Ricoh/Pentax Ricoh GR IV

Ricoh GR IV – pocket-sized successor delivering premium image quality for street photographers

The Ricoh GR IV continues the GR series tradition by combining premium image quality with true pocket portability. It targets street photographers and enthusiasts who value discretion, fast handling and creative control. The camera adds internal and external upgrades while preserving the clean, minimalist design of earlier GR models.

Design and handling

Ricoh redesigned the GR IV body to be slimmer and more compact than earlier GR cameras. The camera feels thin in a pocket yet purposeful in the hand. In particular, a sculpted rear thumb rest improves grip and comfort during extended shooting.

Ricoh also repositioned several buttons and dials for more intuitive operation. The previous mode-adjustment (ADJ) lever is replaced with a dial to simplify adjustments. As a result, you can change settings more quickly while maintaining a discreet shooting profile.

Optics and image quality

The GR IV uses a new GR LENS 18.3 mm F2.8 that preserves the classic 28 mm (35 mm equivalent) angle of view. The lens pairs a slim profile with careful optical construction: seven elements in five groups, including glass-moulded aspherical elements, a large-diameter final element, and high-refraction, low-dispersion glass. These components work together to deliver high contrast and sharpness across the frame while minimizing distortion and chromatic aberration.

Inside, a back-illuminated APS-C-size CMOS sensor (approx. 25.74 effective megapixels) works with the upgraded GR ENGINE 7. The improved processing and an accelerator unit maintain a high signal-to-noise ratio and produce images with clean detail and refined tonal gradation. The camera supports very high-sensitivity shooting up to a top ISO of 204,800, allowing flexibility in low-light situations without inventing new claims about image quality.

Speed, stabilisation and autofocus

The GR IV includes a five-axis shake-reduction mechanism that compensates for pitch, yaw, roll and shift during close-up work. Ricoh specifies blur reduction of up to six shutter steps in appropriate conditions. In addition, a redesigned lens barrel and an optimised start-up sequence reduce time-to-shoot to about 0.6 seconds.

Autofocus benefits from a high-speed lens drive, fast sensor readout and an improved image-plane phase-detection system. These changes deliver faster focusing, better AF precision and wider coverage. Low-light AF performance also improves compared with earlier GR models, making the camera more reliable in dim scenes.

Creative controls and workflow

Ricoh designed the GR IV to support quick mode switching and creative expression. Program Auto Ex lets you switch exposure approaches instantly: use the front e-dial for Aperture-priority AE and the rear e-dial for Shutter-priority AE. A new Snap Distance Priority AE (Sn) mode lets you emphasise depth of field for fast street shooting at a preset distance.

The camera adds a Cinema mode and 12 Image Control effects for creative looks. Cinema mode offers selectable yellow or green tones to evoke classic film aesthetics. For sensor care and dust control, Ricoh pairs an anti-stain, antistatic coating on the UV/IR-cut filter with the DR II ultrasonic vibration system to aid dust removal.

Storage, display and connectivity

Images can be saved to the camera’s built-in memory (approx. 53 GB) or to a microSD card, providing flexible workflow options. Ricoh equips the GR IV with a 3.0-inch high-definition LCD that has approximately 1,037,000 dots for clear image review and menu navigation.

The camera supports dual wireless connectivity through Bluetooth and Wi‑Fi, enabling easy pairing and image transfer to compatible devices.

Crop modes, battery and video

The GR IV offers crop modes that change the effective angle of view: a 35 mm crop that yields about 15 MP and a 50 mm crop that yields about 7 MP. Ricoh also supplies a new DB-120 rechargeable battery for power. For movie capture, the camera records Full HD video at 1920×1080, 60 fps.

What’s in the box

• Ricoh GR IV
• Rechargeable Battery DB-120
• USB Cable I-USB198
• Handstrap O-ST198

Technical specifications

FAQ

Question: Who is the Ricoh GR IV designed for?
Answer: The GR IV is aimed at street photographers and enthusiasts who require high image quality in a pocketable, discreet camera with quick handling and creative controls.

Question: What lens and field of view does the GR IV use?
Answer: It uses the GR LENS 18.3 mm F2.8, which provides a 28 mm equivalent angle of view. The lens design focuses on sharpness and low distortion through advanced optical elements.

Question: Does the camera offer image stabilisation and fast startup?
Answer: Yes. The GR IV features five-axis shake reduction that can compensate up to six shutter steps in suitable conditions, and Ricoh reports a start-up time of about 0.6 seconds.

Question: How can I store and transfer images from the camera?
Answer: Images can be saved to the built-in approx. 53 GB memory or to a microSD card. The camera also supports Bluetooth and Wi‑Fi for easy pairing and transfer to compatible devices.

Question: What creative modes and workflow features help street photographers?
Answer: The GR IV offers Program Auto Ex with quick e-dial switching, Snap Distance Priority AE for preset depth-of-field shooting, a Cinema mode with selectable tones, and 12 Image Control effects for varied looks.