Is The New RICOH GR III HDF Worth It?

Recently, Ricoh released the new RICOH GR III and RICOH GR IIIx. This is the first time Ricoh has made a substantial update to this best-selling model after various limited editions. If we summarize the new product in two sentences, it would be: built-in physical HDF; the shutter button becomes silver. End of story.

What’s new in the new Ricoh GR3 HDF and Gr3x HDF

According to an official update from Ricoh: The new model has a built-in HDF (Highlight Diffusion Filter) that creates soft, soft images with emphasis on highlights. Developed using Ricoh's advanced inkjet technology, this filter diffuses highlights and adds a blurring effect to edges, reminiscent of film photography. Its single-action switch easily switches between sharp, sharp images and softer images, expanding the creative possibilities of snapshot photography.

The shutter button is now gray-silver, symbolizing an effortless shift in visual expression, while the Fn button defaults to HDF ON/OFF switching. Users can preset up to three white balance settings as basic white balance and fine-tune them with white balance fine-tuning.

New features include zone-selective AF for autofocus adjustment within user-defined zones and customizable Fn button functionality. With the exception of the ND filters available in the new models, these updates retain the signature specifications of the GR series.

What is HDF

A highlight diffusion filter (HDF) is a common feature or accessory found in cameras or lens systems, especially advanced digital cameras or cinema lenses. This type of filter is designed to modify the way highlights are rendered in an image or video.

There are three most important reasons why photographers use HDF.

1. Highlight Control: Filters help control and modify the appearance of highlights in a scene. It softens harsh highlights, reduces glare, and creates a more pleasing overall highlight reproduction.

2. Blurred effect: One of the main functions of a highlight diffuser filter is to soften the appearance of bright highlights in an image or video. This helps create a more natural and cinematic look, especially in scenes with high contrast or poor lighting conditions.

3. Creative: Photographers and filmmakers often use highlight diffuser filters as a creative tool to achieve specific visual effects or enhance the overall mood of an image or video. By controlling highlight rendering, they can achieve ideal artistic effects.

What is the difference between Black Diffusion and HDF

Both Black Diffusion and Highlight Diffusion filters play roles in modifying image characteristics, they target different aspects of image rendering. BD filters focus on overall softening and contrast enhancement, while HDF filters are specialized for highlight control and highlight diffusion in scenes. Choosing between the two depends on the specific creative goals and requirements of the photographer or filmmaker for a given project or shooting scenario.

If you are looking for a high-quality black diffusion filter, you can explore KFconcept’s Black-Mist, The K&F Concept black diffusion 1 filter with 74% transmittance, soft the image and video, controls highlight flares, making skin or pores more delicate, recommend used it on portrait photography, video record, vlog video.

I don't have Ricoh GR series, how can I get HDF similar effect

The Highlight Diffusion Filter (HDF) is designed to soften highlights, diffuse light, and create a mellow, softened effect in images. Filters that offer similar effects to the HDF include:

Softening Filters: These filters are designed to reduce the overall sharpness of an image, including highlights, to create a softer, more diffused look. Examples include soft-focus filters and diffusion filters.

Glow Filters: Glow filters add a subtle glow or halo effect to highlights, giving a dreamy or ethereal look to the image. They can also soften overall contrast for a more flattering appearance.

Diffusion Filters: Similar to softening filters, diffusion filters reduce sharpness and contrast in the image, which can help in toning down highlights and creating a more even, blended look across the frame.

Mist Filters: Mist or fog filters mimic the appearance of mist or fog in the scene, which can soften highlights and create a hazy, atmospheric effect.

Low-Contrast Filters: These filters reduce the contrast between highlights and shadows, which can help in toning down bright highlights and creating a more balanced overall image.

It's important to note that while these filters offer similar effects to the HDF in terms of softening highlights and creating a mellow look, each type of filter may have unique characteristics and strengths. Experimenting with different filters and adjusting their intensity can help achieve the desired visual effect based on the specific creative vision for the image or video.

K&F CONCEPT provide various filters, including protection, synergy and creation filters. 

Whether it’s photography or videography, K&F CONCEPT filter has the power to do it all. 

Is RICOH GR III HDF worth buying?

If you have high requirements for picture quality, or you have video or vlog shooting needs, then RICOH GR III HDF is not suitable for you. But if you originally planned to buy a GR III or a portable ASP-C format camera, and have a preference for 28mm or 40mm lenses, then you can consider buying RICOH GR III HDF or RICOH GR IIIx HDF.

Something About Ricoh GR series

From Ricoh GR1 in 1996 to GE III HDF in 2024, from film to aps-c, it seems that every update of the GR series is "behind the times". But as Ricoh said, "the GR's history is a rebellious one." The GR series has never been about performance as a selling point. It has never been a monster like the Sony Alpha or the Nikon Z or the Canon R. its focus speed isn't crazy, and its photo quality isn't enough to make you count every feather on a bird (If someone really does this）. But it has always been the best choice for taking photos of society, and each of its products has been made for humanities and social photography. Indeed, this time the RICOH GR III HDF does not bring many surprises, but if you agree with the philosophy behind the Ricoh GR series, then you may be inspired by the potential of this “tool” and become more motivated to take photographs, and a camera like that could come to be called your favorite thing.