Currently the RICOH GR III is the best ‘standalone’ digital camera on the market. Superior to all competitors, including Leica Q2.
1. Size matters
I am convinced:
No matter how ‘good’ a camera is, as long as it is big and you cannot carry it with you everywhere you go, it is useless.
![RICOH GR III. This photograph is pure art to me.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/eric-kim-photography-ricoh-gr-iii-la-78-2000x1333.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
2. In praise of 21mm
Leica Q2 is a great camera, but the 28mm is a bit constraining. I think 21mm [Ricoh GR III with 21mm adapter] is far more fun to shoot when compared to 28mm.
![Los Angeles, 2019 #ricohgriii #21mm](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/5DD79D52-8F34-433E-9AEB-E969A41A9F59-2000x1333.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
3. Superior monochrome
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ricoh-gr-iii-closeup-crop-1.png?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ricoh-gr-iii-closeup-crop-4.png?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ricoh-gr-iii-closeup-crop-5.png?ssl=1)
![plant](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ricoh-gr-iii-closeup-crop-6.png?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ricoh-gr-iii-closeup-crop-7.png?ssl=1)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ricoh-gr-iii-closeup-crop-8.png?ssl=1)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ricoh-gr-iii-closeup-crop-10.png?ssl=1)
![spider web](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ricoh-gr-iii-closeup-crop-11.png?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ricoh-gr-iii-closeup-crop-13.png?ssl=1)
The JPEG high contrast black and white mode on RICOH GR III is pure art. Sublime blacks, phenomenal highlight protection. The dynamic range in RICOH GR III blows me away.
![Closeup my hand and calluses](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/eric-kim-photography-ricoh-gr-iii-la-67-2000x1333.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
4. Price
![money flowers](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/eric-kim-photography-ricoh-gr-iii-la-36-2000x1333.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
RICOH GR III is $899, whereas Leica Q2 is $4995.
Even the 21mm Ricoh GR III conversion lens [$249] and adapter [$49] only equals $300 [for a 21mm lens!]
So assuming you got the RICOH GR III and the 21mm adapter, the total price is only $1200. Compare that to the Leica Q2 — the price difference is $3,800 USD.
I would rather take that $3,800 and buy some meat, coffee, and travel [buy experiences, not gear].
5. Use your money towards traveling and new experiences
![flight airline](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/eric-kim-photography-ricoh-gr-iii-21mm-LA-41.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Assuming a round-trip ticket internationally is ~$1,000 USD, you can get almost 4 round-trip flights with $3800. I have always encouraged this — but buying experiences is the best thing you can do for your happiness and artistic growth.
Any equipment [even buying a RICOH GRIII] will eventually lose its charm. But having NEW EXPERIENCES and making NEW PHOTOS will bring you more joy.
6. Sharpness
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/5E3278F8-8D87-46B7-B6B4-56DBD0FFCBEE.png?ssl=1)
![closeup macro ring](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/close-up-crop-ricoh-gr-iii-ring-2.png?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/IMG_9389.png?ssl=1)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-28-at-10.39.33-AM.png?ssl=1)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/eric-kim-photography-ipad-pick-ricoh-griii-394.png?ssl=1)
Both Leica Q2 and RICOH GRIII doesn’t have anti-aliasing filter [means the photos are sharper]. But to be honest, I cannot see much of a difference between sharpness on RICOH GR III photos and Leica Q2 photos.
7. RICOH GR III looks cooler.
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/eric-kim-photography-ricoh-gr-iii-la-11.jpg?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/eric-kim-photography-ricoh-gr-iii-la-10.jpg?ssl=1)
The Leica Q2 is a beautiful camera, but honestly — I think the RICOH GR III looks cooler. All matte black everything.
From a pure aesthetics perspective, a black paint film Leica MP looks 100x more beautiful than a Leica Q2 [also the black paint Leica M brasses beautifully over time, wabi sabi aesthetics].
8. Make the choice for yourself
Higher price doesn’t mean ‘better’. RICOH MAFIA for life.
![selfie ricoh](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/eric-kim-photography-ricoh-gr-iii-la-6-2000x1333.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
#RICOHMAFIA
![spider web](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ricoh-gr-iii-closeup-crop-11.png?ssl=1)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/eric-kim-photography-ricoh-gr-iii-la-82.jpg?ssl=1)
![Details of my hand. No painting could ever depict my hand so accurately, and artfully.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/eric-kim-photography-ricoh-gr-iii-la-66.jpg?ssl=1)
![Hallway light.](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/eric-kim-photography-ricoh-gr-iii-la-39.jpg?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/True-Happiness-is-Striving-for-More-mp3-image.jpg?ssl=1)
![urban landscape Los Angeles](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/DEE4A04D-3520-4E31-8400-581F8E1DF300.jpeg?ssl=1)
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![Veggies lead vegetable grocery](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/eric-kim-photography-ricoh-gr-iii-21mm-LA-88.jpg?ssl=1)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/eric-kim-photography-ricoh-gr-iii-21mm-LA-81.jpg?ssl=1)
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![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/eric-kim-photography-ricoh-gr-iii-21mm-LA-2.jpg?ssl=1)
RICOH GR III x Eric Kim NECK STRAP or Eric Kim WRIST STRAP.