The Dreamy Ricoh GR IV HDF Is Coming Soon
Ricoh Imaging has announced that an HDF-equipped version of the new GR IV compact camera is in development and will launch as soon as this winter.
When Ricoh announced the development of the standard GR IV model in May, which recently released to very strong demand, the company announced that a version of the GR IV with the Highlight Diffusion Filter (HDF) introduced in the GR III HDF and GR IIIx HDF in 2024, would also be offered after the standard GR IV released.
Like the GR III HDF models, the new GR IV HDF camera promises to provide photographers with the option to enable the proprietary HDF with the touch of a single button. The Highlight Diffusion Filter, as its name suggests, diffuses highlights and photos to deliver a softer, dreamier result.
“The conventional sharp expressiveness of the GR series and soft effects when the new HDF is activated provide an even greater range of snapshots that match the subject and the photographer’s intentions,” Ricoh Imaging explains.
The GR III HDF and GR IIIx HDF were Ricoh’s first GR series models to incorporate a filter of this kind, replacing the standard GR III camera’s built-in neutral density (ND) filter. Ricoh Imaging says that the HDF models have proven extremely popular, a claim backed up by sales data across global markets.
Aside from the Highlight Diffusion Filter, the GR IV HDF should offer all the same features and specifications of the standard GR IV, albeit without the built-in ND. This means the GR IV HDF includes the same new 25.7-megapixel APS-C image sensor and the same improved built-in 18mm f/2.8 (28mm equivalent) prime lens.
The GR IV series also introduces a revised design, improved camera control layout, more robust Shake Reduction (SR) system, and swifter autofocus performance.
In PetaPixel‘s Ricoh GR IV Review, which should prove insightful for photographers considering the upcoming GR IV HDF, we call it “a successor worth waiting for.”
“This is a smart and sleek companion for any street shooter, and the GR IV is the most pleasant and capable GR experience so far,” Chris Niccolls concludes. PetaPixel gave the GR IV its Editors’ Choice Award.
Ricoh says the GR IV HDF will arrive in “winter 2025 or later” for a yet-undetermined price. The standard GR IV is $1,500, for those who can manage to find one in stock.
Ricoh also announced that it is making a GR IV Monochrome camera for dedicated black-and-white photography. This model is expected to arrive next spring.
Image credits: Ricoh Imaging
