Introducing the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome: Ricoh's Unique Monochrome Compact Printer

Introducing the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome: Ricoh's Unique Monochrome Compact Printer
Ricoh officially adds a new piece to its GR series with the Monochrome version. The familiar compact design combined with a color-filterless sensor delivers a minimalist yet profound photographic experience.
Ricoh, a brand synonymous with the legendary GR series of compact cameras, has long been an icon in the street and documentary photography community. The GR series doesn't chase flashy trends or try to please the masses, but remains steadfast in its philosophy: compact, fast, intuitive, and absolutely focused on the authentic shooting experience.

The launch of the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome is not simply a different color variant, but a clear statement from Ricoh for those who love pure black and white photography. This is the first time Ricoh has brought a GR camera designed entirely for monochrome photography, from the filterless color sensor and light processing algorithms to the built-in red filter. The Ricoh GR IV Monochrome isn't for everyone. But for those who understand and love black and white photography, this could be one of the most unique and worthwhile compact cameras to own in years.

1. Key features

1.1. Familiar design

The Ricoh GR IV Monochrome retains the design DNA that has made the GR series famous for many years. Its compact, square body resembles a tool more than a flashy piece of technology. The entire body is crafted from magnesium alloy, ensuring both durability and a lightweight design for easy portability throughout the day.

Holding the GR IV Monochrome in your hand, the first impression is one of familiarity for those who have used the GR II, GR III, or GR IV color versions. The button layout is optimized for one-handed operation, allowing photographers to react quickly to fleeting moments in everyday life. This is crucial for street photography.

The monochrome version features a distinctive, minimalist, and subdued color scheme compared to the color version. The body surface has a slightly textured finish, minimizing fingerprints and providing a secure grip. This design is particularly suitable for photographers pursuing a minimalist and sophisticated style, as well as content creators who need a compact, discreet camera that won't draw attention when shooting in public spaces.

Ricoh didn't change the design not because of a lack of creativity, but because they understood very well what GR users needed. The GR IV Monochrome continues to be a pure photographic tool, where every detail serves the purpose of image creation, not ostentation.

1.2. Sensors that do not use color filters

The most valuable feature, and the heart of the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome, lies in its 26MP BSI CMOS sensor that doesn't use a color filter array. This is a fundamental difference compared to previous GR versions and most cameras on the market today.

In conventional cameras, the sensor is coated with a Bayer color filter to capture color information. Then, the image processor performs demosaicing to reconstruct the complete image. While this process is highly optimized in modern cameras, it still results in some loss of detail and sharpness.

With GR IV Monochrome, Ricoh completely eliminates color filters. Light travels directly to each pixel on the sensor without splitting or degradation. As a result, each pixel captures full information about light intensity, delivering superior detail and much smoother color transitions in black and white images.

Another clear advantage of the color filter-free sensor is its ability to perform in low-light conditions. The GR IV Monochrome boasts a base ISO that is approximately 2/3 stop higher than the color version. This allows users to shoot at higher ISOs while maintaining good detail, less noise, and a wider dynamic range.

Images captured by the GR IV Monochrome have a very "film-like" feel, with clear depth, contrast, and light structure. These aren't black and white images created by color correction in post-processing, but rather black and white images born directly from the sensor, with a completely different nature.

1.3. Shutter speed up to 1/16000s

One of the biggest challenges when shooting with a large-aperture compact camera is controlling the light in bright sunlight. The Ricoh GR IV Monochrome addresses this problem by equipping it with an electronic shutter with a maximum speed of up to 1/16,000 second.

Thanks to this extremely high shutter speed, users can easily shoot at f/2.8 in the midday sun without worrying about overexposure, even without an ND filter like on the color version of the GR IV. This is a huge advantage for street photography, where photographers often want to use a large aperture to separate the subject and create depth of field.

With its mechanical shutter, the GR IV Monochrome retains the same specifications as the standard GR IV, with a maximum speed of 1/2500s at f/2.8 and a speed of 1/4000s when stopped down to f/5.6. The combination of mechanical and electronic shutters provides maximum flexibility, allowing users to actively choose the solution best suited to each shooting situation.

More importantly, the high shutter speed allows the GR IV Monochrome to precisely "freeze" motion, capturing moments in spontaneous, everyday situations.

1.4. Integrated Red Filter

Instead of equipping the GR IV Monochrome with an ND filter like the color version, Ricoh made a very bold and traditionally photographic decision: integrating a red filter directly into the body of the GR IV Monochrome.

In classic black and white photography, color filters, especially the red filter, are familiar tools for controlling contrast and separating light and dark areas. The red filter helps to darken the sky, highlight clouds, increase skin contrast, and add depth to the scene.

The integrated red filter on the GR IV Monochrome is designed to selectively affect light wavelengths. Blue light is reduced by nearly 4 stops, green light by about 3.5 stops, while red light is affected by less than 1 stop. Overall, light on neutral subjects is reduced by about 3 stops.

The result is black and white photos with a deep sky, clearly defined clouds, and subjects naturally separated from the background without excessive post-processing. This is a huge advantage for photographers pursuing a black and white style with depth, strong contrast, and a documentary or classic street photography feel.

Integrating the red filter directly into the camera body not only saves time but also ensures consistency in the creative process. Photographers can focus entirely on light and composition, instead of fiddling with external accessories.

2. Ricoh GR IV Monochrome Specifications

The Ricoh GR IV Monochrome is equipped with a 26MP BSI CMOS sensor without a color filter, paired with a lens that has a maximum aperture of f/2.8 and a minimum aperture of f/16. The electronic shutter speed reaches 1/16,000 second, while the mechanical shutter operates in the range of 1/4000 second to 30 seconds.

The camera's ISO range extends from 160 to 409,600, allowing for versatile operation in various lighting conditions. The 3-inch touchscreen LCD with 1.37 million dots provides clear visibility, ideal for reviewing images and quick operation.

In terms of video, the GR IV Monochrome supports H.264/MPEG-4 AVC recording at Full HD 1080p resolution with a maximum frame rate of 60fps. It uses microSD cards with the UHS-I standard and also features a large built-in internal storage capacity of up to 53GB.

The DB-120 Lithium-Ion battery, with a capacity of 1800 mAh, allows for approximately 250 photos on a single charge. The camera body measures 109.4 x 61.1 x 32.7 mm and weighs only 228g (body only) and 262g (with battery and memory card).

3. Launch price of Ricoh GR IV Monochrome

The Ricoh GR IV Monochrome has officially gone on sale at a price of approximately $2,197 USD, equivalent to about 57,700,000 VND. This is significantly higher than the standard GR versions, but entirely reasonable considering the filterless sensor, integrated red filter, and the specialized photographic philosophy that Ricoh pursues.

Users can now pre-order the GR IV Monochrome at authorized Ricoh distributors. The product is expected to quickly become a "must-have" for the black and white photography and street photography community.

With its filterless sensor, integrated red filter, and distinctive compact design, the GR IV Monochrome delivers a pure photographic experience, focusing absolutely on light, form, and emotion. If you love black and white photography, are passionate about street photography, and are looking for a truly unique camera, the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome is definitely a name worth considering in 2026.