After more than two decades of shooting with Fujifilm cameras, we’ve finally made the move to Ricoh. And, despite the price tag, it’s well worth it.
Don’t get us wrong, we absolutely love Fujifilm. The colour reproduction is amazing, particularly from our most recent camera, the Fujifilm X-T50. But as much as we love those gorgeous colours, we tend to lean more towards black-and-white. We wanted something a little more versatile, discreet and, above all, easier to use while wandering the streets with a camera in hand.
Enter the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome.
The first thing you notice is the size. This thing is tiny! It slips into a pocket, weighs next to nothing and is perfect for daily photo walks. Better still, it’s designed for one-handed operation, meaning you can walk, observe and shoot without feeling as though you’re preparing for a small military exercise every time a photograph presents itself.
Of course, the real star of the show is the dedicated black-and-white sensor. No colour sensor pretending to be monochrome here. The image quality is simply incredible, delivering beautiful detail, lovely tonal depth and the kind of black-and-white files that make you want to head straight home and start editing. Or, more likely, keep walking until your feet complain.
Autofocus is quick and reliable, while Ricoh’s legendary Snap Focus is a real treat for street photography. Set your preferred focus distance and you’re ready to capture those fleeting moments without faffing about. From switching the camera on to taking a picture takes approximately two seconds, meaning it’s almost impossible to miss a shot.
The preset filters offer plenty of creative flexibility, and the ability to create customised menus and recipes means you can set the camera up to suit your shooting style. Once configured, everything feels wonderfully intuitive.
Battery life has also been incredible. We’ve been genuinely surprised by how long it lasts during our photo walks. One word of warning, though: turn Wi-Fi off when you’re not using it, as leaving it running can drain the battery
Another welcome bonus is the generous 53GB of internal storage. There’s plenty of room for photographs without having to worry about carrying memory cards, swapping them out or discovering you’ve left them on the kitchen table. One less thing to think about when you’re out shooting!
Although it isn’t entirely perfect. The setup menu can be confusing and rather long-winded, so expect a little head-scratching during the initial setup. The retractable lens is another consideration, as dust can potentially find its way inside the camera and onto the sensor. We recommend the Freewell square hood for a little extra protection. It does add some bulk, but the camera remains perfectly pocketable.
So, are we happy with the switch? Absolutely. The Ricoh GR IV Monochrome has become our ideal companion for everyday street photography: discreet, responsive and capable of producing stunning images.
After twenty-plus years with Fujifilm, we haven’t fallen out of love with colour. We’ve simply discovered that sometimes, seeing the world in black and white is all we need. And while the monochrome sensor is the main attraction for us, the full-colour Ricoh GR IV is equally impressive if you’d prefer the flexibility of switching between colour and black and white.
Just a note to say that we are merely scratching the surface with this little beast. It is so packed full of amazing features that we could go on for days. We are not techies. We’re just real people, taking real photographs. But just trust us when we say this is the one.
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