I’ve been pondering a while about a smaller camera that I can take where I wouldn’t bring my current R5. I’ve been looking at the Fuji XT50 or the XM5, but there’s certainly models I missed. I basically want a camera that’s a better smartphone with RAW capabilities and a nice selection of not so expensive small/pancake lenses. I don’t know if an R10 would make the most sense, but the current RF lenses I have are rather big-ish.
Ricoh GR III. Pick the 28mm or 40mm. It fits in your jeans pocket. Great lens, 24mpx.
I did the same song and dance, thought I needed interchangeable lenses… But I didn’t and they make the camera too big to be a “grab on the go”
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The R7 is better than the R10 if you go that way. The R7 would also make the most of your telephoto lens due the crop sensor. It would beautifully compliment the R5 which makes the most of your wide angle lenses. But I don’t regard the R7 as all that small. I personally use a Canon G16 as my small camera.
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I’ve been happy with the Sony RX100 mark 4 and mark 1 in the context of the quote they would work but the current available models are expensive.
I would go for a Mark 5 but I’ve not used it and some people worry about the absence of back button focus which I would but maybe not if I try it
They really do seem good if you go for the famous Susan Sontag idea of ‘photography being the only naturally surrealistic medium’ that is they allow fast, spontaneous intuitive work and the small format is quite forgiving with its large depth of field; you can tell I’ve been mixing in fine arts circles for too long
it does seem essential to answer this from experience so if somebody recommends the Ricoh that way it would be hard beat having good dynamic range etc from APSC
The advantage of the one inch square is that it really forces you to master the post processing
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I miss my Canon M5, but stopped holding my breath waiting for a M5 Mark II 
As my R5 is too heavy and bulky for hiking trips I have bought a R10 as a second camera. It’s a bit larger than the M5, but size is still OK and it’s lightweight. The old M lenses have been adapted to the RF mount (e.g. RF-S 18-150mm and RF-S 10-18mm) . They are small and light.
With the RF 28mm F2.8 pancake it’s also a nice combination for street photography. The new Sigma RF-S lenses seem to be nice, too.
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I have a Ricoh GR III and a Fuji X-M5. Right now, it’s Winter where I live. Both of them fit in large coat pockets (with a small lens). But in summer, there will be no convenient way of carrying the X-M5, while the GR will still fit in pants pockets, or be light enough for cargo shorts.
That being said, the X-M5 with the old 35 f/1.4 is an extremely fun combination. That wide aperture and relatively long lens make it a very different experience than the 18 f/2.8 of the GR III. I much prefer the X-M5 over my X-T5 when I’m commuting, as it’s smaller and lighter.
I also have the smaller Fuji 27 f/2.8 and 18 f/2 lenses. But instead of the 18, the GR is the better deal. The size difference is still significant. And the 27 is a bit dim without IBIS (a GR IIIx would be the ideal replacement, but I don’t have one).
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I treated myself with a Ricoh GR III 28mm. Let’s see 
Thanks for the recommendations!
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Really enjoying it so far! Thanks again!
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Awesome! I love mine, it goes pretty much everywhere with me.
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Same so far. Even did some test shots on my latest portrait session and the images turned out really nice. Currently setting up a dedicated account on my pixelfed instance to share pictures
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I’ve been reading praise for the Ricoh GR III for quite some time now, but never really looked at the camera’s specs until now. They really pack a lot into a pretty tiny package.
I see that it has no built-in viewfinder, but there are a couple of accessory external viewfinders available. Anyone tried these? Like 'em? I have a strong preference to a viewfinder over an LCD screen.
Yes its great. The lens is sharp and contrasty it renders really nicely. Its 24 mpix, that’s nice too. It really fits in your pocket.
I honestly thought it would be a huge problem for me as well (as well as wanting interchangeable lenses), and I spent money on an X-T20 and an X-T3, both of which are nice cameras, but even with the most pancake fuji lens are not pocket-able. Eventually I bit the bullet and just got the GR III. I thought I’d end up with a view finder (or one of those top down screens I just saw), but it turns out I could already use it just fine, since I use the camera on my phone, I just didn’t know. In the interest of minimalism I haven’t bought the view finder or anything else for it really, aside from a charger and extra batteries. Oh and the seemingly never ending quest for the right soft case.
Now when I use it I think omg I have this great and very unserious looking (but still serious) camera in my pocket.
It doesn’t garner more attention than a smart phone (especially now that digital p&s cameras are hip with the kids), which I also appreciate.
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I’ve briefly tried a very cheap, very bad optical viewfinder on my GR III. It does work. But it feels awkward to hold; the grip is too small for holding in your face, and there’s no good place for your left hand.
Conversely, the 18mm wide angle is something you quickly get used to, and learn to aim blindly. Even in glaring sunlight, the screen usually shows enough detail to at least roughly compose. I will say that shooting at low angles is awkward, though. If I had the choice, I’d vote for a flip-out screen long before an EVF.
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Totally agree. At some point you just know how to line it and get what you want.
You just gotta get on the ground! 
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I came here to say thank you again, the GRIII really changed the way I do photography. Having this high end always with me camera with nice image quality and the macro mode is just so awesome!
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Yes! Welcome to the club 
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Reading this thread :
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I started a similar thread a couple of years ago before we went on a long trip to Spain. I was looking for a much smaller and lighter alternative to my Nikon D7200 and lenses. I still love this camera and use it mostly for landscape and nature photography. However, it is heavy and bulky, especially for travelers like me and my wife who love to walk a lot to explore. When we travel overseas I scrutinize every ounce;I have learned the value of going light through much experience.
Anyway, to make a long story short, I ended up buying a Nikon Z50 with the pancake zoom. I love the camera because it is so light and unobtrusive compared to the 7200, yet it gives me the same dSLR feel with a very good grip and build quality with plenty of control and customization (plus a very nice articulating screen). I used only the kit/pancake zoom. It is a very small, light, and cheap lens, yet it has very good image quality. I ended up shooting around 6000+ frames in Spain and very few of them would have been better on the 7200. At around 1000$, I am very happy with the purchase.
I don’t know whether Ken Rockwell is anathema around here, but he did a very good video review of the camera a few years ago on his YouTube channel.
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Why would he be? I actually like his no-nonsense, practical approach to photography very much.
7 posts were split to a new topic: Ken Rockwell is Men Rockwell