RICOH is pleased to announce the launch of the RICOH GR IV Monochrome, a camera specialized for monochrome photography, based on the high-end compact digital camera RICOH GR IV and newly equipped with a dedicated image sensor.

The RICOH GR IV Monochrome is based on the RICOH GR IV, which fully and legitimately evolves the GR series' fundamental concept--the essential values of a camera, including high image quality, quick response and portability--while newly incorporating a monochrome-dedicated image sensor. By eliminating the color filter used to acquire color information, as well as the interpolation process required to generate color images, the camera is able to fully draw out the capabilities of the high-performance GR lens, delivering refined rendering and rich tonal gradation. In addition, the built-in red filter enables more distinctive monochrome photography, while newly developed Image Control options dedicated to monochrome imaging provide deep and diverse monochrome expressions.

The GR series marks its 30th anniversary this year, tracing back to the film camera RICOH GR1, launched in 1996. Over this long history, the series has consistently remained committed to the essential values of a camera--high image quality, quick response and portability--earning support from professionals and advanced amateurs, while continuing to evolve with the times. Following the recent announcement of the RICOH GR IV HDF (scheduled for release on January 16, 2026), the addition of the RICOH GR IV Monochrome to the lineup reflects our hope that even more customers will enjoy the depth of photography through a broader range of expressions.

The RICOH GR IV Monochrome is scheduled to be showcased at GR SPACE in Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing and Brisbane beginning on Thursday, January 15, 2026; in all these locations, visitors can try out this new model firsthand.

Main Features
1. Monochrome-dedicated design
With the pursuit of the ultimate monochrome expression, the camera is newly equipped with a anti-aliasing (AA) filterless monochrome-dedicated CMOS image sensor of APS-C-equivalent size, capable of producing high-definition images with approximately 25.74 million effective pixels. Unlike monochrome images produced using a general color image sensor--where each pixel receives light through one of red (R), green (G), or blue (B) color filters, the information is interpolated to generate a color image, and the result is then converted to monochrome--each pixel of the monochrome-dedicated sensor captures the subject's brightness information. Because it directly takes in the light information entering through the lens without interpolation processing, it enables sharp monochrome rendering with rich tonal gradation, and also makes it possible to create works that emphasize grain effects by taking advantage of high-sensitivity performance.

2. Built-in red filter in the lens unit
A red filter that can be turned ON/OFF with a single operation is built into the lens unit. By allowing only red wavelengths of light to pass through, it enables dramatic rendering--for example, by darkening the tones of a blue sky to enhance contrast with white clouds, or by rendering red subjects brighter to make them stand out more clearly.

3. Support for diverse monochrome expressions
The camera features monochrome-dedicated Image Control options to enable a wide range of monochrome expressions. "Solid" uses a hard tonal curve to express a crisp, clean look and renders edges with refined clarity. "Grainy," characterized by a strong grain effect, delivers a finish reminiscent of silver-halide prints and printed materials by avoiding complete highlight blowout and preventing shadows from being crushed to solid black, while producing grain that is clearly visible even on smart devices.

4. Carefully crafted exterior design
To evoke the primitive, essential world of black-and-white photography by unifying the overall color and texture, the magnesium-alloy body, as well as the shutter release button and ring cap, are finished in matte black. The subdued sheen, deep texture, and a softly tactile feel together make the GR's special nature immediately apparent. In addition, the front GR logo is finished in semi-gloss black, with a luster distinct from that of the body finish. Moreover, the power button illumination has also been changed to white. The monochrome aesthetic is expressed throughout the design.

Other features
Electronic shutter enabling high-speed shooting up to 1/16000 s
In addition to the conventional mechanical shutter, the camera is equipped with an electronic shutter that enables shooting at higher shutter speeds. The shutter speed can be increased up to 1/16000 s, which is effective for creative work that takes advantage of the monochrome sensor's high-sensitivity characteristics in bright conditions, and for situations where it is desirable to shoot with the aperture open even in very bright environments.

Note: This function is scheduled to be added to the GR IV as well via function-expansion firmware (to be released after the launch of the RICOH GR IV Monochrome).

more information at https://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/products/gr-4-mono/

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Except for the presence or absence of the ND filter, other camera specifications are the same as those of the RICOH GR IV.
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