Dear Ricoh: Please Weather Seal the GRIV

I’m writing this article knowing fully well that Ricoh might not take too kindly to it. In fact, brands in general have often not given the Phoblographer a product because they know that they can control YouTubers a whole lot better. I needed to say that — and I will always stick to it. With that out in the air, I’m going to say what I think so many people need to be saying about the upcoming Ricoh GRIV. Ricoh: you need to weather seal the damn camera already. It’s nice that you’re giving it sensor dust protection. But that’s an acknowledgement that you have an issue. I believe in making wounds heal rather than constantly putting bandages on them. And this feels like a bandage instead.

And now, I’m going to switch my direction of this article to the readers. The Ricoh GR series’ biggest problem is the lack of weather resistance. This IS INSANELY MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK.

No, it’s not just about taking the camera out into the rain. It’s about the long-term durability. Cameras like this are literally the reason why I created the Photography Care Program. Weather sealing (which is actually, properly, weather resistance) has more to do with the other meaning of the word “weather.”

When one talks about the weather, they’re referring to how NYC has looked like London for the past week when you go outside. But the other meaning of the word “weather” has to do with a product breaking down over time. Weather resistance specifically deals with making the product not break down as much. That’s why IP durability ratings test for dust and moisture resistance.

Dust is a big one, of course, that’s why the camera will have an anti-dust function of some sort. But when you make a product that’s weather resistant, it’s more likely to last longer. And why can’t we have Ricoh cameras that last longer? Most importantly, why isn’t the Ricoh GRIV resistant?

Here’s the bigger question though: what’s the point of upgrading the camera? You’re getting a similar sensor.

Can Ricoh really impress us? Or will Ricoh’s cults sit there and just defend their camera brand and the camera?

Don’t get me wrong, we’ve interviewed tons of photographers who use the Ricoh Gr series of cameras to make great images. But a lot of this seems to be mostly the same camera except for the lens, the sensor, and the new internal memory.

Ricoh Fans: don’t think that I’m picking on Ricoh. There’s no way that a journalist can pick on a billion dollar company. Instead, join me in asking Ricoh to make a better product that lasts.