Back in 2021, I tried to create a compact anamorphic stills camera with the original Ricoh GR III… to mixed success. Now with the introduction of the Ricoh GR IIIx model with a slightly longer focal length, does this Frankenstein contraption actually work?

SPOILER ALERT: Absolutely.

You can read my previous experimentation in detail here. Whilst the anamorphic look was certainly achieved, a large portion of the sensor was rendered unused due to the heavy vignetting from the incompatible focal length being too wide. I’m happy to report that now with the Ricoh GR IIIx sporting a full-frame equivalent focal length of 40mm, I may have created the world’s smallest APS-C sized anamorphic stills camera!

Note: The contacts on the GA-2 adapter do need to be taped over, to avoid the camera activating the automatic crop mode from 40mm to 50mm on the Ricoh GR IIIx.

Components to build an anamorphic set up with the Ricoh GR IIIx, with the SLR Magic Anamorphot 40, 49-52mm Step Up Ring and Ricoh GA-2 adapter.
Ingredients: Ricoh GR IIIx, GA-2 Adapter, 49-52mm Step Up Ring, SLR Magic Anamorphot-40.
The Ricoh GR IIIx and SLR Magic Anamorphot 40 assembled.
The whole as a sum of its parts… which isn’t that much bigger than the Ricoh GR IIIx with the 1.5x GT-2 Teleconversion lens mod.

FEELING THE SQUEEZE

The SLR Magic Anamorphot series allows you to customise most compatible taking lenses to have a 1.33x squeeze, as well as other anamorphic characteristics such as oval bokeh and blue horizontal streaks:

Image taken at Martin Place with the Ricoh GR IIIx and SLR Magic Anamorphot 40, showing anamorphic squeeze and flares.

Compare the look above with the below shots from the original 28mm Ricoh GR III and the 40mm Ricoh GR IIIx taken from the same position:

Left: Ricoh GR III (28mm) Right: Ricoh GR IIIx (40mm)

The GR IIIx with the Anamarphot 40 captures a similar width to that of the 28mm Ricoh GR III. However, it retains the depth of field and compression of the 40mm lens.

By using Tito Ferradan’s Anamorphic Calculator, we can see that the 40mm (full frame equivalent) lens on the Ricoh GR IIIx produces a horizontal field of view of 30mm.

Shooting stills of a typical 3:2 aspect ratio results in a 2:1 aspect ratio.

Whilst it is calculated to show vignetting with this combination, I found it to be negligible.

APPLYING THE SQUEEZE

To get the correct look in post-production, after shooting with this combination is quite simple, here is the image being desqueezed in Photoshop (editing a variant via Capture One Pro):

Photoshop screenshot showing anamorphic desqueeze workflow
1. Open the anamophic image in your editor of choice.
Photoshop screenshot showing anamorphic desqueeze workflow
2. Using free transform, adjust the height of the image to 75%.
Photoshop screenshot showing anamorphic desqueeze workflow
3. The desqueezed image is now a perfect fit for the 2:1 crop aspect ratio.
Final image result after anamorphic desqueeze and colour grading
4. Apply colour grades or other adjustments as you see fit. Here the image was finished in Capture One Pro.

ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES OF EXTRA GIRTH

Anamorphic image of The Old Clare Hotel sign taken with the Ricoh GR IIIx and SLR Magic Anamorphot 40 combination.
Anamorphic image of Paul Yore's exhibition taken with the Ricoh GR IIIx and SLR Magic Anamorphot 40 combination.
Anamorphic image of Paul Yore's exhibition taken with the Ricoh GR IIIx and SLR Magic Anamorphot 40 combination.
Anamorphic image of Newtown alleyway taken with the Ricoh GR IIIx and SLR Magic Anamorphot 40 combination.
Anamorphic image of Newtown rooftops and wall art taken with the Ricoh GR IIIx and SLR Magic Anamorphot 40 combination.
Close up anamorphic image of flowers taken with the Ricoh GR IIIx and SLR Magic Anamorphot 40 combination.
Anamorphic image of Queen Victoria statue, QVB Sydney taken with the Ricoh GR IIIx and SLR Magic Anamorphot 40 combination.
Anamorphic image of Sydney Town Hall taken with the Ricoh GR IIIx and SLR Magic Anamorphot 40 combination.
Anamorphic image of Sydney Town Hall taken with the Ricoh GR IIIx and SLR Magic Anamorphot 40 combination.
Anamorphic image of the Australian Museum taken with the Ricoh GR IIIx and SLR Magic Anamorphot 40 combination.
Anamorphic image of dinosaurs at Australian Museum taken with the Ricoh GR IIIx and SLR Magic Anamorphot 40 combination.
Anamorphic image of dinosaurs at Australian Museum taken with the Ricoh GR IIIx and SLR Magic Anamorphot 40 combination.

BONUS ROUND

On a recent video portrait shoot, testing the SIGMA 50mm F2 DG DN on my Sony A7 IV (which you can watch here), I also brought along the Ricoh GR IIIx and SLR Magic Anamorphot 40 combo as a compact stills shooter. Mainly so I didn’t have to fumble around with messing with the Sony’s setting between video and photo.

The results are these two frames below, which deliver on the portrait compression of the GR IIIx’s 40mm focal length in addition to some width to the scene, as well as the other optical affects associated with crafting that cinematic anamorphic look… the mild astigmatism and distortion at the edges of the frame.

Anamorphic portrait of Akira Isola, taken with the Ricoh GR IIIx and SLR Magic Anamorphot 40.
Anamorphic portrait of Akira Isola, taken with the Ricoh GR IIIx and SLR Magic Anamorphot 40.

FINAL MUSINGS

I’m delighted to have finally pulled off this combination that’s been two years in the making… now possible with the Ricoh GR IIIx and its 40mm focal length. The testing done here shows that to avoid any significant vignetting, a taking lens of 40mm *(full-frame equivalent) is needed when used with the SLR Magic Anamorphot 40 adapter.

I might also boldly claim that this may be the world’s smallest APSC sensor anamorphic camera! (Please let me know if I am wrong though… I’m always keen to incorporate interesting visual signatures in as small a form factor as possible!) For those who want to have this as an occasional effect and reduce the size of the set-up when the anamorphic look is not suitable, the bridging component Ricoh GA-2 adapter, does come included with a rear lens cap, so the GR IIIx can revert back to its typical compact size in a click.

The Ricoh GR IIIx has slowly been edging its way up the list as being one of my favourite and often reached for cameras, and this particular configuration certainly adds to its versatility… I think next up is some experimentation with the GT-2 teleconverter.