Ricoh GR review – Noise, resolution and sensitivity
These images show 72ppi (100% on a computer screen) sections of images of a resolution chart, captured using the 18.3mm lens set to f/5.6 . We show the section of the resolution chart where the camera starts to fail to reproduce the lines separately. The higher the number visible in these images, the better the camera’s detail resolution is at the specified sensitivity setting.
With no anti-aliasing filter, the Ricoh GR is capable of resolving up to almost 32 on our resolution test chart. In fact, only a few strange artefacts, and a slight hint of moiré patterning, prevent the GR resolving the entire test chart. The level of detail is impressive for a 16-million-pixel sensor, and when shooting real scenes details appeared slightly sharper and more defined compared to a 16-million-pixel, APS-C-sized sensor that does have an anti-aliasing filter.
Luminance noise starts to become noticeable at around ISO 800. It gets progressively worse as the sensitivity increases, but even at ISO 3200 images are still usable. Luminance noise reduction is by default set to quite a reasonable level, with little blurring or smudging of detail.
When editing the DNG raw images in Adobe Camera Raw, it is easy to remove colour noise almost completely, with little loss of image detail. There is a slight loss of colour saturation, but this is easily adjusted. Luminance noise removal is obviously more difficult to remove without losing detail, but a slight nudge of the slider to around 5 just takes the edge off of the noise without really compromising the image.
Overall, images are very detailed at low sensitivity settings and seem to match the competition. However, the usual caveat about avoiding high sensitivities should be applied to images shot above ISO 3200.
Image: With no anti-aliasing filter, the Ricoh GR resolves fien details, with very little sharpening needed for raw images
