Ricoh GR II Pro Reviews

The Ricoh GR II is a modest update to many a photographer's favorite pocket camera, adding Wi-Fi and a few firmware tweaks.

The Ricoh GR II is a new premium compact camera that’s aimed squarely at the enthusiast photographer. At the heart of the Ricoh GR II is an APS-C-size CMOS image sensor with approximately 16.2 effective megapixels and no anti-aliasing filter, and a 28mm fixed focal length lens which has a fast maximum aperture of f/2.8, a nine-blade diaphragm and a manually adjustable ND (neutral density) filter. Images can be recorded either as JPEGs or in the Adobe DNG RAW format, there’s a pop-up flash and an external hotshoe which can accept a flashgun or an optional optical viewfinder, and full creative control over exposure is available. New features include Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity, an improved white balance algorithm, enhanced noise management, six more effect modes and wireless flash support. Thanks to the GR ENGINE V imaging engine, the GR II offers high-sensitivity shooting at up to ISO 25600, plus it can focus in 0.2 seconds and offers 4fps burst shooting. The Ricoh GR II is available in black for £599.99 / $799. Two external viewfinders, the 28mm GV-1 and the 21/28mm GV-2, are both offered as an optional accessory for £220 / $219.

The Ricoh GR II may seem like a subtle update to the previous camera, however, the camera offers built in Wi-Fi and NFC, bringing the camera more up to date. Improvements have been made in continuous shooting and the camera feels very rapid in use. The camera gives quick access to settings, and once you're familiar with the layout of controls and options, particularly the menu system, then you can rapidly change settings. The Ricoh GR 28mm f/2.8 lens performs extremely well producing images that are very sharp and detailed, and the compact size of the camera combined with a large APS-C CMOS sensor means that you get extremely high image quality (akin to a DSLR) for a compact camera. The camera features numerous focus options, including snap focus for instant photography and this makes the GR II an ideal street camera, with a subtle and compact design. A 21 / 28mm equivalent optical viewfinder is available and the rear LCD screen can be switched off completely giving the camera the feel of using an old film camera, which the original Ricoh GR series was. For those that want a pocketable camera that can deliver high image quality, without the need for optical zoom, then the Ricoh GR II would make an ideal solution. Highly Recommended.