October 31, 2026Firmware update · Half frame 1.0

Half frame on your GR: two portrait shots, one photo

A user asked whether the GR could shoot half frame. We nearly answered: turn the camera 90 degrees, take two portrait shots and join them later. Then more hands went up, so here it is. Half frame adds a composite mode to the stock multi-exposure: take two shots in the portrait frame in the middle, and the camera joins them into one 3:2 photo with a black line between.

Half frame sample: a Tokyo alley with red lanterns on the left, a narrow street and crossing at night on the right, a black line between — Sample: two photos joined the way the camera does it, centre crops side by side (photos: Denys Nevozhai, Andre Benz / Unsplash).

How it shoots

Live view dims both sides and leaves a portrait frame in the middle: that is what the shot uses.
After the first shot choose Next shot; it goes on the left. The second shot goes on the right.
After the second shot the menu offers only Finish / Retake; choose Finish to save one photo.
While you take the second shot, live view shows no ghost of the first.

Live view illustration: a photo of a wooden pier with both sides dimmed and a white line on each side of the portrait frame in the middle — Illustration: compose in the portrait frame (photo: Erik Gazi / Unsplash).

Turning it on in the camera

Set the aspect ratio to 3:2.
Press the right key of the four-way controller (drive) and choose Multi-exposure.
Press Fn to open the multi-exposure settings, set Composite Mode to Half Frame and press OK.

Camera menu illustration: 1 press the right key (drive) and choose Multi-exposure; 2 press Fn for its settings; 3 choose Half Frame in Composite Mode and press OK — Illustration, not a camera screenshot.

Two more

Half frame sample: a wooden pier reaching into a blue sea on the left, grass on a sandy beach on the right

Half frame sample: coffee and bread on a window sill on the left, a counter with flowers in a shop on the right — Photos: Erik Gazi, Hilthart Pedersen, Brendan Sapp, Olya P / Unsplash.

Getting started

Open the firmware store and tick Half frame; it uses the More aspect ratios module, which is added with it. GRLife Pro is not needed.
Generate a new firmware and install it as before.
Follow the three steps above and choose Half Frame in multi-exposure.

Also fixed (Nine ADJ settings 1.4)

With Light leak assigned to ADJ settings 1 to 5, a camera flashed back to the stock firmware read a function it does not know. It is now kept aside like the film and grain, and the stock settings show off. Takes effect after you generate and install a new firmware.

Good to know

Use it at 3:2; each shot gives the portrait crop from the centre of the frame.
Supports GR IIIx 1.60 / 1.70 and GR III 2.10 / 2.20; confirmed on a GR IIIx with 1.70. Not yet tested on a GR III.
At power-off the settings file stores Average, so after flashing back to the stock firmware the composite mode is Average.
This is not an official Ricoh tool. Installing unofficial firmware carries risk: keep the stock firmware so you can go back.

Open the firmware store

Full release notes

This post was first sent by email to GRLife users. To get the next one, sign in and turn on email notifications in Account settings.

Firmware updates