The Ricoh GR IIIx - Settings, Presets and Recipes

Directly jump to my settings & presets here: LINK

I always leave the house with a camera. For that reason, I own a small selection of point-n-shoots, both digital and analogue. I just prefer the way colours look from a larger sensor over phone shots, albeit the iPhone 16 Pro has impressed me.

As a Fuji Colour fan, I own the Fuji XF10 which produced stunning images. Unfortunately, it’s build quality is rather bad, so it hasn’t really held up well (buttons became stuck etc). It lived from September 2019 until April 2023. But that’s for another post. So, in 2023 I got myself a Ricoh GR IIIx. I did get the 40mm x version to change it up a bit and because I anticipated phones getting better and at some point covering the 28mm space well. Also, I’m a heavy user of panoramic images, for which longer focal lengths always look better and you can compensate for the narrow angle of view.

Camera Review

I collected my thoughts on the camera in another post on my blog, here: https://blog.nimar-blume.de/posts/the-ricoh-gr-iiix-review-after-1.5yrs-of-use/.

Camera Settings and Film Recipes

General Camera Settings

The general camera settings are irrespective of the film simulations, but have to be saved into each profile as well. I set those first, then create a base profile and by changing that base profile create the individual simulation presets.

Still Image Controls

  • full press snap: on
  • exposure mode: P
  • ISO: auto with 1/15 slowest up to 6400 -> change to 1/20th and 12800 ?

Customized Buttons

  • ADJ Mode
    • Drive (not used much tbh, only for bad lighting conditions) -> would love to change the mode here P / Av / Tv
    • Self-Timer
    • Snap Focus Distance adjustment (just for convenience)
    • Display Brightness (frequently changed when hiking & wearing sunglasses)
    • ISO -> would prefer to directly adjust the minimum shutter speed, that’s what I actually want
  • fn: Auto Exposure Lock (AEL), often press this, then recompose
  • iso: Snap (toggle it)
  • drive: Crop (ie zoom in / out)
  • movie: start move, long press start WiFi. Default setting
  • focus: same as shutter

Display Customisation

  • Shooting Info Display
    • LCD Display: always on for all
    • Highlight Alert: first 2 on
    • Electronic Level: always on
  • Electronic Level Type: type 1 no tilt (least distracting but helpful)
  • Instant Review: off (really distracting to always see the taken image immediately replayed, pulls me out of the moment. pressing the replay button is quick anyway)

Setup

  • Folder Name: date
  • File Name: GX (should I get a normal GR III in the future, I will be able to distinguish files. What about the GR IV though :D)
  • Sequence: folder & file (so i can sort pictures by name if i reorganise folders)
  • Copyright: nimar blume (my name…)
  • Animation Setting: off
  • Auto Off: 5min
  • Sleep: 1min

Film Recipes / Profiles / Presets (2024 Favourites)

  • hard bw

    • metering: multi-segment
    • white balance: daylight; M12:B2
    • wb tuning: on
    • image control: hi bw
      • Hi bw
      • high low adj: -1
      • contrast: +2
      • contrast highlight: +4
      • contrast shadow: -4
      • sharpness: +2
      • toning: —
      • Filter: —
      • shading: -1
      • clarity: -2
      • grain: 2
    • peripheral: on
    • drange: high on, shadow medium
  • positive film like GR II

    • metering: multi-segment
    • white balance: AWB; no adjustments
    • wb tuning: on
    • image control: positive film
      • positive film
      • saturation: 0
      • hue: -1
      • high low adj: 0
      • contrast: +3
      • contrast highlight: +3
      • contrast shadow: -3
      • sharpness: +1
      • shading: 0
      • clarity: +1
    • peripheral: on
    • drange: high on, shadow auto
  • reggie color nega NB adjusted

    • metering: highlight weighted
    • white balance: AWB; 0:A6
    • wb tuning: on
    • image control: custom
      • nega
      • saturation: +3
      • hue: 0
      • high low adj: +1
      • contrast: +3
      • contrast highlight: -4
      • contrast shadow: +1
      • sharpness: +1
      • … 0
    • peripheral: on
    • D-Range: high on, shadow medium
  • Luke’s excellent thoughts after 5000 shots with the Ricoh GR III: Link
  • Ali’s review of the Ricoh, with some great tips (youtube): Link
  • Jakob’s GR III positive film simulation comparisons: Link