Ricoh GR Digital IV Pro Reviews

The Ricoh GR Digital IV's fixed lens means that it's not a camera for everyone - this is a compact for people who like to frame with their feet, and get close to the action. You do have to work a little harder to get the best image quality out of the camera, though, and the small size of the sensor is limiting. The bloated price is also a sticking point. Although the Ricoh GR Digital IV's street price is closer to £420 than the full launch price of £499, it's still a lot of money to pay for a camera with a 1/1.7-inch sensor. Especially because the Ricoh GR Digital IV faces stiff competition from the likes of the Fuji FinePix X10, with its APS-C sensor and fixed 23mm lens, the Olympus XZ-1 and the Sigma DP2x. However, if photography for you is more about the journey than the destination, then the Ricoh GR Digital IV should prove a worthy companion. Few cameras in this area of the market are as compact and easy to live with

The Ricoh GRD IV won’t appeal to all because of its fixed-focal-length 28mm lens, but if this is the type of camera you’re looking for then it ticks plenty of boxes. The 10MP images are decent, further enhanced by the amount of user-defined image noise control on offer. Add to this RAW capture and the GRD IV more than caters for the high-end user, though the image processing means shots won’t rival a DSLR or compact system camera. The Ricoh is also great to use and full of intricate modes that lead to a more fruitful experience. Overall there’s little bad to say about the camera, bar its high £450 price tag and that image quality does have its limitations. While it may not be for the casual photographer, the serious snapper will find this small and pocketable compact a great match.

The Ricoh GR Digital was one of the first cameras to put a focus on lens and sensor quality when it was first announced in 2006 and each update has improved on the camera before in some way. Since then, however, every other manufacturer has released a serious compact camera in some form or another as well there being a massive increase in mirrorless / compact system cameras, the majority of them available for around the same price with a choice of a wide angle or zoom lens. However, for people who enjoy the idea of a fixed focal length lens camera, with a lot of manual controls, this latest version of the camera should please and the fact that Ricoh continue to make this camera, rather than updating a model such as the GX100/GX200 with zoom, goes to show that there are buyers out there for this camera. It would be nice to see the sensor updated to a backlit CMOS sensor, as well as the video mode being updated in the next model, but in the meantime this camera is capable of taking some great shots and would make a good upgrade from an earlier model.

Ricoh has wisely decided to keep all the best features from the last model, while adding an improved engine, faster AF, continuous shooting and better low-light imagery. Perhaps Full HD and a lower price tag next time?

There's an awful lot to like about the GRD IV. Image quality is fantastic, the model's utilitarian design makes for an excellent shooting experience and the LCD screen is one of the best that we've seen on a compact camera. The model won't be to everyone's taste however - it boasts a price tag which is comparable with a host of CSC models, thus making it almost a luxury compact, and with holes in the specification such as the lack of HD video capture, the price tag looks even higher. However, if you're happy to make certain compromises for the sake of image quality and a pure shooting experience overall, the the GRD IV is well worth a look.

The Ricoh GR DIGITAL IV is compact camera designed for enthusiasts and professionals who want a unit with a fast prime lens. It's capable of capturing vibrant colour and its definition is good for the most part, but it can struggle once the ISO speed is increased in dimly-lit scenes.

The new GR Digital IV further refines Ricoh's most specialized camera, principally adding a much faster auto-focus system, built-in image stabilisation and an even better LCD screen to what was already a very likeable and responsive package. A large number of smaller but still very welcome improvements make this the best GR Digital model yet, although it still does suffer from having a sky-high price-tag that will probably put off all but the most hardcore of users.