The Ricoh GRIV has been an immense success and Matti Sulanto compared it with the “old” Lumix GX880 camera with the Lumix 14mm f/2.5.
Quick Conclusion
- The GX880 cannot replace a Ricoh GR. The GR series is highly optimized for street photography — fast, purpose-built, intuitive, and tuned specifically for that niche.
- The Lumix GX880 is still a great little camera. It’s versatile, small, has interchangeable lenses, tilt screen, a built-in flash, good video quality (unlike the GR), and overall strong image quality.
- For travel, family photos, and general use, the GX880 may be better than the GR. Its flexibility makes it more well-rounded than a street-only tool like the GR.
- But for pure street photography, nothing beats the GR. It remains unmatched for that specific purpose.
Final Verdict: The GX880 is not a true GR3/GR4 substitute for street photography, but it might be “good enough” for Matti until he can finally buy the GR4 once availability improves.