of a regular SD card. I’ve ordered some to run through my speed tests.

New Sony Alpha a7 firmware released. A firmware update for the Sony a7R IV now lets you control external Sony flashes from the camera’s own menu system. Up to 15 flashes in five groups can be controlled via the camera. It also applies to the a7R III and a7 III.

Comments

  1. Nonegiven says

    December 27, 2020 at 2:40 pm

    Compact camera, too bad the battery life is so bad. It’s Boarder line defective, it’s so bad that reviews are suggesting that one turn off the lcd to be able to get around 100 shots. I had to return mine.

    Reply

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