JILL CORRAL
This week I got to try out the new Ricoh GR IV camera and take it to the streets. I’ve used a Ricoh GRIII almost exclusively for personal and professional work since 2020 and am excited to share my first impressions with you.
Ricoh GRIV will be released September 2025. [Official press release]
Thanks for taking a look!
Nice overview. Interesting with built in memory. Never heard about this one…
Thank you Pavel! I see you like street photography (like me) — it really is quite good for it.
Well, I want one for the expanded built-in memory and refined, faster interface than my GRIII. However, I need to stay married for the time being, so I will have to watch this excitement from the sidelines.
Oh my, Robert! What a delightful response. Wishing you all the best on all counts. :)
OMG, I am laughing so hard. Oh, well – same for me with the X100VI.
I currently have a Canon G7X as a compact for traveling, dental photography and such. Many photographer friends suggested I should get a RICOH GR3, I still favor the Canon and my X100V, but I really should consider a new camera. Thanks for the review.
Thank you Crina for the lovely comment. G7X is very attractive… and there is much discussion I’ve seen from people comparing X100V to GR; they are certainly kindred spirits. The predecessor of my GR III was a Fuji X70 which is a similar vibe. I love your taste in cameras. : )
great minds! :)
Wow, I love this preview.
I haven’t been able to afford an interest in new systems in a forever. I was a Minolta Max9 and Bronica film shooter for years before digital – then reluctantly went Canon in 2007 for similar intuitive ease-of-use and my smaller hand-size. I picked up a used Fuji X-Pro2 in 2017 for travel. When my dad died in 2021 he left me with many unique and different systems, including his original 8mm he used in the 60’s when we immigrated to the U.S. It’s beyond overwhelming. Funny enough after sitting in his photo closet, sobbing my eyes out, (two years after his passing I felt ready)- trying to organize, match various lenses, batteries, etc., I took home his favorite, which I now use almost exclusively. A small, lightweight Fuji XE-2. Video isn’t my favorite but it’s a far more stable sensor in terms of deep cool tones and contrast. Jpegs right out of camera are gorgeous.
Seeing this new Rocoh has my feathers up for the first time in a long time. Thank you and I am really looking forward to receiving your journal. I am a bit all over the place – slowly getting over grief, the loss of my work contracts during the pandemic — always finding joy in the art in general. Re-discovered writing, poetry as a way through the pain while purposefully ignoring much of my photography until I decided to write a bit about it. I began my career at 40. 64 now. I love your passion and am extremely impressed and inspired.
What a powerful and moving story. I have been absorbing this comment since yesterday. That Fuji XE-2 has stories to tell, I am sure; I will look on your page to see if you’ve posted any photos from it. So many emotional layers to thinking about seeing the world through literally the same lens as your father. As much as cameras are objects/commodities, they do become our external eyes and I myself find it hard to sell my cameras that have been with me through adventures or growth. Writing + photography are a potent combination for healing and evolution. I am also working my way through a massive grief right now; writing words and taking photos are a true balm and uplift. You may also enjoy the work of Erica Wheadon on here (she has commented below actually). I wish you all the best. It’s good to pay attention to things that stir our feathers. : )
Thank you so much Jill. I have been pretty emotional lately. I am extremely sorry you are gong through a grief journey. Grief, memories — sometimes they are hard to shake. I punished myself and ignored my photography for several months. I imagined throwing everything into the street. Including myself. It was pretty bad. But I realized when I finally came here that I needed to get out of it and get back to creating. It became balm to mending and bringing my natural love back for creativity It became writing and using my archives. Things just grew, as you said. Adventures and growth. I’ve never felt so much myself or free to express. For about a year now I wanted to change the title of my Substack to bring back my multi-dimensional mind for creativity — so I finally did it. Feels like a new chapter. I’ve really craved the art community, especially photography again. Shame they don’t have a category here :(
I just looked at and subscribed to Erica Wheadon. Thank you! I’ve been staring at that Rocoh :) Many years ago I’d do this and carefully meditate, keep something special, a lens, something I felt would be interesting on the back of my mind and give it time. Sometimes it would come my way and when it did — it was exciting to see how it deepened my work. I would tell former students, “be patient, use what you have. You’ll know when it’s time to make a move. It will come from your gaining knowledge as your eyes begin to develop in front of your mind and what you are trying to achieve. But it has to be “you.” Not what someone else is doing. It is good to pay attention to those feathers! oxox
I’ve been waiting for your take on this! This was really informative, thank you. I’m a typically Sony shooter (formerly Canon) but I became enamoured of the GRs two years ago. I’ve been eagerly waiting for the IV. I’m glad I waited. :) Quick question – do you keep yours in any kind of a pouch or housing when it’s not being used (i.e. when it’s in your bag/pocket)? I’m used to the dust/moisture shielding in my DSLRs and I worry that I take that for granted.
Great question! Context = I’ve had my GR III in my purse 95% of the time since 2020 and it’s in perfect condition, zero issues with dust etc. (And it’s not weather-proofed but I like shooting in the rain and it’s lived to tell the tale.) In general I don’t baby my street cameras and actually like a little patina on them. : ) The first years I didn’t use anything for it; it would ride around “naked” in it’s own small inside pocket in my bag. For the past two years I’ve used a little leather GR case for it.
Oh nice, thank you. I don’t baby my cameras either but there’s so much discourse around Ricoh and weather-sealing so it had me rattled. I’ll have a look out for that case. x
Hi Jill, most of my early portfolio shots were with the GR (OG), followed by the GRII. I had three models but all of them had issues. The first just died completely. On the second, the lens had stopped opening and closing. Repair during the pandemic was impossible to justify. The third version was the GR III but I couldn’t cope without the EVF. It was hard to see. All of this said, I still want the GRIV! It’s truly the ONLY pocketable camera that suits when shooting street and documenting daily life. Your video was very helpful. I may continue to sit on this for a while though and use my Fuji X-E2 and manual TTArtisan lens until it dies. But yes, I’m sure the IV is fabulous!! Enjoy.
Thank Juliette for watching and sharing your experience. That sounds like quite a run! It is an addictive little camera. I only had the III before this one since 2020 and it instantly became the only one I used, plus I’ve luckily never had an issue with it. Before this my main camera was a Fuji X70 and I do love that family too. I share your sensibility of using a camera til it dies. :) My other cameras are two scuffed up, light-leaky compact film cams. :)
ah, those light-leaky ones are the best! I miss my old Olympus Stylus Epic. Sold it to a photographer over the pond for a pittance. I regret that for sure. Enjoy it! If I cave and end up buying it I will share :)
Excellent. :)
JILL.DESIGN 
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