Ricoh announces development of new monochrome GR IV camera

Ricoh GR IV Monochrome

Ricoh announces the development of the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome, the first dedicated black and white camera in the acclaimed GR series.

Building on the success of the Ricoh GR IV – one of the most buzzed-about camera releases of 2025 – the GR IV Monochrome will feature a purpose-built monochrome image sensor that delivers exceptional black and white imagery with enhanced sharpness, improved low-light performance, and richer tonal gradations compared to converted colour images.

A dedicated monochrome sensor eliminates the colour filter array found in traditional sensors, allowing each pixel to capture pure luminance data. This results in better light sensitivity, finer detail resolution, and superior tonal depth unique to monochrome imaging.

The camera retains the GR series' core philosophy of exceptional image quality in a compact, pocketable form factor while optimized for monochrome photography.

It has been nearly 30 years since the RICOH GR1 film camera, the first in the GR series, was released in 1996, and exactly 20 years on October 21 since the GR DIGITAL was launched in 2005.

The Ricoh GR IV Monochrome is scheduled for release in Spring 2026, with pricing to be announced.