I’ve read a few reports about dust finding its way to the Ricoh GR III’s sensor. Better be safe than sorry. Here’s how I’m protecting my little GR III to keep its sensor clean.
Just using a lens cap won’t do it against dust
At first, I opted for a lens cap to at least get a bit of protection when carrying my camera in my small bag. It protects when not in use but you have to, obviously, remove it to take shots. Pretty weak and limited… So, I opted for a more solid and 24/7 protection to put my mind at ease.
The optimal dust protection
The best and most reliable solution I’ve found for protecting my GR III against dust is the GA-1 lens adapter. It was released to be used with the GW-4 wide conversion lens and it’s sold for around $40. The GA-1 is compatible with 49mm filters. I just had to add a UV filter and voilà: the sensor is effectively protected from dust, lint, dirt, you name it! Note: for the GR IIIx you may want to use the GA-2 adapter. To protect your filter from scratches use a 51mm lens cap.
The GA-1 adapter is great
The only drawback of using the GA-1 adapter and a filter is the bulk. Don’t expect to carry the GR III in your jeans pocket with the GA-1. You’ll lose on pocketability. But for me, it was worth it. I can get out my camera in dirty environments without any worries. I used my little Ricoh in places with lots of dust and had zero problems. The cherry on top: I’ve gained access to filters. Using different kinds of filters is really fun and you can screw them on top of each other for creative effects.
How to clean up your sensor
If you end up with dirt on your sensor, you can perform a dust removal program. Open the menu, go to the Setup tab, and select Dust Removal. If it isn’t enough, you can contact a camera shop near you, they may propose sensor cleaning services.
Don’t worry, focus on photography
Using the GA-1 adapter with a filter makes the GR III bulkier. But it’s probably the most reliable dust protection solution we, GR users, have at our disposal. If like me you’re worried about getting your sensor dirty, it would put your mind at ease. And you could focus on what matters: photography!
If you like what I do, let’s stay in touch. 🙂
