Hello Ricoh GR IV,
You are my very first Ricoh. I’ll be honest—I was pretty worried about buying you. I heard so many stories on YouTube and Facebook about your faults, how pricey you are, and all kinds of negative comments. But I went ahead and did it anyway.

I even sold my Fujifilm X-M5 for you. I never found the Fuji very pocketable, and the ergonomics just didn’t work for me. Plus, I’m really trying to downsize the gear I have. I’ve tried all kinds of pocket cameras—Sony, Canon, Nikon. Nothing truly inspired me. Every single one had its own quirks. And trust me, I’m not here pretending the Ricoh is perfect either.

Originally, I planned on buying a used one from MPB.com—I trust their used cameras. But the price difference wasn’t significant. And honestly, I was shocked at how expensive pocket cameras have become. An old Sony pocket camera with no USB-C going for over $1000? Really… why? Someone told me influencers drive the prices up sometimes. I have no proof of that, but who knows.

So back to you, Ricoh GR IV. I was nervous spending this much on a pocket camera—yes, I’ll admit that. Will our journey together be good? I think it will.

This isn’t a review—not yet. I still need to go out, shoot with the camera, and make my own judgment. And honestly, you should do the same. One of the biggest factors is cost. Yes, cost. This camera is not cheap. You can literally get an iPhone for the same price. Used ones are great if you can find one under $1000—but I definitely couldn’t.

And please, if you do buy used, go to a reliable place. Don’t spend your money on Facebook Marketplace or Mercari. You want something with a warranty. Beware of scammers too—if the deal looks too good to be true, it usually is. This is why I like MPB.com. I’m not affiliated with them at all—they just show real photos of the gear and give you a 6-month warranty. That warranty saved me once when a used camera broke within six months and I got a refund.

I also really like Keith Wee and follow all his reviews, so I’ll link one below.

Ricoh GR IV review – the legend continues to evolve – KeithWee | Photography

Thank you, Ricoh GR IV. I hope we have a fun journey together.