The Ricoh GR IV Compact Camera Is Here

credits: RIcoh

Ricoh has officially announced the long-awaited GR IV compact camera. At first glance, the design looks familiar to the old GR look, but inside there are some major updates. The camera is built around a new 25.7-megapixel APS-C sensor paired with an upgraded 18.3mm f/2.8 lens, equivalent to 28mm on full-frame. The lens design has been reworked with seven elements in five groups, including aspherical and low-dispersion glass. Ricoh has also introduced its new GR Engine 7 processor and kept its dedicated accelerator unit, which together promise better performance at high ISO. The native range now runs from ISO 100 up to 204,800.

One of the most notable improvements is stabilisation. The GR IV now has a five-axis in-body image stabilisation system rated for up to six stops of shake correction, compared to the three-axis, four-stop system in the GR III. Autofocus has also seen a big overhaul, with Ricoh highlighting faster, more precise performance and stronger low-light focusing thanks to an updated image-plane phase detection system. General usability has been improved as well, startup time has been cut down to 0.6 seconds, macro switching and general responsiveness are all quicker.

The camera includes 53GB of built-in memory along with a microSD card slot, records 14-bit RAW files, and has a 3-inch touchscreen with improved responsiveness. Video is still capped at Full HD, but it supports 60p recording. Photographers can also use new crop modes for 35mm and 50mm equivalents. Ricoh will release the GR IV in mid-September at a price of $1,499.95. A closer look at the new camera will follow in this week’s Sunday magazine issue ;)

You can see full details on Ricoh’s website here