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Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Images

Here's a collection of photos I've taken with the Ricoh GR II in an effort to provide some practical examples of how the Ricoh GR II performs in low-lighting shooting conditions.

ricog gr ii high iso sample images header 1068x500 - Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Images

Categories: Compact Cameras, Sample Images
Tags: Ricoh, Ricoh GR II Compact Camera
Last updated about 2 months ago // Originally published about 2 years ago

The Ricoh GR II is a unique camera and has quite a cult following. While it doesn’t necessarily have the same bells and whistles as some other cameras on the market, it brings a very distinctive approach and has some unusual settings and features that aren’t easily found elsewhere. I’ve been shooting with one since 2015, so it’s not a new model. And it’s just about to be replaced by a new version, the Ricoh GR III.

So why am I posting photos from the GR II when the GR III is just around the corner? Two reasons. Firstly, I have high hopes for the GR III, and one of the things I’ll be most interested in seeing is whether its low-light performance is improved. It’s one area that I’ve always had a little nagging disappointment with the GR II–I just feel like there’s room for improvement, especially since, in this particular area, the GR II didn’t offer much improvement over the even older GR. And when I’m out and about with a camera like this, chances are I’ll be wanting to use it in less than ideal lighting conditions. So I wanted to gather together some examples to establish a reference point to compare with. Secondly, I would expect there to be some good deals on the GR II when the GR III comes out, and I suspect there will be people who are still interested in seeing how the GR II performs in real-world shooting conditions.

UPDATE: Since I originally posted this, the GR III has come out. I’ve been shooting with it and have posted some high ISO examples here. And you can find my other Ricoh GR III posts here.

So here’s a collection of images I’ve taken in the past few years with the GR II at high ISOs. The GR II has an APS-C sized CMOS sensor (23.7 x 15.7mm), which is basically the same size as cameras like the Fujifilm XT-3, Nikon D7500, Sony a6500, or the Canon 80D.1 It produces images up to 16.2MP; they measure 4928 by 3264 pixels.

And it has an ISO range from 100 to 25600. I’m focusing here on the upper end of that range, starting with ISO 1600. (If you’re looking for a more general collection at a broader range of ISOs, I posted some sample images here some time ago.) I’ve included the ISO at which each photo was taken in the captions.

High ISO Sample Images with the Ricoh GR II

These were all originally shot in RAW, and while the images have been processed in Lightroom (and some in Color Efex Pro 4), I haven’t applied any extra noise reduction to them. You can click on each image to open a full-resolution version for a closer look.

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 8000

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 1600

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 2200

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 3200

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 5000

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 4500

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 4500

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 2000

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 4000

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 16000

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 9000

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 9000

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 25600

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 1600

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 2000

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 3200

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 4000

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 2000

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 3200

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 1600

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 25600

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 1600

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 4500

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 4500

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 1600

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 1600

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 1600

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 2200

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 12800

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 1600

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 18000

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 1600

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 25600

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 4000

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 1600

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 2500

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 3200

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 20000

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 6400

Ricoh GR II High ISO Sample Image

ISO 2200


  1. While APS-C refers to a pretty standardized size, there can be minor variations in the precise physical measurement. ↩
By David Coleman
Instagram: @havecamerawilltraveldc

Last updated on November 4, 2020

Categories: Compact Cameras, Sample Images
Tags: Ricoh, Ricoh GR II 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.

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I take photos. I travel. I do it for a living. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between.

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