RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. is pleased to announce the launch of the RICOH GR IIIx Urban Edition Special Limited Kit. Available in the limited quantity of just 2,000 units worldwide, this special package features the RICOH GR IIIx high-end digital compact camera, which has been treated with a metallic gray finish and accentuated by a navy-blue ring encircling the lens barrel. It also includes exclusive, specially designed accessories: a genuine-leather hand strap and a metallic hot shoe cover.

The RICOH GR IIIx Urban Edition (a camera body only, without the genuine-leather hand strap and the metallic hot shoe cover) is also scheduled to be launched in the summer of 2022.

Main features of the RICOH GR IIIx Urban Edition Special Limited Kit
• The camera body is accentuated by an eye-catching navy-blue ring that encircles the lens barrel -- a representation of deep blue skies reflected on a pool after the rain, or the neon signs of a never-sleeping city and their reflections. The camera body is treated with a metallic gray finish, reflective of a street photographer engrossed in photography in the middle of the gritty city. This unique exterior finish was made possible by the application of a series of intricate coating processes, and creates a distinctive appearance and smooth texture while also helping improve camera hold for greater operability.
• A specially designed, genuine-leather hand strap is included as an exclusive accessory of this limited-edition package. It is accentuated by a navy-blue stripe identical in color with the ring around the lens barrel, creating a sense of unity with the camera body.
•The camera features Snap Distance Priority mode* as a new exposure setting. Once the preferred distance for snapshots and the desired depth of field (DOF) are set in advance, the camera lets the user recall these settings instantly and with ease. The DOF3 setting is programmed to select the aperture (F number) providing the depth of field used in pan-focus photography, making it particularly handy for quick snapshot photography.
•The camera features a new focus mode: Auto Area AF (Center).* Instead of covering the entire image field, this mode operates only in nine focus zones around the center of the image field, preventing the camera from focusing on unintended elements, such as the ground in the foreground.
•The camera also provides other new functions: the Enable AF mode has been added to the shutter-button settings. When the shutter-release button is depressed halfway down, the user can lock the AF system only, without locking the AE system; a distance setting of 3.5 meters has been added to the Snapshot mode; and a long press on the monitor during playback allows the user to instantly recall the playback function selection menu.

* These functions will be available for the standard GR IIIx model with the installation of function expansion firmware (to be released following this package's launch).

•The package includes a specially designed black metallic hot shoe cover.
•When the camera's power is turned off, the camera displays an original shut-down screen feautring the original product logo and a street-view image symbolizing the package's urban-oriented concept.

Note: The camera's other specifications are identical with those of the standard GR IIIx model.