Ricoh GR IV is a pocket-sized successor to the acclaimed GR series, designed for street photographers and enthusiasts who demand quality and portability. It continues the GR tradition of premium image quality in a truly pocketable form and adds a range of internal and external upgrades while preserving the clean, minimalist design that made earlier GR cameras popular, making it an appealing tool for those who value discretion and creative control.

Design and handling

The GR IV introduces a newly designed body that is compact, slim and highly functional. It is thinner than earlier GR models, and a sculpted rear thumb rest provides a secure, comfortable hold. Several buttons and dials have been repositioned, and the mode-adjustment (ADJ) lever is replaced with a dial for simpler, more intuitive operation.

Optics and image quality

At the front is a new GR LENS 18.3 mm F2.8 that pairs excellent optical performance with a slim profile. The lens retains the classic 28 mm (35 mm equivalent) angle of view and F2.8 aperture, but now uses a seven-element, five-group construction with glass-moulded aspherical elements, including a large-diameter final element, and high-refraction, low-dispersion glass. The result is high contrast and edge-to-edge sharpness with minimized distortion and chromatic aberration.

Inside, a back-illuminated APS-C-size CMOS sensor works with the upgraded GR ENGINE 7 to deliver higher sensitivity and lower noise. With around 25.74 effective megapixels and improved processing, the GR IV produces images rich in detail and tonal gradation. Ricoh’s accelerator unit maintains a high signal-to-noise ratio and feeds clean data to the engine, enabling a top ISO of 204 800 for very high-sensitivity shooting.

Speed, stabilisation and autofocus

A five-axis shake-reduction mechanism compensates for pitch, yaw, roll and shift during close-up work, reducing blur by up to six shutter steps. A redesigned lens barrel and optimised start-up sequence cut start-up time to about 0.6 seconds. The high-speed lens drive and fast sensor readout ensure quick focusing, while low-light AF performance and the precision and coverage of the image-plane phase-detection system are improved for faster, more accurate autofocus.

Creative controls and workflow

Program Auto Ex lets you switch exposure modes instantly: turn the front e-dial for Aperture-priority AE or the rear e-dial for Shutter-priority AE. A new Snap Distance Priority AE (Sn) mode enables images with emphasised depth of field. In addition to 12 Image Control effects, the GR IV adds a Cinema mode with selectable yellow or green tones to recreate the look of classic film. An anti-stain, antistatic coating on the UV/IR-cut filter works with the DR II ultrasonic vibration system to improve dust removal.

Storage and connectivity

Images can be saved to the built-in 53 GB memory or to a microSD card. The camera features a 3.0-inch high-definition LCD with approximately 1,037,000 dots. Dual wireless connectivity with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi offers easy pairing and transfer.

Whats in the box: