- The new Ricoh GR IV Monochrome is the first black-and-white model in the series
- At $2,199 / £1,599 it costs at least 25% more than the regular Ricoh GR IV
- Apart from being optimized for black-and-white photography, it is otherwise largely identical
Ricoh actually just did me a favor. You see, I was so excited about the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome – the first in a line of premium digital compacts optimized for black-and-white photography – that I was ready to buy it. However, it has been launched today with a shocking price bug and the deal is off. So it’s probably a saving.
Let’s be clear – I haven’t used the GR IV Monochrome, but I know I wanted it anyway. You see, I really love black and white photography and I’m a fan of the Ricoh GR series.
I recently published my Leica Q3 Monochrom review – unpacking the merits and pitfalls of a black-and-white camera – and my first-hand experience with the premium compact, combined with the regular Ricoh GR IV as well, only whets my appetite for the GR IV Monochrome.
I consider the GR IV a decent upgrade from my GR III – I have the ‘x’ version of the GR III which I’ve used regularly for years. Again, there was a price increase there from the GR III, but the GR IV’s new 26MP sensor with five-axis stabilization, improved lens, better battery life and increased internal memory make the regular GR IV worth it.
Even still, when I heard about the monochrome version ahead of today’s launch, I thought it was the camera for me, as I tend to shoot a lot with my own Ricoh GR IIIx in black and white.
I expected a slight bump in price given how incredibly niche this black and white version if the GR IV is and the presumably shorter production period. This applies to the Leica Q3 Monochrom, which costs more than the regular Q3. I was thinking sub 10% increase though, not the full 25% in the UK (and more in the US)!
For $2,200 / £1,600 I could pick up a Fujifilm X100VI instead of the GR IV or, more temptingly, a Nikon Z6 III – and it’s a serious mirrorless camera.
I love black and white photography, especially with a Ricoh GR camera, and I really, really like the GR IV – size for quality, it’s the best compact camera out there – so I figured the GR IV Monochrome would be my next camera.
However, I don’t think the incremental gains of a model optimized for black and white photography are worth this extra outlay. If anything, my attention is back on the regular GR IV instead, which feels like a wiser choice now.
Mapping the price of the Ricoh GR series
I bought the Ricoh GR IIIx back in 2022 for £1,000 in the UK (the ‘x’ version of the GR range has a 40mm f/2.8 lens instead of a 28mm f/2.8 lens), then the original GR III (launched in 2019) cost $1,100 / £900. I thought that price was reasonable.
Due to their popularity, GR III cameras experienced a slight price bump over the years. Then came the Ricoh GR IV in late 2025 for $1,500 / £1,200. I initially thought the price hike was unfair, but the upgrades in that model almost deserved the bump, which didn’t exactly favor those in the US who were hit with further tariff-related price hikes.
Now we have the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome which costs $2,200 / £1,600. In the US, it’s twice as much as the GR III and $700 more than the Ricoh GR IV. That’s a 25% increase in the UK. Let it sink in.
You have to really, really love black and white photography to buy the GR IV Monochrome over the GR IV. I expect many still will, because what optimized alternatives are there? The Leica Q3 Monochrom costs a lot more (but it’s a lot more camera).
I am now for the GR IV instead. But what do you think of the new monochrome version? Is it worth the extra cost? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
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