First Look at the Ricoh GR IV
The Ricoh GR IV will soon be available in Indonesia, with pre-orders starting on September 18. Luckily, I had the chance to try it early, and here are my first impressions.
In terms of size, it is the same as the GR III. Still small enough to fit in a pocket, so I can easily carry it around. What I noticed is that the weight is slightly more, about 5 grams, but it is hardly noticeable.
Some changes stand out. The exposure compensation dial makes a return, like in the GR II. The internal memory is now 53GB, a big jump from the 2GB in the GR III. Such an important update because that means I can still keep taking pictures or even shooting even if I forget my card at home. The card slot now uses microSD instead of SD. I prefer the bigger SD cards because they are easier to handle, but it is not a dealbreaker.
The autofocus feels faster, and the ISO goes up to 204,800. There are also two new Image Control presets, Cinema Yellow and Cinema Green. I enjoyed testing these two! They give the photos a cinematic and nostalgic feel. I attached them below for your reference. Which one do you like better? Whatever that is, you can alter both based on the style you’re aiming for.
There are a few downsides, though. Many people were hoping the GR IV would finally come with a built-in flash, but it still doesn’t. Personally, I don’t mind too much, since I can always use an external flash or just push the ISO higher. With the new ISO range that goes up to over 200,000, it still gives plenty of room to shoot in low light. The battery also drains a bit quicker than the GR III, but carrying a spare or two solves that easily.
Holding it in my hand, I was reminded why I enjoy street photography. The GR IV feels simple and quick, and it lets me stay present in the moment without getting in the way. Overall, the GR IV is a natural step forward in the GR line. It keeps the familiar strengths of the previous model, while adding just enough new features to make it more enjoyable to use.
