Flash custom firmware on your Ricoh GR
Choose features, import the official firmware and build custom firmware in your browser, then flash it yourself. Nothing is uploaded, and the site never connects to the camera.
Check your model and version first
Custom firmware supports only the firmware versions listed below. The version is shown in the camera’s setup menu; if yours is not listed, do not continue.
| Model and firmware version | Current status |
|---|---|
| GR III · 2.10 / 2.20 / 2.21Standard / Street / Diary / HDF | All six features can be built.Verified on a camera.2.21 builds on the GRLife Pro 2.x page only. |
| GR IIIx · 1.60 / 1.70 / 1.71Standard / Urban Edition / HDF | All six features can be built.Verified on a camera.1.71 builds on the GRLife Pro 2.x page only. |
| GR IV · 1.20 / 1.21Standard / HDF | The full GRLife Pro 2.x package can be built (Beta).Verified on the Standard body; the HDF shares the same official firmware. The Monochrome is not supported yet. |
Before you start
Official firmware BIN
Download the firmware file for your body from Ricoh’s website, and keep a copy so you can flash back.
Battery and SD card
A fully charged battery, and an SD card you can copy a file to the root of.
Photos
Copy the photos on the SD card to your computer first, and do not format the card for flashing.
In-camera file backup
The camera backup tool currently supports only the GR IIIx Urban Edition 1.60. Other bodies have no in-camera file backup yet; weigh the risk before you decide to continue. Open the backup tool · Backup guide
Build the custom firmware
These steps all happen on the custom firmware page; files are processed only in your browser.
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Choose a model
Choose the camera model; the page offers the features available for it. The firmware version is detected when you import the official BIN.
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Features and settings
Films, grain and soft glow, date stamp, aspect ratios, level: pick what you want. The page checks that the chosen features fit into one firmware file.
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Import factory firmware
Import the official BIN; its version is checked on your machine. If the version or file does not match, nothing is built.
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Confirm and download
Confirm that you have saved the official BIN, made your backup and read the supported scope; read and agree to the disclaimer and terms of use; then build and download the custom firmware on your machine.
Flash the camera
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Copy to the SD card
Unzip the download and copy the BIN file from its SD folder to the root of the SD card. Do not rename it or put it in a folder. The package also holds the build receipt and a README; keep them together.
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Insert card and battery
With the camera off, insert a fully charged battery and this SD card.
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Hold MENU and power on
Hold the MENU button while turning the camera on; when the firmware update screen appears, confirm as prompted.
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Wait for it to finish
Do not turn the camera off or remove the battery or SD card until the update has finished.
If the firmware includes GRLife Pro, you can go on to load films onto the SD card after flashing. Film library guide
Flash the official firmware back
Flash back the official firmware you kept the same way you flashed the custom one. Flashing back removes the features the custom firmware added.
Reset the camera before you flash back. Custom firmware adds features the official firmware lacks, and the camera may still hold settings for them. The official firmware does not recognise those values and can freeze when a related function is used after flashing back. Resetting the camera first avoids this.
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Reset the camera first
With the custom firmware still installed, open the setup menu and run Reset Settings to restore the factory defaults. Your camera settings return to their factory state, so note down any you rely on first.
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Then check your USER modes
Resetting clears only the current settings, not your USER modes. If you saved a USER mode with an added setting such as the 4:3 or 65:24 aspect ratio under the custom firmware, switch to each of those modes, set the aspect ratio back to 3:2 or 1:1 and save the USER mode again. Skip this if you never saved one.
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Copy the official BIN
Copy the official BIN you kept to the root of the SD card without renaming it. Do not leave the custom firmware BIN in the root.
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Hold MENU and power on
Insert a fully charged battery and this SD card, hold MENU while powering on and confirm as prompted. Do not turn the camera off or remove the battery or SD card until the update has finished.
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Check the version
After flashing back, check the firmware version in the setup menu and confirm it matches the official BIN.
Common situations
The camera says the update failed
This usually means the camera was reflashed at a Ricoh service centre, or had an official shutdown screen installed there (for example Ricoh’s anniversary shutdown screen). On such a camera the firmware’s minor version can differ from the firmware Ricoh publishes. The camera refuses firmware older than its own, so the update fails. Downloading again or using another SD card will not help.
The camera freezes after flashing back
This usually means the camera was not reset before flashing back and still holds settings the official firmware does not recognise, so it hangs when a related function is used. Don’t panic: take the battery out, put it back, power on and run Reset Settings once. If it only hangs after you switch to a USER mode, that mode still holds an added setting: power on, switch to that mode, set the aspect ratio back to 3:2 or 1:1 and save the USER mode again. Resetting and flashing still work normally.
Risks and limits
Unofficial firmware
The result is unofficial firmware and flashing carries risk: the camera may fail to start, photos or settings may be lost, and the warranty will very likely be void. Back up first and keep the official firmware.
Processed on your device
You get the official BIN from Ricoh and import it in your browser. GRLife does not distribute Ricoh firmware, upload files, connect to the camera or write to the SD card.
Curious how this works?
The article explains where the files are made, why nothing needs to be uploaded, and the risks and limits of each path.
Read how it works →