Ricoh GR IV is Premium Compact and Fujfilm X100VI -Rival that many eager photographers have been waiting for. This week, finally, pre -orders went live.
You would think I would be happy, but as a (mostly) satisfied Ricoh Gr III user for several years, I was severely disappointed when I saw the specifications and the first product pictures – GR IV looks like a really less upgrade.
I put together my Ricoh GR IV wish list a long time back and it seems that I will have to hope and pray that the next generation will deliver.
Yes, my top desire for the new model was that it remained as small as its predecessor. Ricoh went a better one by making GR IV even slimmer … fractional. Keeping something the same is hardly a reason to upgrade, is it, though?
Better autofocus was another desire for me. I haven’t used the new GR IV yet, but the first practical video of a Ricoh ambassador suggests that autofocus is a little faster, but only at baby steps. Again, not enough for a reason to upgrade.
And here comes the real stitch in the tail – Ricoh has hit fans with a huge price increase, especially for shoppers in the United States. The new GR IV costs $ 1,499 / £ 1,199 / AU $ 2,099. Ouch.
There is simply no way that a camera with updates this less can deserve such a price increase (at about 20-35%, depending on where you live).
The sensor sees only a small solution bump – from 24MP to 26mp. There is a new 28 mm f/2.8 lens, but it is unclear to me yet if it is noticeably better.
I wanted a lash screen but we still have one firm. I asked for a built -in flash, but again, it’s a no. Better build quality? You guessed it – no.
Still, we are here with a steep price increase that pushes the new model into a category of much harder rivals, such as the powerful (whose bulker) x100VI.
The GR series has been comfortably sitting around $ 1,000 / £ 900 for years (with a small price increase due to partial, no doubt requiring). This price feels fair.
If the price of the new model was around the same as before, I would be tempted. But if I buy something this week, it will be Ricoh’s shiny new GF-2 external flash ($ 119.95 / £ 99 / AU $ TBC).
The new flash guns are into the camera’s hotshoe and is appropriate small, plus it is compatible with my GR III (although at the time of release, auto exposure is not supported for older models -Ricoh says it comes via a firmware update).
I’d rather be that flash is built into the camera, but at least there’s a good external option now.
With GR IV I think Ricoh has been cunning and greedy in a fall, although I am pleased that it has kept the series alive.
Do you want my advice? If you are eager for the GR series-and you have to be, the GR III is one of the best point-and-shoot cameras with top image quality from a truly pocket-compact-so I suggest saving some cash by buying the older Ricoh Gr III instead of GR IV. However, you need to hurry to grab one while the stocks last. Ricoh has interrupted it.
