Photo: DPReview Less than a week ago, Ricoh announced the GR IV, the next iteration of its highly popular compact line. Now, six years after its launch, Ricoh has discontinued the predecessor, the GR III.
The move shouldn't come as much of a surprise, since when Ricoh initially teased the GR IV earlier this spring, it also said that production of the GR III would end in July 2025. That's now official, as the Ricoh GR III is listed as discontinued on the Ricoh Japan website as well as at B&H. The Ricoh US site and other retailers still have the camera marked as backordered at the time of writing, however.
Even though Ricoh had announced its plans, it still may be a disappointment to those hoping to pick up the GR III at a discounted price. That is, after all, what happened with the last changing of the guard: when Ricoh launched the GR III in 2019, the GR II got a price cut. At that time, the company was likely selling through existing stock, though. The GR III, on the other hand, has been backordered since roughly the beginning of 2024, suggesting there is much less stock available.
The GR IIIx is still available, as there is currently no replacement for it. Ricoh also said in its May teaser that it will continue to produce and market the GR IIIx for now. Unfortunately, that device is also listed as out of stock, so while it isn't discontinued, getting your hands on one may not be straightforward. Likewise, Adorama has the GR III Street Edition listed, though also on backorder.
. dpreview.com2025-8-27 00:16
