Ricoh GR II updates the cult-favorite enthusiast compact, knows not everyone loves Android or iOS

by Mike Tomkins

posted Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at 6:00 PM EDT

Way back in April 2013, the Ricoh GR took the company's GR-series of compact cameras -- long a cult favorite of enthusiasts -- in a brand new direction. Now, the followup Ricoh GR II hones the earlier design and adds one big-news feature: In-camera Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity. "Big news?" we hear you say. "But doesn't every camera have that these days?"

Well sure, Wi-Fi is pretty much everywhere now, but there's almost always a very big catch, and it's one Ricoh manages to avoid. Unlike almost every other company out there, the Ricoh GR II's Wi-Fi connection is brand-agnostic. Sure, it will support Android and iOS devices through an app, just like any other camera. It goes further than that, though: If you're using Windows Phone, Symbian or some other mobile OS -- or you just want to pair with your desktop or notebook PC -- the Ricoh GR will allow full remote control of basically every feature plus a live view feed, all in your web browser and without any accessories.

For those of you who like to use a less popular mobile operating system (or who have you choice made for you by your employer), that's undoubtedly the big news, and will let you get your photos on your phone when most-any other camera wouldn't. That's far from the only difference between the GR II and its predecessor, though. While the basic imaging pipeline -- sensor, processor and lens -- are all unchanged from the earlier camera, there are dozens of other changes throughout, beyond the wireless communications upgrade. From support for the wireless flash control system used by Ricoh's Pentax-branded cameras to a more-than-doubling of raw burst depth, the Ricoh GR II looks to extend the life of the design and attract new photographers -- especially Pentaxians -- to Ricoh's pocket-friendly, APS-C sensor-shod enthusiast compact.

Want to know what's new in the GR II, inside and out? Read our Ricoh GR II preview now for the full story! Available from July 2015, the Ricoh GR II is priced at around US$800. If you want one in your hands as soon as possible, you can preorder now from Imaging Resource affiliates and help support our site by shopping at the links below: