The GRDIII looks promising with its new 28mm/f1.9 lens and the suspiciously full-TTL-compatible GF-1 flash, besides which, unfortunately, there is nothing really exciting about it. This controversial remark without looking at the real images is made on the previous assumption that the GRDIII would be powered by a larger sensor.
Of course, just as every dog has its day, every camera has the attention at some point of time, especially when it sees the first light. The matter is, after all the gleaming and glittering under the spotlight, whether the camera does justice to the photographers who buy a piece of machine at a dear price which is supposed to afford them some of the most advanced imaging technology at present and in the one or two years to come.
The GRDIII is to be sold in an expectable higher price range. What if it had been given a bigger heart? It will sell like cakes even at a high price.
Again, of course, every new camera brings forth some new features and improvements to the image quality somewhat somehow. The crux of the concern is, however, whether those are substantial enough for the photographers to move to an upgrade, especially when the GRDII produces agreeable results.
In this sense, the GRDIII is best thought as a refined version to the II. Amusingly, though understandably so when improvements are made, potential owners who use the II will find themselves upgrading the camera as well as the accessories.
The GH-2 hood will replace the GH-1, growing to 43mm from 37mm. This is not good marketing or good news to users who are thinking of investing in the GRD and even the GX system. These users will be more hesitating. For sure, there are rich users with the money to burn and poor users who don't. But don't forget that the GRD system is in the niche market where users rich or poor have better discretion in photography and spending money on photography.
The hood does not cost big money. But how about the filters? You can't use a step-down ring, can you? Those who have invested in the GRD system are supposedly advanced photographers, who will not use a piece of cheap glass on a great lens. Quality filters are costly. Let's hope they are already using filters with a diameter not smaller than 43mm.
Well, after all, a bigger lens is welcomed. But it will be much more so if Ricoh is considerable enough to bundle a free offer of step-up ring trade-ins? That'll be better for marketing, won't it? That'll be reassuring for the users about the devotion of Ricoh to its fans. The survival of Ricoh's cameras hinges relatively more on the loyalty of the less sizeable amount of users, except probably for within Japan. So, efforts spent on loyalty cultivation should be enough to reach the critical mass to customer's total satisfaction.
With all this nay-saying about the GRDIII, I am still impressed by the implementation of the refinements ergonomics-wise like the MY setting boxes and the full-press snap focus. The designers have either got to be devoted photographers themselves or open to comments from existing users to have thought out those refinements.
If I have not embarked on the plan to extend my GX system, the GRDIII will certainly be on my wish list. The f1.9 lens and the same pixel counts on an improved sensor are good enough tot hose who don't own the I or II.
So much for the armchair commentary. Click here for a Googlish version of a GRDIII preview with sample images by a respectable Taiwan photographer.
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