My Love Affair With A Ricoh GRIII

I love my Ricoh GR... Maybe more than I should.

Let me ask you a very odd question… Is it possible to fall in love with a piece of gear? Like, could I walk down the aisle with my Ricoh GR? Is that a socially acceptable thing to do? Would people judge me?

OK, fine - I won’t marry my Ricoh, but I do want to talk about my love for this camera and why I think everyone should give one a chance. I know this has been discussed at length by many before me, but this is my take on it.

The Ricoh GR III was released on March 18, 2019, and I think I got mine in 2021 or 2022, so I definitely wasn’t an early adopter. But once I discovered this camera from watching a Samuel Streetlife video, I was in love.

I was in the market for something I could bring with me everywhere because, at the time, I was honestly only shooting with my iPhone, and I knew it was time to step it up. So the Ricoh came into my life. The 28mm lens was a little wide for me, but I was willing to give it a chance because of how small and compact the camera was. Let’s just say I’m glad I did because this little guy has been wonderful to bring with me, but it did come with a learning curve.

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28mm Felt WIDE!

For anyone who really knows my work, I love shooting at 35-40mm, sometimes 50mm if I’m feeling shy. But before I got the Ricoh, I don’t think I’d ever shot at 28mm before, so it was a whole new challenge that I was kinda excited to try.

I won’t call myself a street photographer, but I lean heavily into shooting on the street and in cities whenever I can. Getting close to subjects or including more in my frames was hard at first. But with this camera being so small, compact, and no one really caring about it, getting close became super easy, I’m still working on the adding more to the frame part. But I will say I feel like no one takes you seriously when you have a small point-and-shoot camera, and for me, that’s PERFECT.

As time went on, I learned to really love 28mm. I’m still figuring it out, but I’ve definitely gotten more confident with it and isn’t that the whole point?

So not only has my new wife… I mean, my camera… given me more confidence to get closer, it’s also helped me include more in the frame and see with a little bit of a different perceptive.

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Including More In The Frame

So yeah, I struggled with 28mm at first. But the more I used it, the more I started to see why so many people swear by this focal length. Still, using it for street photography was one thing but trying to fill the frame with wider, more open shots was a whole other challenge.

When it comes to shooting wide, the only time I’d really shot like that was for landscapes. But when I bought the Ricoh, I wasn’t thinking about taking it to say, Iceland. In my mind, it was a street camera, something for getting up close, capturing movement and maybe shooting from the hip.

So when I found myself stepping back and shooting more cityscapes instead of tight street shots, I realized… I kinda had no idea what I was doing. Maybe I still don’t.

What helped at least a little, was trying to understand layering. I’m no expert, but I started looking at photographers like Alex Webb and Constantine Manos, trying to figure out how they fill a frame without making it feel like a mess. The way they stack subjects and balance chaos made me rethink how I was shooting.

I guess the point I’m trying to make is yeah, people always say gear doesn’t matter and I’d agree 99% of the time. But sometimes, getting a new piece of kit forces you to learn something new. The limitations make you work differently and that’s not always a bad thing unless you can’t afford it and you’re going into debt for camera gear…. BAD don’t do that!

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Who Would Enjoy This Camera?

Not every camera works for every photographer, but if you’re anything like me, I think you’d love the Ricoh. I know it’s pricey and even getting a bit long in the tooth these days, BUT…

If you want something small enough to carry every day without even thinking about it, this is the camera. It’s the kind of thing that just disappears in your pocket (Jacket pockets, It’s still a little big for my pants pocket) until you need it.

If you like to shoot unnoticed, this is the camera. No one pays attention to a tiny point-and-shoot. People assume you’re a tourist or just messing around.

And if you’re the kind of person who likes to just shoot from the hip or quickly without overthinking settings or switching lenses, this is also the camera as the snap focus mode is amazing. You work with what you’ve got—a fixed 28mm lens, no EVF, nothing extra to slow you down… (besides the AF unless you’re using Snap Focus). That kind of limitation forces you to see differently, and for me, that’s been one of the best things about it.

I know this camera isn’t for everyone. Some people want a viewfinder, or a zoom lens, or even better battery life. And that’s fine. But if you’re someone who wants a camera that’s compact, discreet, and lets you honestly shoot in a fun way, I think you’d really enjoy the Ricoh GR III.

Falling in love with a camera sounds weird. But after carrying this thing everywhere, I can’t imagine shooting without it. If you give it a shot, don’t be surprised if you fall for it too. Also if 28mm isn’t your thing they make the GRIIIx now and that has a 40mm lens.

Things I enjoyed from this last week

Any week a Walkie Talkie episode drops, it’s going to land in this section. It’s by far my favorite YouTube series because Paulie B is a monster in the street photography space.

This episode featured Jaylin Da’Shawn. You might not know who he is, but he’s got some strong images. Being from Florida like me, and growing up just two towns away on the same coast, I felt what he was talking about in my bones. The struggle of growing up in such a boring place, or being from a city where people go to retire and die… I loved this episode so, so much.

I had zero idea who Dan Koe was until this week. He randomly showed up on my feed while I was deep in a YouTube hole.

I’m not going to pretend I’m an expert on him, I’ve only watched a few of his videos.. But what he’s talking about is powerful and could help a lot of people in the content space.

See you next week.

That’s all, folks. I know a lot of you subscribed after my post about traveling for two months with one camera, and I’ve done the same with my Ricoh. I’ll most likely talk about that experience soon,. It was even more limiting, but I loved being that light and free. But more on that later.

As always, thank you for being here. I can’t say it enough, this platform means a lot to me and I appreciate all of you for reading whatever the hell I decide to write each week.

Imagine we're still hanging out at our favorite cafe, cameras on the table, digging deeper into the conversation about photography. If you've enjoyed this little coffee break and feel like getting me a cortado with oat milk, hop over to my Buy Me a Coffee page. It genuinely keeps the conversation—and creativity—flowing. Cheers, friend!