Basically nothing is really upgraded from the Ricoh GR III — but that’s because it doesn’t need to be. It’s already perfected. This announcement is good news regardless, because Ricoh is simply continuing the legacy. Ricoh is the new Leica.

Don’t fix what isn’t broken

https://ricohgr.eu/blogs/news/22-05-2025-development-anouncement-of-ricoh-gr-iv

Ricoh GR IV Development Announced: What You Need to Know

On May 22, 2025, Ricoh officially announced the development of the GR IV, the latest addition to its legendary line of compact street photography cameras. Slated for release in Autumn 2025, the GR IV builds on the minimalist foundation of its predecessors while offering a few refinements.

Key Upgrades

1. New Lens Design

Still 18.3mm f/2.8 (28mm equivalent), but now redesigned with 7 elements in 5 groups (including 3 aspherical elements) for improved sharpness.

2. Higher Resolution Sensor

Upgraded to a 25.74 MP APS-C sensor (vs. 24.24 MP on the GR III).
Maintains the same primary color filter CMOS design.

3. Expanded ISO Range

Now reaches ISO 204800, up from 102400.
Whether this is usable in practice remains to be seen.

4. Improved Stabilization

Features 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization, an upgrade from the 3-axis system in the GR III.

5. New Imaging Engine

Ricoh promises better image processing, though exact performance improvements are still unclear.

Other Notable Features

Same compact size: 109.4mm x 61.1mm x 32.7mm, 262g (with battery and card).
Dust removal system: Ultrasonic sensor cleaning (DR II).
RAW + JPEG formats: Supports DNG 14-bit and both sRGB and AdobeRGB color spaces.
AA filter simulator: Moiré reduction remains via Shake Reduction (SR) unit.
New smartphone app: Called GR WORLD, designed to enhance camera control and file transfer.

What’s Missing?

No flip screen.
No weather sealing.
No major changes in ergonomics or user interface.
No video-focused features.
No drastic leap from the GR III — this is more refinement than reinvention.

Looking Ahead

Ricoh also teased an additional GR model featuring a Highlight Diffusion Filter (HDF) coming after Winter 2025. They’re also discontinuing production of the GR III this July, while continuing to sell the GR IIIx for now.

Bottom line: If you already own a GR III, the GR IV might not feel like a must-have. But if you’re new to the GR world or your camera is showing its age, this could be the cleanest, sharpest version yet.