'We've got 12 months of orders' Ricoh's niche black and white-only compact
is a hit, despite the price hike

Date:
Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:30:27 +0000

Description:
Ricoh's first black and white-only compact, the GR IV Monochrome, is giving Ricoh a welcome headache, with demand outstripping supply.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get the TechRadar Newsletter Sign up for
breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are
now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter I attended The Photography Show 2026 this week, the 'UK's leading event for any photographer, filmmaker & content creator', and I had the chance to stop by the Ricoh stand, where I got my first look at the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome .

It's a premium compact camera that couldn't be more niche, shooting photos
and video in black and white only, through a fixed 28mm f/2.8 lens and 26MP APS-C sensor. Nevertheless, having already reviewed the Ricoh GR IV , which enables you to shoot in color and monochrome, but is otherwise the same camera, and concluded that it delivers the best image quality you can get
from a truly pocketable camera, I was keen to try the Monochrome version until I saw the price. Article continues below You may like I was ready to
buy the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome, but the deal is off here's why Ricoh GR IV review: a top smartphone alternative for everyday photography Is niche the
new normal? These oddball retro cameras are setting the tone for 2026

The Ricoh GR IV costs $1,499 / 1,199 / AU$2,199 (up from 2019's GR III by around 20%), whereas the GR IV Monochrome, with its optimized sensor and red filter, costs $2,199 / 1,599 / AU$3,249. True, a limited production run will always result in a premium price, but that price difference stings,
especially if you're in the US. However, that price hike for the niche
version of an already niche camera hasn't seemed to have put people off. I spoke with Ricoh's Marketing Manager for EMEA, Adrien Uden, at the Ricoh stand, and he told me "we've got 12 months of orders".

That's right if you're in Europe, the Middle East or Africa, and haven't pre-ordered a Ricoh GR IV Monochrome yet, you potentially face a year-long wait to get your hands on one. Today's best Ricoh GR IV Monochrome and Ricoh GR IV deals Ricoh GR IV Monochrome 1,599.99 View See all prices Ricoh GR IV 1,199 View See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for
the best prices Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Tim Coleman) (Image credit: Tim Coleman) The curious case of premium compact cameras 2026 has been a quiet year so far for new cameras, save for the Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Cinema and Ricoh GR IV Monochrome. They're two incredibly niche compact cameras, but
both are sold out in many regions. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals
in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals,
and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

We've seen such situations before; the Fujifilm X100VI broke pre-order records, and remains a popular premium compact two years after its launch.

And here we are once more with the GR IV Monochrome, which comes hot off the heels of the even pricier Leica Q3 Monochrom . It's Ricoh's first black and white-only GR compact, and it seems there's no price too great to deter fans, many of whom no doubt see it as the ultimate street photography camera.

For me, its optimized quality for black-and-white photography is desirable. However, it's a camera that I'lI likely let pass me by at this price, though I'm still tempted to add the regular GR IV to my GR IIIX as an everyday
carry.

What about you? Are you in the GR IV Monochrome queue? Is a camera that's optimized for black and white photography worth the extra cost? Let me know
in the comments below. (Image credit: Ricoh) Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course, you can also follow TechRadar on YouTube and TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too. The best compact cameras Top pocket choices to take anywhere

Read our full best compact cameras guide 1. Best overall Fujifilm X100VI 2. Best with zoom Sony RX100 Mark VII 3. Best small Ricoh GR IIIx 4. Best full-frame Leica Q3



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/cameras/compact-cameras/weve-got-12-months-of-orders -ricohs-niche-black-and-white-only-compact-is-a-hit-despite-the-price-hike


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