Ricoh's $899 large-sensor GR III compact will go on sale in March
It features a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor, touchscreen and in-body stabilization.
Compact cameras with sensors larger than one inch or so are a rare breed, but Ricoh is about to give you another option. It announced that the GR III, first unveiled last year, will go on sale in March for $899. It's a big improvement over the GR II, with a higher resolution 24-megapixel APS-C sensor, 3-axis in-body stabilization, a rear touchscreen and a fixed 28mm equivalent F/2.8 lens that can focus as close as 2.4-inches. All of that will make it perfect for its intended market, street and tourist photography.
It has an all-new on-sensor phase-detect autofocus system that should be quicker than ever and improved low-light capability thanks to an expanded ISO range of 100-102,400. Other features include a Type-C USB-C port that can be used to charge the battery, along with Bluetooth and WiFi. Unfortunately, it still doesn't have 4K video, but you do get 1080/60p. It no longer has a built-in flash and battery life has dropped significantly, from 320 to 200 shots.
Ricoh doesn't have much competition in the APS-C compact arena, but Fujifilm's X100F is the first camera that comes to mind. That model has a slightly wider and faster 23mm f/2.0 lens and can handle 4K video for $1,299. Fujifilm also has the APS-C XF10, which offers an 18.5mm f/2.8 lens and 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor for just $500. If you want image stabilization on a large-sensor, fixed-lens compact, however, Ricoh's GR III has that, and its Fujifilm rivals don't.
