Ricoh GR Monochrome

The First GR Dedicated to Black-and-White designed exclusively for monochrome photography, the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome is a specialized version of the popular compact fixed-lens camera, featuring a unique sensor that has been modified to solely record black-and-white imagery.

Beyond the black-and-white-only 25.7MP sensor, this distinct Monochrome model also features a built-in selectable red contrast filter, which replaces the ND filter of the standard edition GR IV, and this camera has new monochrome-specific Image Control options along with an updated exterior design with an overall monochrome aesthetic. Aside from these updates, the camera is virtually identical to the standard edition GR IV, including the 28mm-equivalent lens, fast AF, refined Shake Reduction, and the improved wireless settings control via the GR WORLD app.

The 25.7MP APS-C CMOS sensor lacks both an anti-aliasing filter and a color filter array (CFA), allowing the sensor to record monochromatic imagery using just luminance values for improved clarity, sharpness, and resolution, along with a higher native sensitivity range of ISO 160-409600. Since there is no color interpolation at the sensor level, resulting black-and-white images are characterized by rich tonal gradations with more natural-looking grain effects.

Rather than a solid ND filter, the GR IV Monochrome has a built-in red contrast filter in the lens unit that is selectable via the On/Off button on the rear of the camera. This filter allows only red wavelengths to pass to the sensor, resulting in more dramatic rendering of outdoor scenes (e.g. dark and moody blue skies with bright white clouds). Conversely, this filter will also brighten skin tones and other reddish subjects.

Total 6 tone controls are able of which two are extremely crucial in B&W photography. “Solid” uses a hard tonal curve for a clean, bold look while “Grainy” imparts a strong grain effect reminiscent of darkroom prints while also retaining extended details in the highlights and shadows.

The exterior of the camera body has also been updated to match the monochromatic ethos of the imaging system: the body, shutter release button, and ring cap have a sleek matte black finish; the front GR logo has a semi-gloss black finish; and the power button illumination has been changed to white to maintain a fully monochrome appearance.

Featuring a new sensor and processor, the GR IV Monochrome sports a 25.7MP APS-C CMOS sensor with a back-illuminated design for cleaner image quality and reduced noise. This sensor pairs with the updated GR ENGINE 7 processor that helps to achieve a full stop better low-light performance along with a faster 0.6-sec startup time, quicker focusing performance, up to ISO 409600, and the same versatile 14-bit DNG and JPEG recording as its predecessor.

One of the key upgrades of the GR IV Monochrome is faster focusing performance. Aided by the new GR ENGINE 7 processing and a redesigned lens that’s lighter in weight, AF performance is more responsive than its predecessor, focusing hunting is greatly reduced, and both face recognition and subject tracking have been improved. Additionally, pairing with the improved low-light image quality, low-light focusing is also faster and more accurate for shooting in difficult lighting conditions. During autofocus shooting, this AF system detects the subject’s face or eye with precision, focuses on it, and indicates the in-focus position on the LCD display using the AF frame. When the camera detects multiple faces, it automatically distinguishes the main subject from secondary ones and indicates this on the focus frame.

Full Press Snap function lets you override the AF in an instant by fully depressing the shutter button and having the lens immediately focus at a preset distance. This unique shooting and focusing function is perfect for street photography and eliminates any lag times for decisive moment-type shooting.

A new 5-axis Shake Reduction system that compensates for up to 6 stops of camera shake. Improving upon the 3-axis system of the previous generation, this new stabilization system compensates for more types of camera movement and is more effective at reducing the appearance of camera shake when shooting handheld.

The Image Control function can be used to apply preset looks to an image, including new Solid and Grainy settings that emphasize the benefits of a monochrome sensor. Contrast, key, sharpness, and grain parameters of each mode can be adjusted to suit the desired effect and select settings also support strength and size tuning for an even more personalized look. User-selected settings can be added to the Image Control menu as a custom mode.

An electronic shutter function enables shooting at up to 1/16,000-sec to better enable working in bright conditions with wider aperture values.

Sensor has an anti-aliasing (AA) filter-less design, which maximizes sharpness and resolution in most shooting circumstances. However, for certain circumstances, like when photographing some fabrics and other high-frequency patterns, the Shake Reduction mechanism can simulate the effects of an AA filter to reduce moiré.

the GR IV Monochrome is also capable of recording Full HD 1080 video at 60p, 30p, and 24p frame rates.

Items Included

Ricoh GR IV Monochrome Digital Camera

Ricoh DB-120 Battery (1800mAh)

Ricoh GN-3 Ring Cap (Black)

USB Cable

Hand Strap Hot Shoe Cover

1-Year Manufacturer Warranty