Ricoh GR IV Review

Ricoh does not redesign the GR, it sands it. The IV keeps the shape that fits a jeans pocket and changes what is underneath: a back illuminated 25.74 megapixel APS-C sensor, a newly computed 18.3mm f/2.8 lens in seven elements, five axis stabilisation worth six stops rather than four, 53 gigabytes of internal memory, and a startup time near 0.6 seconds, the quickest the series has managed.

Raw files are excellent, the lens is sharp into the corners from wide open, and snap focus plus the one handed control layout remain the reason photographers carry this instead of a phone.

The failures are the ones the GR III had. Autofocus is contrast biased and slow enough that moving subjects become a matter of technique rather than tracking. Video stops at 1080 at 60 frames, which in 2025 is a statement of disinterest. The card slot takes microSD, a nuisance in cold weather. The screen washes out in bright sun. And it costs 1,499 dollars against 1,097 for the GR IIIx, for a camera that still does exactly one thing. It does that one thing better than anything else this size.