According to Ricoh Imaging, the popular Ricoh GR III and Ricoh GR IIIx tiny cameras’ most recent firmware updates have a problem. Photographers can no longer download the most recent updates, even though they are still available on Ricoh’s support page.

Last week Ricoh released firmware 1.80 for the GR III and 1.30 for the GR IIIx. Following its public release, Ricoh Imaging discovered a problem with the firmware updates that affects the camera’s new customizable setting functionality and prevents customers from downloading the software.

The problem is with a new feature that lets customers choose which 22 settings, including ISO sensitivity and exposure correction, their GR III will remember (or forget) when it is turned on again. A certain configuration will be remembered after power cycling if a particular box is checked. Likewise, if a box is left unchecked, the camera’s power-off reset will apply to that setting.

The problem with the firmware update is that any settings left unchecked in the new function memory menu would set all user modes, including U1, U2, and U3, to default values instead of just the mode the photographer was using. The functionality is not meant to function in all of a photographer’s customized user settings, but only in certain circumstances. For example, if the user unchecked a box, it would change that setting in all user modes, which may significantly annoy users who frequently utilize user modes.

Ricoh Imaging urges users to leave all of the checkboxes selected in the [Customize Setting] — [Memory] menu until a new firmware update is accessible if they have already installed the most recent firmware upgrades. A new firmware update is being developed for the GR III and GR IIIx and should be available soon.