Ricoh turns 80 this year, and to mark the occasion the company is introducing a limited silver edition of its GR II camera. Only 3,200 of the compact cameras will be made, with each accompanied by a custom camera case.
As Ricoh describes it, the “camera body has a high-grade, silver-color leather-tone finish, featuring an elegant, grained texture.” Other unique attributes include a silver shutter button and ring cap; diamond-cut engravings; custom power-off screen; and a genuine leather case. Otherwise, it’s a regular GR II, but the camera has a following, so its fans and anyone else looking for a high-end compact may be interested.
The GR II is the upgrade to the original GR, a compact with a large 16.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor and a fixed 18.3mm (28mm in 35mm-equivalent format), f/2.8 wide-angle lens. It’s a good alternative for those who want a DSLR-quality camera, minus the bulk. The GR II is essentially a minor refresh of the original GR, adding Wi-Fi/NFC wireless connectivity, movie autofocus, increased shutter speed (10 RAW frames per second, versus the 4 fps of its predecessor), new creative effects, and a range of other updates. But, as a camera, the two share the main components.
The camera will sell for $700 — the standard GR II can be found for as low as $559 at B&H Photo — making it an affordable high-end camera.