The Ricoh GR IIIx: The Best Camera for Street Photography

Yo, what’s poppin’ people? It’s Dante. This morning, I want to share my thoughts about the Ricoh GR IIIx for street photography. I genuinely believe this camera is the best for street photography, and I just want to share my love, passion, and joy for it.

As someone who’s been photographing for the past decade, I don’t really contemplate gear too much. But I feel like talking about my camera equipment in these videos is giving me more joy, more lust for life. I’m photographing more than ever because of the equipment I choose to use.

The Pocket-Sized Powerhouse

The fact that I have a camera that fits in my front right pocket and essentially lives on my wrist strap 24/7 is allowing me to enter this spirit of play—photographing consistently throughout my life.

Because the Ricoh is so small and compact, I don’t need to go out there and “put my photography hat on,” wipe down my lens, and treat photography as some serious ritual. I just bring the camera along for the ride—whether I’m at home, in my hometown, or abroad. I snapshot my way through life.

“The Ricoh is so small and compact, I don’t need to go out there and put my photography hat on. I just bring it along for the ride.”

This is why I think compact cameras are the future. More camera companies should be making cameras that are as small as your palm. Technology has gotten to the point where we have so many megapixels, different lenses, and a million options, but the Ricoh simplifies everything and strips it down to the bare necessities:

A black box
A fixed focal length (28mm or 40mm)
A shutter button

That’s it. That’s all you need.

Simplicity = More Photography

One of the biggest advantages of the Ricoh GR IIIx is that it simplifies everything. The best way to shoot with this camera is:

P Mode or Aperture Priority (I like shooting at f/8)
Let the camera handle the rest
Just click the shutter when the moment feels right

Photography doesn’t need to be complicated. It’s just about recognizing the moment, adjusting a setting or two if necessary, and pressing the shutter.

“Photography is easy. We overcomplicate things through gear choices, but the best solution is the simplest one.”

The Problem with Big Cameras

Lugging around a big camera is a pain. Even with something like a Fujifilm X-Pro series camera, which is relatively compact, I feel like it gets in the way.

Having a camera around my neck makes me feel off—like I have this chore, this burden I have to tend to.
A big camera setup interrupts my day. I feel like I need to dedicate time to photography rather than seamlessly integrating it into my life.
I don’t need a million different lenses. I don’t need a camera bag. I don’t need extra gear.

With the Ricoh, I can just slip it into my pocket and move through my day naturally.

“If your camera setup is making you think more about the gear than the moment, you’ve already lost.”

The Camera That Lets You Be Free

For me, the goal of photography is to remain curious and to continuously press the shutter. And there hasn’t been a time in my life where I’ve been shooting as much as I am now—thanks to the Ricoh GR IIIx.

As street photographers, we need to be available and ready at all times. The Ricoh allows you to enter that flow state, where shooting becomes second nature. The camera is always there. You don’t have to think about it. You just see, react, and shoot.

“When you’re always ready to shoot, you enter this flow state—a stream of production and creativity.”

This camera has me:

Shooting while commuting to work
Snapping self-portraits
Capturing moments on my trail walks during break
Using macro mode to see details in a new way

If the camera was any bigger or heavier, I wouldn’t be doing this. The compact nature of the Ricoh defeats all other cameras because it allows for spontaneity.

The Ultimate Extension of Your Eye

A compact camera = more production.

Because it’s always on me, I can create despite how mundane life may seem. The camera is an excuse to go out, to see the world, to be curious.

“The Ricoh GR IIIx is the closest thing to not having a camera at all, and that’s why it’s so great.”

I don’t need a fancy camera.
I don’t need a bunch of lenses.
I don’t even need to think about gear.

All I need is a black box with a shutter button.

“If you sold all your gear and just carried a compact digital camera in your pocket, you’d become a better photographer.”

The LCD Screen is Liberating

One last thing—using an LCD screen instead of a viewfinder is so freeing. When shooting street, it actually makes a lot more sense because:

You react faster to moments
Your compositions become more intuitive
Your camera becomes an extension of your body

I don’t feel like I’m “lifting a camera to my eye”—I’m just looking and shooting.

“Having the Ricoh glued to my wrist becomes the ultimate extension of my body, my mind, my eye.”

The Conclusion

I don’t like cameras. I don’t care about gear. I just want to live my life and remain curious.

And the Ricoh GR IIIx allows me to do that better than any other camera.

“The Ricoh is the closest thing to not having a camera. That’s why it’s the best.”

So yeah. That’s my take. Compact is the future, baby. You don’t need a big camera. You don’t need a bunch of lenses. Hell, you don’t even need a camera.

Just go out and see the world.