Ricoh Imaging has announced the development of the Ricoh GR IV, the latest model in the GR-series high-end compact cameras, which began with the GR1 in 1996.
Angled front view of the new Ricoh GRIV. (Source: Ricoh Imaging.)
Weighing only 262 grams with battery and microSD memory card and measuring 109.4 x 61.1 x 32.7 mm, the GRIV boasts a new, APS-C format (23.3 x 15.5 mm) CMOS sensor with an effective resolution of 25.74 megapixels. The camera lacks an anti-aliasing filter but users can access moiré reduction via the sensor-shake unit, with three settings: Off, Low and High. The newly designed lens has an 18.3 mm focal length and aperture range of f/2.8 to f/16. Its optical construction consists of seven elements in five groups and includes three aspherical elements. Sensor-shift stabilisation provides five-axis shake reduction, along with DR II dust removal using ultrasonic vibrations.
The camera can record 14-bit raw files in the universally-supported DRG format as well as Exif 2.3 JPEGs, and users can choose between the sRGB and Adobe RGB colour spaces. The maximum image size is 6192 x 4128 pixels in the 3:2 aspect ratio but 4:3, 16:9 and 1:1 aspect ratios are also available with frame cropping. The highest movie resolution is FHD (1920 x 1080) at up to 60p, using the MPEG4 AVC/H.264 (MOV) file format. Sensitivity can be set between ISO 100 and ISO 204,800 with user-adjustable settings for upper and lower limits and minimum shutter speed. The camera comes with approximately 53GB of internal memory plus a micro-SD card slot that accepts UHS-1 memory cards.
Angled rear view of the new Ricoh GRIV. (Source: Ricoh Imaging.)
The hybrid AF system combines image plane phase-matching and contrast detection and has a minimum focus of 30 cm. Eight focusing modes are provided, including a Snap mode for which users can set the focus distance. There is also a focus limiter and face/eye detection modes. Shutter speeds can be set between 30 seconds and 1/2000 second, extending to 1/4000 second at apertures from f/5.6 on. The camera also includes a Timed Exposure mode with durations between 10 seconds and 20 minutes. Users can choose from the standard P, A, S and M exposure modes as well as Snap Distance Priority AE. Exposure compensation ranges from +5EV to -5EV and the camera includes a built-in 2EV neutral density filter.
White balance is fully adjustable with +/- 14 steps of fine tuning on the A-B and G-M axes. The GRIV also supports continuous shooting, bracketing and interval recording for time-lapse sequences. Dynamic range adjustments are provided for highlight and shadow areas and users can apply any of 14 filter effects or adjust 14 exposure parameters and store them in one of the three Custom banks. Horizon correction is also available.
Like previous models in the series, the GRIV has no viewfinder. The LCD monitor is a 3-inch TFT colour touch-screen with 1,037,000 dots and a wide viewing angle. Two steps of adjustments are provided for brightness, saturation and colour balance (Blue/Amber, Green/Magenta) and an Outdoor View setting is also available for shooting in bright outdoor lighting. The camera also features more advanced communications functions with Wireless LAN and Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, 5.2GHz and 5.8GHz. It is also compatible with a new application designed for smart devices to improve operability and functionality. Power is supplied by a dedicated rechargeable battery (supplied) and the camera can also be recharged vi a USB cable.
According to Ricoh’s website the production and shipment of the Ricoh GR III, currently on the market, are scheduled to be discontinued this July, due to difficulty in procuring of parts and components. However, camera will continue to be available for the time being, with the new camera being released in the third quarter of the year. Based on this new GR IV, another GR-series model featuring an HDF (Highlight Diffusion Filter) is also under development. Click here to visit the relevant web page.
