It’s been two years now that this small and clever little device has been with me almost everywhere I go. I already wrote a shorter piece about it, but this time I’d like to go a little deeper into our friendship.

I won’t lie — I actually bought it more or less by accident, or maybe rather as a stand-in for the Fujifilm X100V, which was impossible to find anywhere. Since I wanted to change my photographic workflow, simplify it as much as possible, and cut down the hours spent in front of the computer, I was looking for a camera that could deliver beautiful images straight out of the box, with no further editing required. My first choice was clear: the Fujifilm X100V. But as I mentioned, it simply wasn’t available. Used copies were selling for more than the price of a new one. No way. So I started searching for alternatives.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remembered a tiny camera that was supposedly a competitor to the Fujifilm. It was called Ricoh… To be honest, at the time it didn’t mean much to me and I didn’t really trust it. Just prejudice, plain and simple. But as I began digging for information, I eventually learned that in the wider world, it’s a very popular, almost cult-like camera with a huge tradition — simply the GR. In the Czech Republic it lives somewhat in the shadow of the X100, which is a real shame. Still, it does have its Czech fans — and I’m one of them. So yes, I did end up buying one: specifically the GR IIIx, as the title already gave away.

I didn’t pick the “X” version — with its 40mm equivalent focal length — by chance. The regular GR with its 28mm equivalent is simply too wide for me. I start feeling comfortable around 35mm. Forty is ideal, and I was already used to it from my Zeiss Batis 40/2, which I love using in the Sony world. 40mm is a super versatile focal length that lets you capture everyday life all around you. And that’s exactly what I wanted: a visual notebook that I wouldn’t need to carry in a backpack and wouldn’t be too lazy to take everywhere. The GR fulfills this role incredibly well. In this regard, it hasn’t had a true competitor for years.

As I’ve already mentioned, the biggest advantage is its size, but trust me — the GR offers much more. The quality of the JPEGs is stunning! I’m not exaggerating. Thanks to the excellent lens and sensor (supposedly from Sony), the output is razor-sharp. The lack of an AA filter helps too. At the same time, thanks to the beautiful film simulations, the images have gorgeous tonality and an analog feel. I don’t know how Ricoh does it, but the noise, which is inevitable sometimes, looks organic — very much like film grain. Many photographers also appreciate the so-called Snap Focus, essentially preset focus at a fixed distance, so you don’t have to wait for autofocus. That autofocus, truth be told, isn’t as good as I know it from Sony cameras. It’s very good in good light, very slow in dim light. Overall rather average, but I doubt anyone buys a GR to shoot sports or fast action. That’s not what it’s for. It’s a notebook of the world around you. Whether you’re shooting street, family, or small details and memories, it works beautifully.

And now comes the moment when many people say: “But I’ve got a phone in my pocket.” And yes, that’s true. Your phone can serve exactly the same purpose. But personally, I just don’t like photos from phones. Hand me the best camera phone in the world and I’ll still say: no thanks, I don’t want to shoot with it. For me, phone photography is boring. It feels like empty tapping on a screen. The output is oversharpened, oversaturated, and completely lacking atmosphere.

Since we’re on the topic of phones: the GR actually plays quite nicely with them. Using the GR World app, you can not only transfer images to your phone, but also use the phone as an external GPS. You keep your phone in your pocket, shoot with the GR, and the location data is written directly into your images via Bluetooth. It’s nothing revolutionary, but it works reliably. Just like the mentioned photo transfers. What’s really neat is that you can keep the camera in your backpack, and without even taking it out or turning it on, you can still transfer images and share them instantly. The app turns the camera on over Bluetooth, pulls the photos, and then can turn the camera off again. This really saves time and eliminates the need to sit at a computer completely. I pull the images onto my iPhone, drop them into my Apple Photos catalog, and since the images already look great straight out of the camera, at most I’ll do a quick crop. Then I print or share directly to Glass, Instagram, or my website. If I happen to mess up a shot that’s still worth saving, I can re-edit it directly in the camera — since the RAW is stored inside and can be re-developed with adjustments right there in the GR itself. Brilliant. And that’s my whole workflow: simple, fast, fun.

So what have these two years with the GR taught me? I had to relearn shooting without a viewfinder. I discovered that you don’t need a bunch of lenses — in fact, having no choice can be an advantage (at least for me). I confirmed an old truth beyond any doubt: the best camera is the one you have with you (sure, for some people that’s a phone). I learned that the greatest value lies in memories themselves, not in photos that rack up thousands of likes on social media. The GR, as I’ve said, is my notebook of memories.

All photos are straight out of camera, without any edits.