Ricoh announced the limited edition 16-megapixel GR II Silver Edition digital camera to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the founding of Ricoh Company, Ltd. Only 3,200 units will be made available worldwide. Other than a few cosmetic differences, the compact camera maintains the same photographic quality as the standard GR II model launched in July 2015.
Distinct features of the GR II Silver Edition include:
- Stylish silver camera body: The camera body has a high-grade, silver-color leather-tone finish, featuring an elegant, grained texture.
- Distinctive features compared to the standard GR II: The Silver Edition’s shutter release button and the ring cap have been finished in silver identical to that of the camera body. Additionally, the lens descriptions are engraved on the front ring using a diamond-cutting process and the GR logo’s color on the camera’s front panel has been changed to white. Even the product box has been specially designed for this package.
- Termination screen: When the camera’s power is turned off, the camera displays an original termination screen, which has a solid, high-grade design expressing the GR II’s product concept.
- Genuine leather camera case: The package includes a black, genuine-leather camera case exclusively designed for the GR II camera body. It provides features useful for quick-action snapshot photography, including a belt loop on the back, and a top cover that opens fully for easy removal of the camera body.
The GR II claims to be the smallest premium digital compact camera, offering DSLR-like image quality with Wi-Fi and Near Field Communication (NFC) functionality. The GR 18.3mm F2.8 lens is a compact, high-performance GR lens with a focal length of 28mm (in the 35 mm format). It also boasts a large, APS-C-size CMOS image sensor with approximately 16.2 effective megapixels.
Firmware Update
Ricoh also just released a new firmware update for the GR II camera, version 2.00. The new software adds the following features:
- Displaying Today’s Shots
- Setting options in shooting mode can be swiftly scrolled by pressing the +/- button.
- [Macro AF Scan Range] is added.
- [Conversion Lens] is added to the functions which can be registered to these buttons.
- [Macro] is added on [Conversion Lens]
- The values set in [Detail] can be reset to the default settings.
- The preview image in [RAW Development] can be enlarged.
- Improved stability for general performance.
Price and Availability
The Ricoh GR II Silver Edition is expected to be released soon for $699 ($100 more than standard camera).
