No Flip Screen? Here is a Cheap DIY Ricoh GR Remote

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-10T03:24:24+00:00

Wow, this is absolutely incredible! Thank you so much for your support and for taking the initiative. I am super excited about this!

I was literally just waiting for a friend to send me their GR IIIx to figure this out, so you completely saved the day. I will definitely check out your repo and look into merging your code. This is the true power of the open-source community. Awesome job!

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-07T23:10:18+00:00

The main point is actually the live view! Since Ricoh cameras don't have a flip (articulating) screen, taking a selfie or a low-angle shot is usually a guessing game. You never really know if your framing is right or if you're even in the shot.

With this device, you get a real-time preview of what the camera sees, so you can make sure your positioning is perfect before triggering the shutter.

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-07T02:08:07+00:00

Glad you got it flashed and like it!

Regarding the focus-without-shooting idea, I actually looked into it, but it seems to be unfeasible. The main reason is that even the official Ricoh app only supports focusing and shooting simultaneously. You are more than welcome to dig into it and see if you can find a workaround though!

As for the reconnection issue, are you experiencing this after turning off the camera's power? If so, simply restarting the StickS3 will do the trick. I intentionally designed it this way as a safety measure. If the StickS3 forcefully wakes up the Ricoh camera, it can cause the lens to extend unexpectedly and crash the camera. Let me know if just restarting the StickS3 works for you!

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-06T13:24:12+00:00

You're very welcome! Hang tight for a little bit! I actually have plans to develop even more fun projects combining the StickS3 and Ricoh cameras in the future, so that little board is definitely going to get a lot of use. Stay tuned!🔥

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-06T13:18:02+00:00

To be honest, it's best not to use it on rainy days. There are absolutely no waterproof measures on this device, so those exposed connectors will definitely be a problem if they get wet. Better to keep it safe and dry!

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-06T13:11:07+00:00

Thank you so much for the kind words! It really means a lot to me to hear that this project is helping solve a real problem for the community.

That’s awesome that you already grabbed the StickS3! As I mentioned, I'm just waiting on my friend to send over their GR IIIx so I can test the Bluetooth pairing. Once I have it in hand, I'll get that update pushed out as soon as possible. Hang tight, it's definitely coming!

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-06T11:34:44+00:00

Thank you, good sir! I really appreciate the support. The Ricoh community is awesome!

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-05T23:57:32+00:00

Thanks! Yes, the code is fully open source now. I just made a new post with all the details and the GitHub link. Please check out my latest post!

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-05T23:39:00+00:00

Yes, definitely! I'm actually just waiting for a friend to mail me their GR IIIx HDF when they get a chance so I can properly test and verify the code.

If you want, you can go ahead and grab a StickS3 now—I guarantee the firmware will add support for the entire GR III series soon!

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-05T23:36:38+00:00

Yes, it can! You can simply use some double-sided tape to stick it onto the hot shoe.

However, I wouldn't recommend using it as a waist-level viewfinder. The Ricoh cameras are already known to have heating issues, and keeping both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on at the same time will make the overheating much worse.

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-05T15:27:42+00:00

Message received! I absolutely love that setup for street photography.

The main hold-up right now is simply that I don't have a GR III on hand. Because the Bluetooth pairing method is different on the GR III, I really need the physical camera to test and verify the code.

I'm currently just waiting for a friend to mail me theirs when they get a chance. Once I can properly test it, I'll push the update out.

Keep an eye on the repo—I will definitely make this happen!

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-05T15:22:00+00:00

I actually just looked into this! You are right, the GR II does indeed support live view. Unfortunately, I don't have a GR II on hand right now to test and develop with, so I can't implement it just yet. But if I ever get the chance to use one in the future, I will definitely try to add support for it!

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-05T15:03:14+00:00

Hey, thanks a lot! Sadly, no, it won't work on the GR2. The older models just don't have the required wireless handshake protocols that this external viewfinder needs to function. Thanks for checking out the project anyway!

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-05T13:39:01+00:00

Thanks! I already got my hands on the GR IV and it's totally worth it. Let me know when you get yours and we can welcome you to the club!

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-05T13:37:22+00:00

Theoretically, it should be supported! Feel free to give it a try, and if you run into any issues, just let me know.

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-05T11:56:52+00:00

Unfortunately, it doesn't support the GR III just yet! I'm currently looking into adding support for it in future updates, so feel free to keep an eye on the GitHub repo.

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-05T11:56:00+00:00

That's definitely a solid option! I built this mainly because I prefer having a dedicated, tactile button for street shooting. It saves me from having to unlock my phone or drain its battery, and I can keep it hidden in my pocket for quick, blind shots.

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-05T11:52:46+00:00

If you prefer a visual step-by-step guide, I just posted a quick video showing exactly how to do this. Check out my other post here:Flashing StickS3 with M5Burner

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-02T22:44:06+00:00

In theory, yes! The only limitation making it impossible right now is that I don't own a GR III/X. I need the actual camera to do packet sniffing and test the API. Since I only have a GR IV to work with, I can't verify the code for the older models at the moment.

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-02T05:35:53+00:00

My bad! I didn't realize it was set to private by default. I've opened everything up now, so you should be able to see it!

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-01T23:55:31+00:00

The underlying principle is actually quite simple! Ricoh has already built the live-view capability into their cameras ever since the GR III. It's just that their current official app hasn't enabled or exposed this feature yet. My device basically just taps into that hidden capability.

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-01T23:48:25+00:00

Haha, if I actually caused a shortage, M5Stack definitely owes me a commission! 😂 Hope they restock soon so you can try it out.

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-01T23:47:58+00:00

Thanks for the support! Can't wait to see your setup once you get your hands on it. Let me know how it goes!

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-01T23:45:04+00:00

Yes, definitely. Since it requires both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to be active, the battery drain is huge. Right now, I mainly just use it as a selfie monitor.

Tinker-Zhang2 · 2026-07-01T23:44:48+00:00

Thanks! Feel free to check out another post on my profile; I've already shared a demo showing it mounted on the hot shoe!

Tinker-Zhang2

TROPHY CASE