Innovative Realme GT8 Pro Smartphone Has Ricoh GR DNA

Oct 23, 2025

Jeremy Gray

A black compact camera and a white smartphone with triple rear cameras are displayed side by side on a textured gray surface against a minimalist background.

Earlier this month, Chinese smartphone maker Realme (stylized “realme”) announced a strategic partnership with Ricoh Imaging, promising the mobile industry’s “deepest imaging collaboration in street photography.” The fruits of the partnership were revealed this week with the Realme GT8 Pro, which sports a customizable camera island and significant Ricoh GR influence throughout.

By far the most visually intriguing aspect of the Realme GT8 Pro, which launched this week in China, is its interchangeable camera design. Users can swap out the rear camera array cover, changing its color, shape, and potentially even its texture. Realme is even hosting a special competition on MakerWorld that invites people to design their own camera case design for the GT8 Pro.

A close-up view of a white smartphone’s rear camera module with two screws, a metal frame, and a clear protective cover shown in an exploded view above the camera assembly.

However, while it is interesting that GT8 Pro owners will be able to change the camera system’s appearance, what matters more is what it does. The triple-camera setup features a main camera tuned by Ricoh Imaging. The primary 50-megapixel imager has a Type 1/1.56 image sensor and f/1.8 lens with Ricoh’s anti-flare technology. The GT8 Pro supports the 28mm and 40mm focal lengths the company offers in its Ricoh GR IV and GR IIIx compact cameras, too.

The telephoto camera features a 200-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL HP5 sensor (Type 1/1.56 as well) and 3x optical zoom. The third camera is a 50-megapixel ultra-wide (16mm equivalent) sensor. All three cameras can record 8K video.

A smartphone screen shows a close-up photo of a red-orange leaf lying on green grass, with camera controls and settings visible on the display.

The camera system has a Ricoh GR-inspired look and includes GR photography looks, including Positive, Negative, High-Contrast Black and White, Standard, and Monochrome.

Realme’s Vice President and CMO, Chase Xu, and Ricoh Imaging’s General Manager of the Camera Business Division, Kazunobu Saiki, agree that smartphone users are struggling with a few key areas of mobile photography. They think that hardware is getting too similar, for one, and that over-processed photos are monotonous and less authentic. People want something more distinct to their own creative sensibilities, Realme and Ricoh agree. The two companies have been working for four years to launch their first collaborative product, the GT8 Pro.

“Ricoh Imaging and realme share a base of young, creative users. Our collaboration is not only about innovation in products, but also about culture to inspire a new generation to enjoy street photography and discover the beauty of everyday life,” says Saiki.

Three Realme smartphones in blue, white, and green are displayed standing upright. Each phone features a large, square camera module with prominent circular lenses on the back. The background is minimal and light-colored.

To that end, the GT8 Pro includes a tailor-made UI design that mimics the user experience of a Ricoh GR camera.

Beyond the Ricoh GR-infused camera system, the Realme GT8 Pro includes a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, a 6.79-inch 2K display with 144Hz refresh rate and 2,000 nit brightness, and a very large 7,000mAh battery. It’s a serious device with top-of-the-line specs across the board.

The Realme GT8 Pro is available now in China, starting at CNY 3,999, or about $560. That’s a very accessible price point for a phone with these camera specs, although its global price may be different when it inevitably launches in additional markets. U.S. customers shouldn’t hold their breath, though.

Image credits: Realme, Ricoh Imaging