I once shot with two different Ricoh GR IV compact cameras in each pocket – the HDF and Monochrome variants – and after pulling them out of the box, differentiating between the two felt like one of those “Spot the Difference” puzzles that I used to do as a kid. Now, the Ricoh GR IV is getting a limited edition makeover this fall, and in a nod to subtle, minimalist design, fans may be hard-pressed to spot the difference.
The Ricoh GR IV 30th Anniversary Edition, teased today, July 09 in Japan, looks like this:
Compared to the original Ricoh GR IV:
Did you spot the difference?
The Ricoh GR IV 30th Anniversary Edition – which Ricoh Japan says is only a tentative name – refinishes the camera’s shutter button and rear controls to a metallic gray that’s a nod to the color of the very first camera in the series released in October, 1996, the Ricoh GR1.
The special edition camera will also ship with a metal hotshoe cover with a 30th anniversary design and a finger strap, both of which will also be sold separately, so fans who already have a GR series camera can add a subtle new update.
The 30th Anniversary Edition is a subtle change, but that minimalism ties directly into the Ricoh GR series design history. The camera is well-loved by many specifically for the fact that it doesn’t look like a camera hiding an APS-C sensor; it looks like a basic black point-and-shoot.
Inspired by the minimalist anniversary design, I dug up photos and specs of the 1996 Ricoh GR1, and my first thought was that the camera’s design hasn’t really gone through a radical change, considering the fact that the first camera was 35mm film and the current camera is an APS-C digital sensor.
Yes, there are, of course, significant changes – the digital camera doesn’t have a viewfinder, for example. But the Ricoh GR has stayed surprisingly loyal to the original design inspiration. The grip looks similar, the mode dial and shutter release have the same placement. Even the size of the camera hasn’t changed much, with both the GR1 and the GR IV measuring 2.4 inches / 61mm high, and the depth and width only a few millimeters off.
But, most importantly, the GR series has stayed loyal to the purpose of the original – to put a high-end camera made for serious photographers into a pocket. While 35mm film may have become a digital APS-C sensor, even the lenses are similar – a 28mm f/2.8 on the original, renowned for its sharpness, and a 18.3mm – which is 28mm in 35mm equivalent, f/2.8 lens on the current model.
The Ricoh GR series, 30 years later, is a lesson in the longevity of a well-loved design – so a subtle refresh feels entirely appropriate. The Ricoh GR IV 30th Anniversary Edition is planned for the fall of 2026. The price has not yet been announced, but Ricoh says only 6,000 of the special edition cameras will be available worldwide, which makes a price increase over the base model expected.
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For more pocketable options, take a look at the best compact cameras. Or, read about the differences between the different GR series cameras available today.
