Ricoh GR IV Review: The Best Pocket Camera of 2025
Read our hands-on Ricoh GR IV review. Discover why this APS-C compact camera with improved autofocus is the ultimate tool for street photography in 2025.
The Ricoh GR IV Review: The Best Camera You Can Actually Fit in Your Pocket
It is December 27, 2025. The wrapping paper has been recycled, the leftovers are dwindling, and if you’re anything like me, you’re currently staring at a pile of gift cards or a returned-gift store credit wondering what to do with it.
If you have any interest in photography—and I don’t mean "taking pictures of your lunch for Instagram Stories" but actual photography—I have the answer.
The Ricoh GR series has long been the worst-kept secret among street photographers and travel journalists. It is an unassuming, matte-black brick that looks like something your dad bought at a pharmacy in 2004. But inside that humble shell sits a massive APS-C sensor (the same size found in chunky DSLRs) and one of the sharpest lenses ever made.
The newly released Ricoh GR IV has just landed. I’ve spent the last few weeks testing it, shoving it in coat pockets, and dropping it (gently) onto cafe tables. The verdict? It’s the same camera it’s always been, just finally fixed in the ways that mattered.
If you’re tired of the computational, over-processed look of smartphone photos, this is the cure.
Evolution, Not Revolution
Let’s get the skepticism out of the way first. If you place the GR IV next to its predecessor, the GR III, you will not be able to tell the difference. Ricoh didn't change the chassis. They didn't add a massive grip. They didn't slap a flashy "IV" logo on the front in neon paint.
Good.
The magic of this camera is its stealth. It doesn't look like a theft target. It doesn't intimidate subjects on the street. It looks like a toy.
However, the internals have received the "small update" mentioned in the press materials, which is actually a massive deal for usability. The previous model was notorious for two things: incredible image quality and autofocus that hunted for clarity like a confused bloodhound in low light.
I’m happy to report the autofocus on the GR IV is finally reliable. Is it Sony-sports-camera fast? No. But it locks on instantly in street scenarios, and the new face-detection algorithm actually sticks to the subject rather than jumping to a patterned wallpaper in the background. For a camera designed to capture fleeting moments, this upgrade alone makes it worth the price of admission.
