Dust on sensor Ricoh GR III

[mgm2]

Groan, I don't think anyone ever suggested the GR series was environmentally sealed.

 

[sae1lin2aug3]

Mentinoed this in my other thread, but thought I should just start a new thread. Any suggestions, appreciated.

Sad to say that I now have a dust spot on my Ricoh GR III. I was not shooting at blue sky at f/16. I was shooting macro of an orchid with less depth of field and noticed the spot.

The dust removal function did not remove the spot.

Anyone else having similar issues? Any fixes? Should I attempt the vacuum method?

I'm reluctant to return as I love the camera already.

When I power on and power down I place my hand over the lens.

Never had a dust issue with dust with the GR 1 and GR 11.

--
"Think Different." S. J.

 

[Gary Martin]

Another thing that happened on this same day was I lost the lens ring... like everyone else has. Ugh!

I lost the lens rings on my GRII and my GRIII! I've thought about getting a replacement ring but I know I will just lose it again. On the plus side, my 3-year old GRII and my GRIII are still free of sensor dust, so I'll take that trade-off. The IQ produced from these little beasts is more than worth it to me.

 

[jikatu]

This is my third GR I own. I take extra care specially with the GR III, but unfortunately I have dust on the sensor on my photo number 780 already!

See photo and I've used f / 7.1 (5.0 will also show it)! I checked past photos and do not show dust, so it didn't come from the factory.

I did not expose the GR III to any extreme condition at all, on the contrary!

Anyone knows the steps I have to do to have it cleaned? Of course I tried the in-built dust cleaning function many many times in many many camera positions with no avail.

Is this issue covered by the warranty? (I cannot return it as I bought it back on Feb 2019). Was anyone serviced by Ricoh on this already?

I have opened and cleaned the sensor myself on my GR II in the past but after years of use and I don't think it is fair to have to open a new GR III after just a few hundred photos taken (besides, I didn't find any video on youtube showing how to do it).

Thanks in advance!

 

[herbalserpent]

I’ve been tempted to buy GR but until they make one with non retractable lens, or at least have an option to leave the lens extended when turned off, I am staying away from it.

 

[racingbird]

i can probably guess... poor quality control and lousy build? the release of the GR3 was not promising, no support for IOS, very poor autofocus, abysmal battery, clunking IBIS, and most likely a poorly sealed body with voids allowing dust in. thats my guess

 

[racingbird]

that should not have to be an option to reduce dust in on a premium $900 point and shoot.

get an XE3 with a 27 pancake when it gets a dust spot take the lens off and clean the sensor my .02

 

[Verto]

There is nothing you can do to fix it. Either return it, or have it served by Ricoh. Unfortunately the GR III lens design is terrible when it comes to keep out dust. I had the camera for 1 week and returned it as I already saw dust in the lens. In my case it didn’t show up in pictures, but it was only a week, imagine in 1 year as more dust accumulates inside. The gaps around the lens are huge and I personally can’t accept their excuse that the camera wouldn’t be this small if they made of a sealed system. I’m not expecting a weather sealed body, but for $1,000 this camera is flawed in its design. I also don’t think users would mind if the camera was a little bit bigger but made better.

 

[VictorTrasvina]

You mean like the $1,300 X100F

I've had every single model since the first X100 and never ever had sensor dust issues, (unlike every GR I ever owned) In the optical viewfinder? Yes but never in the sensor, but it would still be a very, very lame excuse even if it was true, especially from day one on a camera no one ever shoots wide open....

 

[breth]

I’m not expecting a weather sealed body, but for $1,000 this camera is flawed in its design. I also don’t think users would mind if the camera was a little bit bigger but made better.

Completely agree, and I have been saying this for years : please give us a dustproof/well sealed (not necessarily completely waterproof) GR or GR-like camera with large sensor, pocketability and a fixed prime lens. But nobody is listening, not only at Ricoh. Or they're listening and the numbers supposedly don't add up.

 

[123wait]

Hi folks, this is the OP. This old thread keeps getting recommendations and updates.

I chimed in 7 months ago (when I was having the issue) with an update. Re-posting my old post:

"Just wanted to provide an update that I'm enjoying my second GR III. Really love this camera.

And want to give a shout out to the online store Focus Camera for providing excellent customer service. They were very helpful with my return and refund."

I'm still happily using my 2nd GR III. No problems. Great photos. Cheers.

 

[VictorTrasvina]

Hi folks, this is the OP. This old thread keeps getting recommendations and updates.

I chimed in 7 months ago (when I was having the issue) with an update. Re-posting my old post:

"Just wanted to provide an update that I'm enjoying my second GR III. Really love this camera.

And want to give a shout out to the online store Focus Camera for providing excellent customer service. They were very helpful with my return and refund."

I'm still happily using my 2nd GR III. No problems. Great photos. Cheers

Thats definitely good news, sadly I gave up on mine and went back to the II since dust was pretty much the one and only reason to upgrade for me, perhaps I should try again

 

[Ixoye]

They would have made the lens removable for cleaning the sensor, it is not possible to avoid dust entering the camera body.

 

[johnami]

I’m not expecting a weather sealed body, but for $1,000 this camera is flawed in its design. I also don’t think users would mind if the camera was a little bit bigger but made better.

Completely agree, and I have been saying this for years : please give us a dustproof/well sealed (not necessarily completely waterproof) GR or GR-like camera with large sensor, pocketability and a fixed prime lens. But nobody is listening, not only at Ricoh. Or they're listening and the numbers supposedly don't add up.

I would love to own a GR 3 camera. But having had dust spots on Fuji and Sony cameras with retractable lenses, I just don't want to take the risk. Dust will always get in because it is a pocket camera. And once you get a dot on the sensor, it's like having a fly in your soup, except you can't remove the fly...

I did buy a GR2 for my son, but it was no where near the 900 euros asking price for the 3.

If there is one advantage of film over digital it's the dust issue.

Ricoh are well aware of this.......but..........?

 

[dandyhorse]

Greetings all,

I know there has been mixed opinions to whether or not the GRIII has serious dust issues (from use not as a manufacturing flaw). Let's be real and honest with ourselves: IT DOES. As a new to the GR user who purchased the camera in May, I can say that by November the GR III is plagued with extensive sensor dust, the most I've seen in such a short period of time on any digital camera I've used in the last 15 years. And nearly all those cameras had some sort of ultrasonic dust cleaning, which anyone who knows from experience has limited effectiveness (its not a magic panacea!). Unfortunately, all the others were ILC's and easily cleaned. Now I am grappling with a DIY disassembly or a $$$ Ricoh factory sensor clean. Not cool.

Given the light use I've subjected the camera to in reasonable environments one would expect a $900 camera to perform in (streets and landscape work, with the excellent wide angle adapter attached a fair bit too), I can't imagine anyone who actually uses this camera in real environments--outside, anywhere-- wouldn't suffer debilitating sensor dust sooner rather than later.

I echo those who strongly strongly question whether or not this camera is worth it despite the stunning IQ (it's breathtaking at times) when the camera is new /clean (which is becoming laughable because of all the dust present at f5.6 and above). Sad that the design of this wonderfully compact camera has such a gaping flaw (pardon the pun) or it would otherwise be a holy grail for anyone who is serious about photography and a deal IMHO, at that, as it is a pleasure to use.

-Nick from San Francisco

 

[breth]

Sad that the design of this wonderfully compact camera has such a gaping flaw (pardon the pun) or it would otherwise be a holy grail for anyone who is serious about photography and a deal IMHO, at that, as it is a pleasure to use.

Well said, and I agree.

As I've said before : please, some camera company, give us a dustproof GR-like camera. We'd love that it would be a Ricoh, because they seem to have got everything else so perfect.

At least let's have someone from Ricoh give us a serious explanation why this is not going to happen, so we can finally stop deluding ourselves that the "next" GR rendition will have addressed this matter.

 

[Ixoye]

It's not difficult to make the lens removable, it's the only way to solve the problem.

 

[one blind eye]

I’m interested in the camera for travel. I would be carrying the camera naked. In my jacket or pocket.

How do you remove the lens? Is it a twist off or screw off?

And do you use a can of compressed air to remove the dust, or do you recommend using a vacuum cleaner to suck out the dust from lens/body?

OTOH, how much does it cost to get the dust removed by Ricoh? And how long is the turnaround time?

Many thanks,

OBE

 

[Ixoye]

I’m interested in the camera for travel. I would be carrying the camera naked. In my jacket or pocket.

How do you remove the lens? Is it a twist off or screw off?

And do you use a can of compressed air to remove the dust, or do you recommend using a vacuum cleaner to suck out the dust from lens/body?

OTOH, how much does it cost to get the dust removed by Ricoh? And how long is the turnaround time?

Many thanks,

OBE

You can't remove the lens, that is the main problem, I wish they had made it possible.

 

[SoCalDawg]

I’m interested in the camera for travel. I would be carrying the camera naked. In my jacket or pocket.

How do you remove the lens? Is it a twist off or screw off?

And do you use a can of compressed air to remove the dust, or do you recommend using a vacuum cleaner to suck out the dust from lens/body?

OTOH, how much does it cost to get the dust removed by Ricoh? And how long is the turnaround time?

Many thanks,

OBE

You can't remove the lens, that is the main problem, I wish they had made it possible.

Have followed this thread, and this camera, for a while. I would love to own the Ricoh GR III but agree that the dust issue combined with no access to clean it is a deal breaker. For now will stick with my X-E2/27mm combo for light carry. At least with my combo I can clean it. It isn’t as small as the Ricoh but spots drive me nuts.