Ricoh Announces Development of GR IVx with New 40mm Lens

Ricoh has officially announced the development of the GR IVx, a new variant of its GR IV compact camera. The GR IVx will feature the same 25.7-megapixel sensor as the GR IV but will be equipped with a newly developed 40mm equivalent lens, marking a departure from the standard 28mm wide-angle lens of the GR IV. The company emphasized that this is not simply a port of the existing GR IIIx lens; instead, the GR IVx will ship with a brand-new optic designed to expand the creative possibilities of the GR series. The new lens will have a construction of eight elements in six groups, including three aspherical elements, and will offer an aperture range of f/2.8 to f/16. Ricoh notes that the 40mm equivalent focal length provides an angle of view close to human vision, offering a distinct perspective for snapshot photography. The GR IVx will also include a built-in two-stop ND filter, with potential for additional filter options in the future. Ricoh did not disclose a release date or full specifications, but the announcement comes as the company celebrates 30 years of the GR series, which began in April. Production of the GR IIIx, IIIx HDF, and IIIx Urban Edition models is expected to conclude after the current batch finishes shipping in October, suggesting the GR IVx may arrive soon to fill that gap. The development was announced via a press release and reported by PetaPixel.