Custom firmwareColour and look
HDR photos
Each JPEG carries an HDR gain map, so highlights look brighter and more detailed on HDR screens.
- Ultra HDR standard, shown on phones and computers
- Brightens highlights only; film colours stay
- Switch it on or off any time in the camera menu
After flashing, switch it on on the Features page of GRLife Pro in the camera.
What it does
- Each JPEG carries an HDR gain map (Ultra HDR / ISO 21496-1)
- On HDR screens such as iPhone, Mac, Android 14 or later and Chrome, highlights like lights, sky and screens look brighter and more detailed
- Ordinary screens and apps without HDR support show the photo as before
- It makes HDR screens show the highlights brighter; it does not darken highlights or lift shadows, and areas already blown out with no detail at capture are not recovered
- With HDR on, instant playback right after a shot is a little slower than usual, because the camera first has to create the HDR gain map
How to use it in the camera
- Switch it on on the Features page of GRLife Pro.
- Then set MENU › Image Process Settings › D-Range Correction › HDR Photo to On (it starts Off).
- Only JPEGs taken with a film-library film carry the gain map. Each JPEG grows by about 50–300 KB, and processing after each shot takes about 0.7 s longer.
Requirements and limits
- The gain map comes from the RAW highlights before development. It brightens only the highlights; mid tones and shadows stay, and so do the film’s colours and tones. Photos taken with the stock image controls (Standard, Vivid, Monotone and so on) are not changed; when shooting RAW only there is no JPEG, so no gain map.
Testing status
Verified on a GR IIIx 1.70; the GR III 2.20 uses the same port and is not yet verified on a camera. Still keep the stock firmware to flash back.
FAQ
Is this HDR merged from several shots?
No. It comes from a single shot; it is not HDR merged from several exposures.
Does it look different on an ordinary screen?
No. Ordinary screens and apps without HDR support show the photo as before.
Do photos taken in stock modes such as Standard or Vivid get it too?
No. Only JPEGs taken with a film-library film carry the gain map; photos taken with the stock image controls are not changed.
How much bigger do photos get?
Each JPEG grows by about 50–300 KB, and processing after each shot takes about 0.7 s longer.
Custom firmware, test version · The result is unofficial firmware and flashing carries risk; back up first and keep the official firmware.
Other features
- GRLife ProSwap films from the SD card in the camera, with grain, diffusion and an imprint (date and caption).
- Live photosWith every photo, the camera also saves a short silent clip from just before and after the shutter; once exported, it is a photo that moves in your phone’s library.
- Recipes (parameters)Preset nine parameters on the stock image controls; the stock looks stay, and one or two slots is fine.
- More aspect ratiosAdds five aspect ratios: 7:6, 5:4, 4:3, 16:9 and full-width 65:24.
- Half frameTwo portrait shots become one 3:2 photo with a black line between them, just like a half-frame film camera.
- Golden ratio guidesAdds a golden ratio grid and golden spirals in four directions to the camera’s own grid style menu.
- Rail levelThe level becomes two rails; the camera is level when the dot sits in the ring and turns green.
- Anamorphic lensWith a 1.25× or 1.20× anamorphic widescreen lens mounted, live view and photos are desqueezed in the camera into a wide frame with normal proportions.
- Nine ADJ settingsADJ Mode Setting grows from 5 to 9 settings, and the ADJ strip shows them all at once.
- Rear dial sets ISOTurn the rear dial (the ring around the four-way controller) to change ISO directly while shooting, without pressing the ISO key first; below the lowest ISO is AUTO.
- Snap distance in feetThe snap focus distance reads in feet: in the menus, on the shooting screen and in ADJ, 2.5m shows as 8ft.