Ricoh creates GR III HDF and GR IIIx HDF with highlight diffusion filters: Digital Photography Review
| Image: Ricoh |
The Ricoh GR III HDF and GR IIIx HDF are variants of the company’s existing fixed-lens APS-C premium compacts. They feature a unique “highlight diffusion filter” instead of the ND filter fitted in the standard versions of both cameras.
Ricoh says the HDF has been developed using its inkjet technology and adds a diffusion effect to the images, particularly visible in highlight areas, comparable with a ‘black mist‘ filter. This, it says gives images “resembling those captured in film photography or vintage movies.”
By replacing the switchable ND filter in the optical path, the HDF effect can be turned on or off, depending on what you’re trying to achieve in each shot. By default, the Fn button will be set to engage and disengage the HDF fitler.
Other than the filter, the cameras gain more customization around white balance (which will come to the standard GR III and GR IIIx in a forthcoming firmware update). There’s also a Zone Select AF feature that lets you select a zone within which the camera narrows down when focusing.
The shutter buttons of the HDF versions of the cameras are dark silver, rather than black, to denote the difference, in every other respect, the HDF versions of the cameras are identical to their conventional versions.
Ricoh announces GR series cameras featuring built-in highlight diffusion filter
RICOH GR III HDF and RICOH GR IIIx HDF soften light sources and diffuse highlights for more expressive images that create a sense of depth and emotion
PARSIPPANY, NJ, March 27, 2024 — Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation today announced the RICOH GR III HDF and RICOH GR IIIx HDF premium digital compact cameras. These new versions of the acclaimed RICOH GR III and RICOH GR IIIx cameras feature a newly-developed Highlight Diffusion Filter (HDF) that diffuses highlights for softer light, creating more expressive images with a sense of depth and emotion. The HDF, which can be turned on and off in a single action, allows the user to add a totally different kind of visual expression to captured images.
Developed using RICOH’s advanced inkjet technology cultivated over the years, this special- effect filter diffuses highlight areas and creates a blurred effect along the image’s edges, making it possible to produce images resembling those captured in film photography or vintage movies. Since the HDF can be instantly switched on and off with a single action, it lets the user effortlessly alternate between two completely different visual expressions — clear, sharply focused images characteristic of the RICOH GR series, and softer light, more expressive images captured by the HDF — depending on the subject or creative intention.
“The RICOH GR III HDF and RICOH GR IIIx HDF inherit the fundamental merits of our GR series – exceptional image quality, flawless point-and-shoot operation and outstanding portability,” said Ken Curry, president, Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation. “The new GR HDF models give users a new creative option that expands the visual boundaries of snapshot photography.”
| Pricing and Availability |
The RICOH GR III HDF and RICOH GR IIIx HDF will be available in April at www.us.ricoh- imaging.com as well as at Ricoh Imaging-authorized retail outlets at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $1,069.95 for the RICOH GR III HDF and $1,149.95 for the RICOH GR IIIx HDF.
| Main features of the new RICOH GR III HDF and RICOH GR IIIx HDF |
- Single-action switching to the new, built-in HDF to create softer light, more expressive images:
The new GR HDF versions incorporate the newly developed HDF (Highlight Diffusion Filter) to emphasize highlights and produce softer light and more expressive images. Developed using RICOH’s advanced inkjet technology cultivated over the years, this special-effect filter diffuses highlight areas and creates a blurred effect along the image’s edges, making it possible to capture images resembling those captured in film photography or vintage movies. Since the Highlight Diffusion Filter can be instantly switched on and off with a single action, it lets the user effortlessly alternate between two completely different visual expressions — clear, sharply focused images characteristic of the RICOH GR series, and softer light, more expressive images captured by the HDF — depending on the subject or creative intention. This creative versatility expands the visual boundaries of snapshot photography. - The color of the shutter-release button has been changed to dark silver to subtly differentiate the HDF models from other GR series models and to symbolize the effortless shift of visual expression. The default setting of the Fn (Function) button has also been changed to the ON/OFF switching of the HDF,* allowing the user to quickly engage the HDF with a press of a button.
- The user can pre-program up to three white-balance settings as the base white balance.** It is also possible to couple the base white balance with the White-balance Fine Adjustment function.
- The new models feature Zone Select AF,*** which automatically sets the focus at the most appropriate point within the image area after the user shifts the 3X3 focus area to the desired zone.
* The user can also select another function as the default setting of the Fn button.
** This function can be added to all RICOH GR III- and GR IIIx-series models using function- expansion firmware, which is scheduled to be released along with the market launch of these new models.
*** The 3X3 focus area is identical in size to that of the Auto-area AF (Center) mode.
