Ricoh GR IV: the pocketable APS-C street camera, explained
The current Ricoh GR, a fixed-lens APS-C compact built for street and everyday shooting. Launched at $1,499.95 in 2025. Who it suits: photographers who want APS-C files from a camera that fits a jacket pocket.
Ricoh GR IV, front view. Photo: Strubbl via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
HIGHLIGHTS
Why it exists. Ricoh Imaging Americas introduced the GR IV as "the ultimate snapshot camera to amateur and pro photographers", built on the GR series' long-standing priorities of image quality, quick response and portability. Ricoh gave it "a complete range of newly developed main components, including lens, image sensor and imaging engine", and says its start-up time of about 0.6 seconds is "the shortest in GR-series history".
Ricoh announced the GR IV on August 20, 2025 at $1,499.95, available from mid-September. It pairs a back-illuminated APS-C sensor of about 25.74MP with GR ENGINE 7 and a new 18.3mm f/2.8 lens (about 28mm equivalent) of seven elements in five groups. Five-axis sensor-shift shake reduction is rated at up to six shutter steps, and there's a built-in 2-stop ND filter, about 53GB of internal memory plus a microSD slot, Bluetooth and wireless LAN, and a hot shoe for Ricoh's new GF-2 flash.
Our gallery comes from four photographers, all at the fixed 18.3mm: a stream in Bavaria, a spreading bellflower close up, rock formations at Joshua Tree, the La Jolla coast, Humboldt penguins at a Munich zoo and the Edifici Colon tower in Barcelona. Who should buy it? Street, travel and everyday shooters who want APS-C quality in a pocket. Its limits: Ricoh lists no viewfinder and no tilting screen, video is Full HD only, the lens doesn't zoom, and the DB-120 battery is rated for about 250 shots.
The story
Ricoh Imaging Americas announced the GR IV on August 20, 2025 as "the ultimate snapshot camera to amateur and pro photographers", "available mid-September at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $1499.95" (Ricoh Imaging Americas).
The release said its newly designed lens barrel and optimized start-up sequence cut start-up time to about 0.6 seconds, "the shortest in GR-series history", and introduced the GF-2 external flash alongside it.
Ricoh's global specifications page lists the GR IV alongside the GR IV HDF version, which replaces the ND filter with a Highlight Diffusion Filter (Ricoh Imaging). This review covers the standard GR IV.
Firmware 1.20 (October 21, 2026). Ricoh Imaging released function-expansion firmware version 1.20 for the GR IV and GR IV HDF. It adds an "AF Point" option to Memory, so the focus point can return to the center when the camera is turned off and on; a "Restore User Mode Settings" option for User Mode; and a "Connection while Power Off" setting that lets the camera stay on standby for the GR WORLD app or, when off, saves battery. The end screen can now be changed from GR WORLD, and Ricoh says overall stability is improved. Ricoh notes that once the update is applied, the camera cannot be reverted to an earlier version (Ricoh Imaging; firmware download page).
Specifications
Key specs for the Ricoh GR IV, from Ricoh Imaging's global specifications page and Ricoh Imaging Americas' August 20, 2025 release. Source for each row in brackets.
Sensor
APS-C CMOS, 23.3 × 15.5 mm, about 25.74MP effective; back-illuminated; GR ENGINE 7 [Ricoh Imaging, Ricoh Imaging Americas]
Lens
GR lens 18.3mm (about 28mm equivalent), f/2.8–16; 7 elements in 5 groups; crop modes for 35mm and 50mm framing [Ricoh Imaging]
ISO
100–204800 [Ricoh Imaging]
Stabilization
Sensor-shift shake reduction (SR), 5-axis; up to six shutter steps [Ricoh Imaging, Ricoh Imaging Americas]
ND filter
Built-in, 2 EV [Ricoh Imaging]
Autofocus
Hybrid AF (phase and contrast detection); Snap focus at preset distances [Ricoh Imaging]
Shutter
1/4000–30 s (1/2500 s at f/2.8) [Ricoh Imaging]
Screen / finder
3.0-inch touchscreen LCD, about 1,037k dots; no viewfinder or tilt listed [Ricoh Imaging]
Video
Full HD only [Ricoh Imaging]
Storage / wireless
About 53GB internal plus microSD; wireless LAN and Bluetooth; USB-C [Ricoh Imaging]
Battery
DB-120; about 250 shots (CIPA) [Ricoh Imaging]
Size / weight
109.4 × 61.1 × 32.7 mm; about 262 g with battery and card (228 g body only) [Ricoh Imaging]
Announced / price
Aug 20, 2025; $1,499.95 (US) [Ricoh Imaging Americas]
Sample photos
Six photos taken with the Ricoh GR IV by four photographers, shared on Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licenses or in the public domain. Each caption gives the settings the file records. Select a photo to enlarge it. More samples from Wikimedia Commons
f/8, ISO 100, 1/60 s, 18.3mm: the Aurach at the Lower Tretzendorf ponds, Bavaria (GR lens 18.3mm f/2.8). Photo: Stephan van Helden via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)f/16, ISO 100, 1/100 s, 18.3mm: a spreading bellflower close up (GR lens 18.3mm f/2.8). Photo: Stephan van Helden via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
f/5.6, ISO 200, 1/2000 s, 18.3mm: rock formations at Joshua Tree National Park (GR lens 18.3mm f/2.8). Photo: Sergiy Galyonkin via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)f/6.3, ISO 200, 1/800 s, 18.3mm: the La Jolla coast, San Diego (GR lens 18.3mm f/2.8). Photo: Sergiy Galyonkin via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
f/3.5, ISO 100, 1/125 s, 18.3mm: Humboldt penguins at Tierpark Hellabrunn, Munich (the GR IV's fixed 18.3mm lens; the file doesn't name it). Photo: Strubbl via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)f/2.8, ISO 250, 1/125 s, 18.3mm: the Edifici Colon tower, Barcelona (the GR IV's fixed 18.3mm lens; the file doesn't name it). Photo: IM027 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
Ricoh: Launched at $1,499.95 in 2025 (US manufacturer's suggested retail).
Verdict
Who it's for: street, travel and everyday photographers who want APS-C files, a sharp 28mm-equivalent lens and quick start-up from a camera that fits a jacket pocket.
Look elsewhere if you want a viewfinder, a faster lens or better video: the Fujifilm X100VI is the bigger fixed-lens alternative.
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