Ricoh just announced two new models in their popular GR lineup of streetwise cameras. The new GR III HDF and GR IIIx HDF compacts feature a Highlight Diffusion Filter shooting mode that diffuses highlights, adding a softened halo effect to point sources of light and an overall soft blur to the edges of other highlight areas.

Other Enhancements Include
1. Users can pre-program up to three White Balance settings as the base WB. (This function can be added to original GR III and GR IIIx camera via a firmware update that will be released simultaneous with the availability of the new models.)  It’s also possible to couple the base White Balance with the White-Balance Fine Adjustment function.

2. The new models feature Zone Select AF which automatically sets the focus at the most appropriate point within the image area after the user shifts the 3X3 focus area to the desired zone.

3. The color of the shutter-release button has been changed to dark silver to differentiate the HDF models from other GR series models. The default setting of the Fn (Function) button has also been changed to control HDF activation.

All Ricoh GR III and GR IIIx models, including the new HDF versions, have similar specifications except for their lenses. The Ricoh GR III has a 28mm f/2.8 lens (full-frame equivalent) while the GR IIIx features a 40mm f/2.8. Both have 24.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensors and a pocketsize form factor.

Ricoh stated that the HDF feature was born of their “… advanced inkjet technology cultivated over the years…” and that the HDF effect makes “…it possible to produce images resembling those captured in film photography or vintage movies.”

The HDF effect can be turn on and off by a single press of the Fn (Function) button. However, the ND (Neutral Density) filter is no longer available on the RICOH GR III HDF or GR IIIx HDF.

Pricing & Availability
The Ricoh GR III HDF and Ricoh GR IIIx HDF will be available in April at the MSRPs of $1,069.95 and $1,149.95 respectively. The new models can be ordered directly from Ricoh or purchased from  Ricoh Imaging Authorized Retailers. Click here to find a Ricoh Dealer in your area.

To review and buy other Ricoh products, including printers, portable monitors, scanners and projectors, visit the Ricoh Store on Amazon.

∞ Shutterbug Staff

(As an Amazon Associate, Shutterbug earns from qualifying purchases linked in this story.)

Sooner or later in the evolution of every photographer, a time will come when creating personal style becomes a top priority. After all, we all want our images to be readily recognizable so they grab attention by standing out from the crowd.

Perhaps the best way to facilitate this process is by creating custom presets that reflect your creative vision. It’s not only easy to do, but you can make as many presets as you need to accelerate the editing process for the types of images you shoot most. Then you can instantly apply one of these timesaving presets to any image you capture.

You may be wondering why you should undertake this task since your editing software already includes a wide array of built-in presets. Or maybe you’d rather purchase an occasional preset online when something unusual strikes your fancy. Well, there are a few good reasons.

First, the presets built into Photoshop and other image editors are used by everyone else, so they’re not really going to imbue your images with a unique look. In fact many of these aren’t so great and yield gimmicky results. And why would you spend money purchasing presets from someone else, when it’s so easy to create your own?

Instructor Gary McIntyre kicks off today’s tutorial by saying this: “The new addition to Photoshop for creating your own presets is built upon the Adjustment Layers where you can add as many of these layers as you want. This handy new feature can save a lot of time in your editing if you have a preferred style or want to achieve a certain effect throughout a series of images.”

McIntyre’s approach to this two-minute episode is quite interesting as he explains how all this works. He pulls up an environmental portrait with the goal of giving the image a vintage look. He does this by modifying Hue/Saturation, Color Balance, and a few other characteristics until he achieves the exact look that he had in mind. And you’ll learn how to achieve these simple enhancements.

Then when the edit is complete, you’ll see how easy it is to create and save a preset of the adjustments he made, so duplicating this particular effect is a simple one-click operation.

We’re not suggesting that you simply copy this particular preset (although you certainly can), but rather that you follow McIntyre’s instructions to create personal presets of your own that you can use over and over again to reflect the style(s) you like most.

Be sure to visit McIntyre’s very popular YouTube channel where you’ll find a wide variety of straightforward techniques  like this one.

And don’t miss the tutorial we posted recently from another image-editing expert who explains why and how you should hide Photoshop’s home screen until you really need it. As he says, “In most cases it just gets in the way.”