Ricoh GRIV Announcement

[Freakscene]

I also wish they would include a built in orange or red filter rather than an ND.
@Freakscene - any idea which sensor this would have?

I took a GRIV apart and it’s a Sony sensor with on-chip a/d signal converters with dual parallel noise reduction hardware on the columns coming off the sensor. The heat sink and other peripherals are off to the side. This is completely necessary to maintain the depth of the GR. So it’s an Exmor family sensor. It has an array of phase detect autofocus pixels and the hardware for that off to the side of the sensor too. The most exciting thing about this is that the KiMono has given Ricoh the encouragement and data to know that a monochrome camera will sell enough to overcome the necessary initial cost of commissioning a run or runs of custom sensors. This is super cool. I’ll buy a GRIV mono and a GRIVx mono without even thinking about it.

@Peter_S, your dream has come true and your GRIV can keep its Bayer filter unmolested.

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

I'm going to have to figure out what I can sell to come up with the $2,000 the GRIV Monochrome is likely to cost.

 

[JohnGellings]

The most exciting thing about this is that the KiMono has given Ricoh the encouragement and data to know that a monochrome camera will sell enough to overcome the necessary initial cost of commissioning a run or runs of custom sensors.

What is KiMono?

 

[joe bosak]

pentax k-3iii monochrome (probably)

 

[JohnGellings]

pentax k-3iii monochrome (probably)

Probably but how did he get Ki from that?

 

[joe bosak]

Honestly I am just googling but I was curious myself - according to pentaxforums: "KiMONO or KIMONO is in Japanese traditions, and "i" or "I" means "first". This name was proposed by fellow pentaxian Marc Wielaert from Netherlands and already gave acceptance of community in Pentaxians facebook group."

 

[Freakscene]

Probably but how did he get Ki from that?

Take the k, add an i from iii then mono from Monochrome, I guess. It’s what almost everyone on the Pentax list calls it.

 

[Freakscene]

 

[Nitroplait]

DC Watch Japan says it has “…a new monochrome-specific image sensor. It also uses a dedicated lens unit and image control, allowing users to ‘enjoy the deep and diverse expression that only monochrome photography can offer.’…”

Don’t know what “dedicated lens unit” means. I don’t expect it to have a different lens from the regular GR IV.

Anyway. Spring 2026 seems like a long time from now. Can’t wait.

 

[FrozenInTime]

DC Watch Japan says it has “…a new monochrome-specific image sensor. It also uses a dedicated lens unit and image control, allowing users to ‘enjoy the deep and diverse expression that only monochrome photography can offer.’…”

Don’t know what “dedicated lens unit” means. I don’t expect it to have a different lens from the regular GR IV.

Anyway. Spring 2026 seems like a long time from now. Can’t wait.

Sounds like we will get a selection of contrast filters instead of a ND 🙂

 

[olakiril]

Sounds like we will get a selection of contrast filters instead of a ND 🙂

I think so too.

 

[shawn]

Sounds like we will get a selection of contrast filters instead of a ND 🙂

Would love it if the made that filter be the hot mirror instead. Dedicated visible light mono camera that could also switch to full spectrum monochrome would be pretty awesome. Use external IR/UV filters to target specific wavelengths.

 

[agentlossing]

I sure hope they do add a color filter in place of the ND filter. That would make sense and would be exactly what I and other B&W shooters would want. Orange would be the obvious one (though I'm finding my Tiffen deep yellow filter has enough effect, with less light loss than orange - I'm happy with it on the Pentax Mono - no, I don't call it the KiMono, I think it's a linguistic stretch 😄).

 

[FrozenInTime]

Would love it if the made that filter be the hot mirror instead. Dedicated visible light mono camera that could also switch to full spectrum monochrome would be pretty awesome. Use external IR/UV filters to target specific wavelengths.

That would be very cool, but I think there is a Japanese statute banning sale to the general public of such cameras ... something about IR transparency of clothing.

 

[FrozenInTime]

DC Watch Japan says it has “…a new monochrome-specific image sensor. It also uses a dedicated lens unit and image control, allowing users to ‘enjoy the deep and diverse expression that only monochrome photography can offer.’…”

Don’t know what “dedicated lens unit” means. I don’t expect it to have a different lens from the regular GR IV.

Anyway. Spring 2026 seems like a long time from now. Can’t wait.

If you look at the GR IV monochrome camera body, you will see that the WB function on the D-pad has been replaced with pictograms showing either a histogram or a spectrum, and a outline of a camera and lens.

 

[agentlossing]

If you look at the GR IV monochrome camera body, you will see that the WB function on the D-pad has been replaced with pictograms showing either a histogram or a spectrum, and a outline of a camera and lens.

Looks like a histogram, that's an interesting choice for the button.

RICOH GR IVの“モノクロ専用機”が開発発表　ハイライト拡散の“HDF”モデルも

リコーイメージング株式会社は10月21日（火）、レンズ一体型カメラ「RICOH GR IV」の派生モデル2機種を開発中であると発表した。“Monochrome”と“HDF”の2モデルだ。

dc.watch.impress.co.jp

 

[BillBingham2]

Great, just when I thought I was going with a couple of higher-end lenses for my X-E3, Ricoh announces the camera I've lusted after for years. Crap Crap Crap CRAP.

Perhaps a couple of less expensive lenses for the Fuji and save the cash for the new GR IVM

 

[Freakscene]

Great, just when I thought I was going with a couple of higher-end lenses for my X-E3, Ricoh announces the camera I've lusted after for years. Crap Crap Crap CRAP.

Perhaps a couple of less expensive lenses for the Fuji and save the cash for the new GR IVM

Sell the Fujis (only half joking).

 

[sojournerphoto]

Sell the Fujis (only half joking).

But only half… I’m glad I hadn’t got round to picking up a GRiv yet - even though daughter has decided to keep the iii she ‘borrowed’!

 

[Peter_S]

I took a GRIV apart and it’s a Sony sensor with on-chip a/d signal converters with dual parallel noise reduction hardware on the columns coming off the sensor. The heat sink and other peripherals are off to the side. This is completely necessary to maintain the depth of the GR. So it’s an Exmor family sensor. It has an array of phase detect autofocus pixels and the hardware for that off to the side of the sensor too. The most exciting thing about this is that the KiMono has given Ricoh the encouragement and data to know that a monochrome camera will sell enough to overcome the necessary initial cost of commissioning a run or runs of custom sensors. This is super cool. I’ll buy a GRIV mono and a GRIVx mono without even thinking about it.

@Peter_S, your dream has come true and your GRIV can keep its Bayer filter unmolested.

Trouble is that I much prefer the GRiiix - though I would think a mono version of that will come as well. Might get the Mono GRIV anyway, especially if the lens is on the same level as the GRiiix.