More than a decade ago, I went out to Berlin for Leica’s launch of its first M Monochrom camera. I was skeptical of a digital camera only designed to shoot in black-and-white. But, it didn’t take long for me to understand the benefit of a digital camera without the burden of color filters. Now, Ricoh has introduced its new Pentax K-3 III Monochrome, which provides an extremely versatile option for those photographers looking to simply capture light and shadow.

Pentax K-3 III Monochrome DSLR at a glance

Here are some essential features and specs to know about the new Monochrome camera.

• New 25.73 sensor is incapable of shooting in color due to a lack of color filters
• The body shares most of its design with the standard K-3 III aside from aesthetic touches
• Built-in image stabilization system works with modern and vintage lenses
• Firmware includes black-and-white shooting modes for more or less contrast
• 100 percent coverage in the optical viewfinder
• 3.2-inch, 1.62-million dot main display
• 101 autofocus points (25 cross-type)
• Video recording at 4K up to 30 fps

Features and specs

The heart of the Pentax K-3 III Monochrome is a custom-engineered 25.73-megapixel APS-C sensor that Ricoh has created specifically for this camera. That’s roughly the same resolution you can expect out of the typical K-3 III. In fact, this camera is very similar in almost every other way to its color-capturing cohort. Those similarities include the body design, but Pentax has given the Monochrome edition a few flourishes. It has the word “Monochrome” in subtle lettering on the back panel, and the top display lights up white to keep the colors (or lack thereof) consistent across the board. Even the menus take a decidedly black-and-white approach in their aesthetics.

It will retail for $2,199, which is about $500 more than you can expect to pay for the standard K-3 III on the market right now. That markup isn’t a surprise since this will likely be a very specialized camera. And while $2,199 isn’t cheap, it is a bargain compared to its other black-and-white-only competition. Leica’s M11 Monochrome will set you back more than $9,000 and that’s before you add a pricy lens.

The Pentax K-3 III has a standard Pentax K mount, which allows it to work with modern lenses, as well as a whole host of legacy lenses without the use of an adapter. While the native lens selection is excellent, this is one of the areas in which its DSLR status is a slight hindrance. Because of its long flange distance (a necessity to fit the mirror box), the K-mount isn’t ideal for adapting vintage lenses from other manufacturers. That’s too bad because old lenses on a black-and-white camera can be a lot of fun.

Why make a black-and-white digital camera?

On paper, the K-3 III Monochrome looks very promising, but some of you are surely wondering why anyone would want a dedicated black-and-white body when it’s so easy to convert in post or use a typical camera’s built-in black-and-white modes. It all has to do with the sensor.

Your current digital camera’s sensor has a red, green, or blue colored filter sitting above each pixel (or photosite). These filters are typically arranged in what’s called the Bayer pattern. It’s a four-pixel pattern with two green, one blue, and one red in a specific arrangement. Every time you take a photo, the camera collects the information from each pixel and then interpolates that information to create a full-color image. Fujifilm X-Trans work in a similar way, but it arranges its colored filters in a different layout.

Black-and-white cameras like the K-3 III Monochrome eschew the color filters completely because the camera doesn’t need that information. As a result, more light gets through to the photosites, and the camera can lay out the image on a pixel-by-pixel basis with no interpolation. That translates into 14-bit raw files with tons of luminance information and an impressive ability to render fine details.

This arrangement also means that the camera works similarly to a film camera if you’re using colored filters. Want to turn a boring blue sky into a dark dramatic scene? An old-fashioned red filter will do the job.

Pentax K-3 III Monochrome release date and price

The Pentax K-3 III Monochrome is scheduled to hit store shelves later this year for a retail price of $2,199. You can currently sign up on the Pentax site for updates about pre-orders and the official release. I haven’t shot with a dedicated monochrome camera since that time I spent with the Leica M, but I still regularly shoot black-and-white film, so I’m looking forward to trying this out when review units become available.

The post The Pentax K-3 III Monochrome is a DSLR that only shoots black-and-white appeared first on Popular Photography.

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We really like the Ricoh GR III digital compact camera family, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise. We’ve been fans of the GR line all the way back since its days as an undeniably hip and high-performance film camera. Now, Ricoh has announced a new special edition of the GR III called the Diary Edition. In addition to its aesthetic updates, Ricoh has used the camera as a chance to debut some new features that will also come to the GR III and GR IIIx models via firmware updates down the line.

Ricoh GR III style makeover

The new GR III Diary Edition stands out from the stock model thanks to its new warm gray color. It’s reminiscent of the wonderful old Contax camera bodies, which wore a similar hue. We have already seen it in blue, but now Ricoh is going for a more retro look.

You can buy the camera on its own in the spring of 2023. Ricoh hasn’t offered a price for just the camera (though the regular version costs roughly $999). The company also offers a $1,149 Ricoh GR III Diary Edition Special Limited Kit. That package includes a leather hand strap, a silver ring cap, a silver hot shoe cover, and a rather smart-looking case made of undyed sailcloth. The leather belt across the sailcloth case is the exact same material as the hand strap, so the whole package matches nicely.

New photography features

Beyond the upgraded exterior, the GR III Diary Edition is the first in the line to introduce a new negative film emulation setting. According to the press release, “based on the visual effects possible only with negative film, this mode produces an exquisite balance between rich colors and the uniquely discolored prints resulting from using negative film.” We’ve seen this kind of effect fall flat before, but we have seen other manufacturers succeed with it. Fujifilm’s film emulation modes, for instance, are actually pretty great and worth using.

Additionally, when you turn the camera off, the screen will now display how many photos you’ve taken in a given day, as well as the total number of photos taken and the firmware version.

Both of these features will make their way to the standard GR III and GR IIIx models via firmware update sometime this year. But, if you want one of the fancy limited edition GR III Diary Edition bundles, you’ll want to jump on them fast since the company is only selling 2,000 total directly from its own site.

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This week, Ricoh-owned camera brand Pentax announced its return to the film photography game in a big way. According to the announcement, the company is currently in the research and development phase on a number of film photography products that will include gear for film newbies and experienced shooters alike. This is fantastic news.

Despite drastically increased film prices in recent years, the demand for analog photography has skyrocketed. That demand has also pushed up the prices for film cameras on the secondary market. Even the newest film cameras are now at least two decades old and both parts and know-how for repair have come into short supply. Currently, Leica’s M-A and the recently reborn M6 represent the only real major manufacturer option to buy a brand new 35mm film camera, and those prices start above $5,000 without a lens.

A long history of film cameras

Pentax’s 35mm film photography lineage goes all the way back to the 1950s. Since then, the Japenese company has offered some of the most iconic analog cameras of all time. The enormous Pentax 67 SLR still garners a cultish following among medium format shooters (including myself), due in part to the incredible 105mm f/2.4 lens that paired with it. The Pentax K1000 was one of the best all-around manual 35mm SLRs in terms of build quality and ease of use. And the Pentax 645N autofocus medium format line was one of the last professional film camera systems still in production around 2010, well into the digital era.

Pentax hasn’t said what kind of film gear it intends to release just yet, but the announcement suggests the offerings will run the gamut from basic to advanced. While it seems unlikely that the monstrous 67 series will make a return, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the autofocus 645 system come back into the fold. You can still buy a brand new Pentax 645Z digital camera, which uses the same A (manual focus) and FA (autofocus) lenses as the film version that came before it.

Many of the older Pentax K-mount lenses are similarly compatible with newer cameras without adaptation, so a 35mm option seems like a no-brainer as well.

When can we get the new Pentax film cameras?

Pentax hasn’t mentioned a timeframe for the development or the releases, but the sheer mention of new film cameras from a major manufacturer has the film photography community very excited. It’s especially exciting for those who use film for professional purposes. Even the best film cameras around today can be difficult to have serviced due to a dearth of replacement parts and a shrinking pool of qualified technicians to do the work.

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Back in February 2019, Ricoh debuted the Theta Z1, the world’s first spherical panoramic camera to use dual 1-inch image sensors. A couple of years later, a minuscule refresh added more storage, and the Theta Z1 has gone unchallenged by Ricoh’s rivals ever since. This week, that changed with the arrival of its first real alternative, the clumsily-named—but Leica-approved—Insta360 One RS 1-inch 360 Edition.

With the 1-inch 360 Edition, Insta360 is courting photographers and videographers who need the best possible image quality. There’s a reason that the full name is a bit of a mouthful—this *isn’t* an entirely new camera we’re discussing here, but rather a new accessory and bundle for an existing camera system. The new variant shares its “Core module” with the earlier Insta360 One RS and One R cameras, and if you own one of these, you’ll be able to buy just the additional parts you don’t already own at a moderately discounted price.

Another Leica X Insta360 collaboration

Related: The Insta360 Sphere makes capturing 360-degree drone footage a dizzying delight

The eagle-eyed will have noted that the 360 Edition isn’t Insta360’s first use of a 1-inch sensor, and nor is it its first cooperation with Leica. The Insta360 One RS and R 1-Inch Editions each have a Leica Super-Elmar branded lens and used the same sensor size.

This time around, though, there are dual sensors and Super-Summicron branded lenses which together can provide a full 360-degree spherical panoramic coverage, both horizontally and vertically.

Chunkier but with better low-light image quality

The new 360 Edition is a bit on the chunky side compared to smaller-sensor 360 cameras, like the Ricoh Theta X 360. In fact, the 1-inch Edition is a fair bit larger even than its Ricoh Z1 rival.

Insta360’s new camera measures 5.1 inches tall, 2.1 inches wide and 1.9 inches deep and tips the scales at 8.4 ounces. That’s nearly the same height as the Ricoh, but about 10% wider, two-thirds deeper, and one-third heavier.

But for that increase in bulk, you should get higher video quality, especially when shooting in low-light conditions. You’ll also get a fair bit more versatility compared to the much older Ricoh.

6K video capture and (light) weather-sealing!

Sure, the Theta Z1 still takes a very slight edge with its 22.6-megapixel still images, which on paper at least should have about 3% higher resolution. But where the Ricoh is limited to just 4K video at 30 frames per second, the Insta360 can record 6K footage. (Video resolution tops out at 5,888 x 2,944 pixels for 30 fps capture, rising to 6,144 x 3,072 pixels for 24 fps or 25 fps recording.)

Insta360’s camera also has some degree of protection from the elements once it is fully assembled. With its 360 Edition accessory attached, the One RS is said to be IPX3 water-resistant. That should be sufficient to protect against light rain or snow, but not against heavier rain or immersion. The Theta, meanwhile, is totally unprotected unless you use its optional underwater housing.

All the features we’ve come to expect

Related: The new Ricoh Theta X 360 camera has a touchscreen, swappable batteries, and more

The Insta360 offers six-axis image stabilization that can keep your footage upright and shake-free regardless of camera orientation. It can also shoot multi-frame HDR captures, and Insta360 says its “PureShot HDR” algorithms use AI to achieve the best results. The 360 Edition can also be used for 360-degree live streaming or as a webcam.

Of course, its Ricoh rival offers many of the same features, though it’s not really intended for use as a webcam and Ricoh makes no mention of using AI in its HDR processing. There are still areas in which the Theta Z1 retains the edge, however. For one thing, it has four microphones, compared to three on the Insta360 model. It also has a three-step variable aperture for its lenses, whereas the Insta360 has a fixed aperture. And, it boasts wider sensitivity and shutter speed ranges as well.

Price and availability

Available immediately, the Insta360 One RS 1-inch 360 Edition is available for $799.99.

A comparison to the Ricoh Theta Z1 shows just how aggressively-priced the 360 Edition is: Ricoh’s camera still sells at its $1,049.95 list price more than three years after the basic design was first launched. Comparing apples to apples with a full camera kit, the 360 Edition is less expensive by almost one-quarter.

One R and RS owners can buy a lower-priced upgrade instead

But that’s still not the full story. If you already own an earlier One R or One RS camera kit, you can opt instead for just the 1-inch 360 Lens Upgrade Bundle, priced at $649.99. That effectively makes the cost almost 40% lower than the Ricoh, at least so long as you’re already an Insta360 user.

While the $150 savings over the full camera kit might not seem much, it’s worth bearing in mind that you’re still getting two 1-inch sensors, two glass f/2.2 fisheye Leica lenses, a 1,350mAh battery pack, and the mounting bracket.

The core module, which is the sole piece you’d already own from another One R or RS kit, contains only the processor, a small touch-screen display, speaker/mics, connectivity, a MicroSD card slot, and a few controls. Given that most of the expense is elsewhere, it’s honestly impressive that skipping the core alone saves as much as it does!

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Ricoh has unveiled its latest all-weather WG-series adventure camera, the Ricoh WG-80. The new model will be instantly familiar if you’ve shot with any of the company’s earlier rugged compacts, as the basic design is still very similar to that laid down with the original Pentax WG-1 all the way back in 2011. Save for cleaner, less fussy trim panels covering the front and encircling the macro lights, the exterior is basically identical to 2014’s WG-30 and the weight is also indistinguishable.

What’s new in the Ricoh WG-80?

So what’s new since the previous generation? The sole changes of note can be found in the aforementioned macro lights, which also double as both a self-timer indicator and a clever way of ensuring you’re pointing the camera the right way when shooting selfies.

The individual LEDs are now twice as bright as in the previous generation, and their brightness can now be set in five steps. (The previous model only had a single brightness level.)

The same tank-like build and imaging pipeline as before

In all other respects, the WG-80 appears to be identical to its predecessor. It’s still based around a 16-megapixel, 1/2.3-inch backside-illuminated CMOS sensor paired with a 28-140mm equivalent (5x zoom) lens with an f/3.5-5.5 maximum aperture across the zoom range. As before, focusing is possible as close as just 0.4 inches.

It’s also just as durable as ever. Ricoh says it can withstand immersion to a depth of 46 feet for two hours, can survive drops from 5.2 feet or being crushed by up to 220lbf, and works in temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

And as far as we can see, the remainder of the camera is also unchanged.

Related: Best waterproof cameras in 2022

Sensitivity still spans a range from ISO 125 to 6400, and shutter speeds from four to 1/4000 seconds are possible. The lens remains unstabilized, with only electronic stabilization available for both stills and video.

Around the back, there’s still a rather modest 2.7-inch LCD monitor with 230k-dot resolution, and the WG-80 continues to store its images and movies on an SD card or in a tiny 68MB of built-in memory. A rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack gives sufficient charge for around 300 shots or 260 minutes of playback, according to CIPA testing standards.

Price and availability

Available from mid-June 2022 in black or orange body colors, the Ricoh WG-80 will be priced at $329.95. That’s a premium of some $50 over the launch price of the previous generation, an increase that likely reflects the realities of both inflation and recent supply chain issues affecting the industry as a whole.

If you’re considering the WG-80 and don’t need its macro lights, though, current street pricing of ~$250 will also make the WG-70 a tempting option, while stock remains.

The post The rugged Ricoh WG-80 is a light upgrade for fans of up-close shooting appeared first on Popular Photography.

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The Ricoh GR IIIx is a pocketable camera with a really impressive 40mm equivalent f/2.8 lens and a capable 24-megapixel APS-C sensor. Image quality is great: the lens is tack sharp all the way across the frame. The camera has built-in image stabilization to reduce camera shake (for stills only), and it works well. The GR IIIx is very small and, as such, controls are a bit cluttered. The LCD is average in terms of size and resolution, and it’s a shame it can’t tilt upward for waist-level shooting.

Negatives are few, though they’re important. The most significant issue we had with the GR IIIx is its battery life: it’s just not good. The movie mode is not impressive but, then again, this camera is not for that market. The only other nice-to-have would be some kind of weather-proofing, but maybe Ricoh is saving that for the GR IIIx Mark II. 

Pros:

• Excellent lens and sensor combination make for great image quality
• Ultra-compact and well-built
• Effective image stabilization
• Snappy performance

Cons:

• Poor battery life
• Lackluster movie mode
• Weather-proofing would have been nice

Hardware & key specs

SEE IT

The GR IIIx uses the same 24-megapixel APS-C-sized sensor as the GR III. The sensor is stabilized on three axes and can reduce shake by up to 4 stops, according to Ricoh. While it lacks an anti-aliasing (AA) filter, the GR IIIx can simulate having one by shifting its sensor, which helps to reduce moiré, which can be distracting, especially in video.

Key specs:

• Sensor-shift image stabilization
• Built-in ND filter
• 3-inch, 1.04 million-dot touchscreen display
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
• 2GB internal memory and SDXC UHS-I card slot
• 200 shots per battery charge

The real highlight of the GR IIIx is its 40mm equivalent f/2.8 lens, which is also what differentiates it from the vanilla GR III, which has a 28mm equivalent lens. The GR IIIx’s lens can get as close to your subject as 4.7 inches. 

The lens doesn’t support screw-on filters, though it has a built-in neutral density (ND) filter, which allows you to use slower shutter speeds or smaller apertures in bright light. An optional teleconverter accessory boosts the equivalent focal length to 75mm. A small optical viewfinder, which attaches via the hot shoe, is another optional accessory.

The camera’s 3-inch LCD has an average size and resolution for a compact camera. Its touchscreen lets you tap to focus, navigate menus, and review photos. Since this is a fixed (non-articulating) display, waist-level shooting isn’t possible. The GR IIIx lacks a built-in flash but there is a hotshoe.

The USB Type-C port is used to transfer images, connect to a display (DisplayPort required), or charge the battery. Ricoh estimates that you can take 200 shots on a single charge, give or take.

What it’s like to use

The GR IIIx’s shooting experience has changed little since its predecessors, which, to its fans, is a good thing. The compact and well-built body is easy to pocket—yes, even in skinny jeans—and shooting one-handed is no problem. The IIIx has the same pill-shaped shutter release buttons as the generations of GR-series models that came before it. The controls on the back of the camera are cluttered, but that’s the tradeoff for keeping the body as small as possible. The mode dial on the top plate has a lock, though it would be nice to have an option for it to rotate freely.

The GR IIIx starts up quickly, which is how the camera functions as a whole. You can flip through photos or the menus as fast as your finger can move. Speaking of menus, they’re pretty extensive for a compact camera and allow for some pretty extensive customization of the GR IIIx. The camera has two control dials as well as the “ADJ” lever, which is used for exposure compensation and shortcuts to up to five settings. 

Composing photos on the LCD outdoors is challenging, but Ricoh came to the rescue with an “outdoor view setting” that lets you quickly adjust screen brightness. Going up by a stop did the job for me.

The location of the video button on the left side of the camera suggests that video is an afterthought on the GR IIIx, and it is. You can capture 1080/60p video, but controls are limited, and the camera is slow when adjusting focus. There is a crop when shooting video, and its electronic shake reduction isn’t the best.

The GR IIIx has both Wi-Fi (2.4Ghz) and Bluetooth built-in. While its app is not well-loved, I had very few issues connecting to and transferring images from the camera.

Image quality

The GR IIIx’s sensor and lens combo make for excellent image quality. Images are very sharp in both the center and the corners, even wide open at f/2.8. A trip to the local tulip fields illustrated the kind of vibrant colors the GR IIIx produces. The camera offers several color (and B&W) modes for getting a little more creative.

The 24-megapixel sensor inside the GR IIIx impresses, with good dynamic range and low noise at higher sensitivities.

Autofocus & operation speed

The GR IIIx focuses quickly, and its hybrid (phase & contrast detection) autofocus system is snappy and accurate. The camera stuck to its subject fairly well when using tracking autofocus. If I didn’t want to wait for the camera to lock focus, I could just mash the shutter release all the way down and the GR IIIx would use a predefined distance, such as 2.5m (a little over 8 feet).

If you want to shoot photos quickly, the GR IIIx is not your camera. It chugs along at 4 frames per second and stops after less than 10 shots if you’re shooting Raw (DNG).

At 200 shots per charge, battery life is pretty lousy. If you’re out for the day, bring a spare or a portable USB-C charger.

Ricoh GR IIIx compared to…

You can count the number of fixed lens large sensor cameras on one hand. Aside from the Rioch GR III with its 28mm lens, the only other camera in this class is the Fujifilm X100V.  The X100V features a 35mm equivalent f/2 lens and an excellent 26-megapixel sensor. It’s a chunkier camera but that makes room for an electronic viewfinder and plenty of dials. Like the GR III series, the X100V has a considerable fanbase and should be considered if you want a more hands-on shooting approach and have a higher budget.

Another option is to buy a compact mirrorless camera and a fast prime lens. One such option is the Fujifilm X-E4 paired with the company’s 28mm f/2.8 lens (equivalent to 41mm). As with the X100V, it’s a thicker camera, but it offers a viewfinder, tilting LCD, and lots of dials. It does, however, lack image stabilization.

A budget option is the Olympus PEN E-PL10 and Panasonic 20mm (40mm equivalent) f/1.7 combination. The E-PL10 has an aging 16-megapixel sensor that is smaller than the one on the GR IIIx, but it’s still a capable camera with a vast selection of lenses.

Additional samples

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On the outside, the new Pentax K-3 Mark III DSLR looks extremely familiar. On the inside, however, this APS-C DSLR camera has undergone a total HGTV-grade makeover since its predecessor dropped roughly six years ago. With mirrorless cameras pulling away from DSLRs when it comes to popularity and hardware support, how does a new enthusiast-grade, mirror-toting camera measure up? Surprisingly well. 

What is the Pentax K-3 Mark III DSLR?

SEE IT

Pentax camera fans are a dedicated bunch. Pentax originally teased the K-3 Mark III’s development literally years ago, but delays have pushed it up to this year. The line was once flush with different options representing granular market segments, but it has since shrunk, which puts a lot of the Pentax burden on this 1.8-pound camera body. 

The Pentax K-3 Mark III DSLR offers a 25.7-megapixel BSI sensor with 5-way stabilization. That feature is particularly notable here in the Pentax lineup because the lenses themselves don’t offer optical IS. The shifting sensor does all the work in that regard. 

The AF system now covers more of the sensor than the Pentax K-3 Mark II did, and it’s quite a bit faster to boot. The body offers Pentax’s trademark weatherproofing and you can feel it when you pick it up. It’s chunky and substantial. It feels good at the end of a long, heavy lens. 

Pentax K-3 Mark III DSLR layout and design

If you have been around cameras for a long time, you could probably recognize this as a Pentax DSLR without any of the branding. While the company has added plenty of new features, the layout should feel very familiar. 

The back of the camera has a five-button pad, as well as a nub for select AF points. It offers a familiar array of buttons, including conveniently placed AE- and AF-lock buttons. The 3.2-inch screen offers a solid 1.62-million dot resolution, but it doesn’t tilt or rotate. The top of the camera includes a mode dial, a live view dial (which feels unnecessarily large for only offering three options, two control dials, and a lit display. 

Digging into the Autofocus system

If you’re shooting on an old K-3 Mark II, the new AF system in the Mark III will feel like a revolution. The Mark III offers 101 selectable AF points spread across the frame. 

I tried the AF system with several lenses and it was speedy, responsive, and accurate. In short, it focuses where you point it. When DSLRs ruled the camera landscape, that was the highest praise an autofocus system can get. Now, however, it feels decidedly old school. Mirrorless cameras can lock onto a person’s face or eye and track it with meticulous accuracy even when it’s moving at high speeds. Keep your subject in the frame and the mirrorless camera will probably nail it. The Pentax will make you work a little more for it. 

Image stabilization

With its relatively small sensor, the Pentax K-3 Mark III DSLR offers impressive image stabilization. With a wide-angle lens, you can let your shutter speeds creep worryingly slow and still get a usable image. I don’t have steady hands (thanks, nagging neck injury) but I managed a few sharp frames at 1/8th sec. and I imagine others could get even slower and still feel confident in their images. 

Image quality

The new 25.7-megapixel sensor inside the Pentax K-3 Mark III offers excellent image quality for its class. On paper, it can be a little tricky to get ahold of what it’s trying to do. It boasts ISO speeds all the way up to 1.6 million, but even a high-end full-frame camera can’t squeeze any reasonable image quality out of a setting that high. 

You can push the sensor harder than you might expect. While shooting at dusk, I could push all the way up around 6400 before things got too gnarly for my taste. You can even go higher if you plan to go to black-and-white where the noise can masquerade as grain. 

When it comes to overall image quality, I don’t really have any complaints, but you also won’t be blown away. Pentax has long held a reputation for solid reliability and that’s exactly what this camera offers. 

Video capture

If you want the best performance out of the Pentax K-3 Mark III for shooting video, you’ll want to stick to 1080p instead of jumping up to 4K. At 1080p, you can shoot 24, 30, or 60 fps using the whole width of the sensor. You can shoot 4K at 24 or 30 fps, but it crops into the sensor, which can be awkward depending on your lens selection. 

Overall video image quality is fairly standard. It offers pleasing colors and smooth footage, but video is clearly not the focus with this camera body. 

A DSLR in a mirrorless world

In the past year, the only DSLR I’ve spent any real time with is my Canon 1D X Mark II. I’ve used a ton of other cameras, but they have all been mirrorless. A lot has changed since the Pentax K-3 Mark II showed up back in 2015. 

Even looking at the K-3 Mark III’s direct competition provides even more evidence of how much things have changed. Its closest real competition comes in the form of the Nikon D500, which debuted at CES back in 2016. 

In that comparison, the Pentax predictably wins on image quality and other features like memory card speeds. But, the Nikon still offers more total AF points (It has 153 to the Pentax’s 101). The D500 also has a tilting screen, which really comes in handy in some situations. 

Who should buy the Pentax K-3 Mark III DSLR?

If you’re a committed Pentax fan, then you’re going to love this thing. It works seamlessly with all of your old lenses. The AF system is as good as anything Pentax has offered so far. The body is rugged, and the image quality is excellent well beyond the ISO range of the older model. 

If you’re just looking to jump into the world of advanced cameras, however, the K-3 Mark III DSLR is a very hard sell. Modern mirrorless cameras offer features like face-detect focus tracking that the K-3 Mark III (or any DSLR) can touch. 

The K-3 Mark III is an even tougher sell because of its $2,000 price tag, which puts it in direct competition with really excellent cameras like the Sony A7 III and the even cheaper Fujifilm X-T4. 

I’m still glad the Pentax K-3 exists

Go scroll through the B&H reviews of the Pentax K-3 Mark III and you’ll find at least two people who start their review with, “I’ve been shooting Pentax for forty years.” Pentax cameras have some of the most dedicated photographer fans that you’ll ever meet. And while so many camera lines and lens mounts have been relegated to the trash heap (or Facebook Marketplace), I give Pentax a lot of credit for keeping its DSLRs alive. 

It’s not just lip service for fans, either. Pentax clearly put time and effort into making this a truly excellent camera. Picking it up may feel dated here in 2021, but it also feels old school. Choosing an AF points and deftly maneuvering your fingers across familiar controls is a really wonderful experience. 

If you’re a hard-core Pentaxian, then this one is for you. And it’s a good one.

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We love limited edition camera releases—some more than others—and Ricoh’s latest special edition camera, the Pentax K-3 Mark III Jet Black, is one of the coolest we’ve seen in a while. As the name suggests, it sports a stealthy blacked-out paint job and even ships with a matching HD Pentax-DA 20-40mm f/2.8-4 lens, with the same Batman-esque treatment.

The Pentax K-3 II Jet Black

Related: Ricoh Pentax is about to drastically change the way it sells cameras in Japan

When we say blacked-out, we mean, blacked-out—everything from the Pentax logo to the symbols on the mode dial are colorless. This does beg the question, how easy will this thing be to use? Fortunately, it seems many buttons are still labeled in charcoal grey paint. But you’ll probably want to get some practice in with the camera before shooting any lowlight events.

Why is Ricoh crowdfunding this camera?

Related: Pentax K-3 Mark III camera review – a solid DSLR in a mirrorless world

Back in January, Ricoh Japan announced a change to its business approach with an emphasis on smaller production runs, an increase in limited-edition releases, and a commitment to include user feedback more frequently in future product developments.

This model in particular is Pentax’s first limited release since that announcement. And it was selected by Pentax users last fall—participating in the brand’s Co-Creation Project—as the most popular among a handful of limited edition designs.

Ricoh also notes that the Jet Black model is quite challenging to mass-produce, which explains its super-limited production run.

How do I get one?

That may be a tad tricky. The Pentax K-3 Mark III Jet Black is currently available through the Japanese crowdfunding platform, Ubgoe for a price of ~$2,600 for the camera and lens. The run is limited to just 232 models, and as of writing, 184 remain.

The campaign runs through April 27, 2022, or until all the cameras are claimed. It’s already surpassed its target amount of ~$80,000, so presumably, anyone who backs the campaign at this point will in fact receive a Jet Black K-3 Mark III.

Unfortunately, delivery—which is expected by the end of July 2022—is only available in Japan.

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Ricoh is releasing a new limited edition version of its popular GR IIIx compact camera that features a striking blue and gray paint job, along with revamped exposure and focus modes. The new Ricoh GR IIIx “Urban Edition” kit includes the camera along with a leather hand strap and a metallic hot shoe cover. It will be available next month for $1,099.95—that’s just $100 more than a standard GR IIIx.

Ricoh Japan says 2000 units will be made, and a camera-only version (i.e. with no leather strap or hot shoe cover) will be available this summer. Photographers using the standard GR IIIx will gain access to these exposure and focus updates next month via a firmware update. 

The paint job

Related: Opinion: The joy of fixed-lens cameras

According to Ricoh, the navy-blue and metallic grey colors were inspired by the deep blue and grey colors that are often seen in street photographers’ frames from urban locations. Although we’ll admit that we love the aesthetics of this limited-edition GR IIIx, the most exciting updates are on the inside. 

New exposure mode

A new exposure mode called “Snap Distance Priority” allows shooters to pre-set preferred distance and depth-of-field settings—a handy tool for street shooters who are doing a lot of pan-focus photography.

New Focus Modes 

Ricoh has introduced three new focus modes as well. “Auto Area AF(Center)” uses the nine focus zones around the center of the image sensor rather than the entire image field. “Enable AF mode shutter-release” allows photographers to lock the AF system without locking the AE system when pressing the shutter down halfway. Finally, “Snapshot Mode” lets users set the focus mode to 11.5 feet, which can be accessed by a long press on the monitor. All four of these new settings will be available via a firmware update next month for existing GR IIIx shooters (no word if GR III customers will also get the update). 

Price & availability

The GR IIIx Urban Edition kit with the leather hand strap and metallic hot shoe cover will be available in April 2022 for $1,099.95. A camera-only version will be available this summer, pricing to be announced. 

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Ricoh has announced the Theta X, the latest in its line of Theta 360-degree cameras. It will go on sale in March for $799 and features a number of firsts for the brand, including a touchscreen, removable battery, and MicroSD card slot. 

It follows hot on the heels of the company announcing that it will be restructuring its Japanese operations, though it’s unlikely that will have an impact on mass-market production of the Theta X. 

360 degree specs

The Theta X features a new 48-megapixel CMOS image sensor. The lens design and image processor have also been “renewed,” presumably for the better. The upgrades allow the Theta X to capture up to 60-megapixel 360-degree still images.

For video, it can record up to 5.7K (5760 x 2880 pixels) at 30 frames-per-second. There is also “enhanced image stabilization” that enables “vivid and smooth shooting.” You can see a sample video from the Theta X below.

Freedom from phones

Past Theta cameras have basically relied on smartphone apps and Bluetooth to control advanced features, view shots, transfer and edit footage, and most everything else. It wasn’t a bad solution, but it meant that the camera was more of a smartphone accessory than a standalone device. The Theta X is set to change that. 

The 2.25-inch touchscreen allows you to frame your shots, navigate the camera’s menus, adjust shooting settings, and view captured images/video, all from the camera. 

Similarly, the new MicroSD card slot and removable battery mean you can shoot a lot more on location without having to stop to offload footage or charge the device. 

With all that said, Ricoh has also improved smartphone connectivity. You now don’t have to enter an SSID to establish a Bluetooth connection, and photos/videos transfer approximately 1.5x faster than with “conventional cameras” by using MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology and real-time processing—whatever all that means. 

A professional solution

If you don’t see the appeal of a Theta camera, we understand. Though there are plenty of enthusiasts who love them, they seem to be built for folks working in professional settings. I reviewed a Theta camera a few years ago and, while it was a lot of fun, there are only so many 360-degree photos and videos you can share on social media before it gets old.

However, for real estate agents, college admission offices, hotels/resorts, engineers, construction companies, and the like, being able to capture 360-degree images and video footage on location is incredibly useful. That’s why the Theta X has quite a few professional-focused features like built-in GPS, a magnesium alloy body, and integration with third-party plugins, including Ricoh360 Tours which allows people to create high-quality custom virtual tours.

When will the Ricoh Theta X be available?

The Theta X will be available online for $799 from March 2022. It will ship with a soft case and rechargeable battery. Additional batteries will also be available (though the price hasn’t been announced) and you’ll have to bring your own MicroSD card.

The post The new Ricoh Theta X 360 camera has a touchscreen, swappable batteries, and more appeared first on Popular Photography.

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