Ricoh GR II premium compact camera officially announced

Ricoh has updated the GR and it has announced the GR II, the company’s next-generation premium compact camera that offers wireless capabilities alongside high image quality.

The successor to the Ricoh GR has been rumored to be a major upgrade. However, the rumor mill has recently revealed that the upcoming compact camera, called GR II, will be nothing more than a minor improvement over its predecessor.

The Ricoh GR II has been announced officially with few additions over the GR. The list includes built-in WiFi and NFC, which will allow users to control their compact cameras remotely using a smartphone or a tablet.

Ricoh GR II now comes packed with built-in WiFi and NFC.

Ricoh GR II replaces original GR with WiFi, NFC, and larger buffer

Ricoh GR II comes with a similar design as the GR. However, there is a tiny hump on top of the camera that has been added in order to make room for the WiFi system. Through WiFi, users will be able to remotely control the shooter and even access it in Live View mode using a mobile device.

NFC technology has been added into the camera, too, which facilitates the link process between the compact camera and a mobile device. Additionally, users can send files to a smartphone or tablet, so that they can be shared on social networking websites.

Wireless technologies no longer represent a novelty, so the GR II has other new things to offer. The fastest shutter speed, when using the maximum aperture of f/2.8, has been bumped to 1/25000s from 1/2000s, while the buffer supports 10 RAW frames using the 4fps continuous shooting mode.

Ricoh GR II supports manual modes, but adds seven new auto scenes with different effects.

Another addition is represented by autofocus support when recording movies. There is still no 4K support, but the shooter will do full HD videos. As for photography enthusiasts, seven new effects, such as Brilliance, Bright, and Vibrant, are now available in the Ricoh GR II.

The built-in flash of the camera is capable of using dedicated Pentax flashes as slave units. Finally, a new white balance setting is available and it is called Color Temperature Extension, which adds a dramatic effect based on the dominant color of a scene.

Ricoh GR II comes with a 3-inch LCD screen on the back.

High image quality offered by a large 16.2-megapixel sensor and 18.3mm f/2.8 lens

Apart from the new stuff, the Ricoh GR II offers a premium experience, just like its predecessor. It comes packed with a 16.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with an 18.3mm f/2.8 lens that provides a full-frame equivalent of 28mm.

The compact camera is powered by a GR Engine V processor and supports an autofocus system offering a 0.2-second AF speed. The ISO ranges between 100 and 25,600 along with a minimum focusing distance of 10 centimeters in macro mode.

When not using the maximum aperture, the GR II is capable of supporting a shutter speed of 1/4000th of a second. This is a tiny and lightweight camera, as it measures 117 x 83 x 35mm / 4.61 x 3.27 x 1.38 inches, while weighing 251 grams / 8.85 ounces.

Ricoh will begin shipping its premium compact shooter as of July 2015 and it will do so at a price of $799.95.