Ricoh GR GR IV Monochrome Black 2024

Battery life on the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome is shockingly bad at just 250 shots, landing in the 2nd percentile of all point and shoots. On the flip side, its monochrome sensor is a top-tier performer (90th percentile) and the IBIS is best-in-class, giving you razor-sharp B&W photos in a tiny package. Just plan on charging often if you pick this up.

Right off the bat, the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome lands in a strange spot: its 25.7MP APS-C sensor ranks in the 90th percentile among all digital point and shoots, which means it's one of the best on the market for raw image quality. The same goes for its 6-stop IBIS system, sitting at an impressive 91st percentile. So you're getting a pocket camera with near-best-in-class stabilization and a sensor purpose-built for black and white. But the excitement fades fast when you look at battery life, a dismal 2nd percentile that'll have you hunting for outlets after just 250 shots.

The build feels solid in hand, with a textured grip that reviewers keep mentioning. At 228g it disappears into a jacket pocket, and the 3-inch touchscreen is clear if you can forgive the lack of a viewfinder (EVF at a sad 36th percentile). For street photographers who live in the monochrome world, this camera gets the fundamentals right: image output and stability. But the trade-offs are real, and the battery life alone might send you shopping for power banks.

That 25.7MP monochrome sensor is the star of the show. Without a color filter array, it captures more light per pixel, delivering sharper details and richer tonal gradations than any color sensor converted to B&W. Our database puts this sensor in the 90th percentile for image quality, a standout among compacts. Pair it with IBIS rated at 6 stops, and you're shooting handheld in dim streets without breaking a sweat. The fixed lens forces you to zoom with your feet, something street shooters often prefer for getting closer to subjects.

But performance drops off a cliff for anything that moves fast. Autofocus sits at the 34th percentile, which is disappointing, and burst shooting is only 29th, so action is not this camera's friend. Video is 1080p at a middling 48th percentile, fine for casual clips but nothing to write home about. For deliberate, composed photography, the GR IV Monochrome shines. For sports or wildlife, it's a total mismatch.

The Ricoh GR IV Monochrome pops up at wildly different prices: one store has it at $2,197, while another somehow lists it at an absurd $49,999. You'd be crazy to pay the high end. At the lower figure, you're still spending serious cash for a fixed-lens monochrome compact. But if you're a dedicated B&W shooter, that sensor and stabilization combo is hard to find anywhere else at this size. Just don't expect versatility, and mentally add the cost of a spare battery or two.

Stack the GR IV Monochrome against heavy hitters like the Sony a1 II, Canon EOS R6 Mark III, or Nikon Z9, and it's not even a fair fight in specs. Those cameras offer blazing autofocus, 8K video, and burst speeds that embarrass the Ricoh. But none of them fit in a pocket, and none have a true monochrome sensor. The Ricoh's niche is also its strength: if you want a stealthy, take-everywhere camera that produces the finest B&W files straight out of camera, this outdoes every competitor on that narrow ground. For anyone who doesn't specifically need monochrome, the Canon or Sony alternatives are dramatically more versatile.

Skip the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome if you need any kind of video performance (1080p at 48th percentile won't cut it), shoot sports or wildlife (burst and AF are lacking), or expect a full day out of one charge. At 2nd percentile battery life, you'll be nursing it by lunch. Also, if you're not totally sold on dedicated monochrome photography, the $2,197 entry price is hard to justify over a capable color compact with a zoom lens and a viewfinder.

The Ricoh GR IV Monochrome is a specialized tool for a specialized crowd. Its sensor and stabilization are near the top of the charts, and that translates directly into gorgeous black-and-white images you'll want to print. But the battery life is a glaring flaw, and the lack of a viewfinder plus lagging autofocus will frustrate anyone stepping outside the street photography niche. If you live for monochrome and can tolerate carrying extra batteries, this camera rewards with image quality that's hard to beat in a pocket-sized body.