The Ricoh GR IV Monochrome was announced October 20th by Ricoh teasing some of the new specs. The price is not yet announced. Still, it is safe to assume it will be close to the original GR IV’s price. The GR IV Monochrome is a healthy refresh and change to the well received GR IV. The GR IV Monochrome supports double the highest ISO setting than the original, allowing for far better low light performance.
Monochrome camera’s are not for everyone, they have some unique use cases and they tend to limit you creatively. But, for the right person the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome might be the perfect everyday-carry camera.
This camera is a huge deal in the handheld world. This is one of the first times we have had a true monochrome camera. You can carry it around with you every day. It is available for (what we assume) is an affordable price.
Why a monochrome camera then?
Monochrome camera’s have one large advantage, low light performance. This does come at the cost of some creature comforts like color. If you are a street photographer, you may need better light performance for night photography. This camera aims to answer that need. Monochrome camera’s also have a different “grain” or “noise” look to them compared to color cameras. The noise of monochrome cameras tend to look more vintage and film like which might be up your ally.
Ricoh GR IV Monochrome specs:
The GR IV Monochrome is largely the same as the original GR IV. It includes a few added features from the new monochrome sensor. The sensor is technically the exact same, it is still a 25.7 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor. The camera still features the brand new GR ENGINE 7 processor, which supports 14-bit DNG and JPEG photos. It features 6-stops of 5-axis in camera IBIS. (which is impressive for a camera of this size) It features the same F2.8-F16 18.3mm (28mm full frame equivalent) as the original GR IV. It has the same 1 million dot 3:2 LCD screen. It does have video features though I would not recommend this camera for video considering it only shoots 1080p 60fps.
What makes a monochrome camera different?
Without going too in depth, most color cameras have a component called a sensor. The sensor is what captures the actual image your camera outputs. Each sensor has something called photo sites. These are what are sensitive to light. They give your digital camera a value. A color filter array (CFA) allows your camera to translate some of that light information. It converts the light coming into your camera into color information. This comes at the cost of light. When the CFA is removed from the camera, more light is allowed to the sensor. Thus allowing you to capture more information in lower light environments. That is what the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome did. They just removed the CFA from the sensor. This change allows the camera to get better light performance. Here is a good video explaining monochrome cameras in more depth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWMfLfhZqxc&pp=ygUPbWtiaGQgbTEx
So who is this camera for, and should you buy it?
Well this camera is not meant for everyone. This is for the kind of person who was already planning on shooting black and white. The kind of person is comfortable not shooting color, and needs the extra low light performance. If you happen to be this person, and you want a camera you can carry around every day, think about this choice. Consider this choice seriously. This might be the perfect fit. It won’t break the bank, and is more than enough for everyday shooters.
If you are considering this camera:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1926946-REG/ricoh_gr_iv_monochrome_digital.html
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