In another sign of the buoyancy of the compact camera market, Ricoh has announced it is developing the Ricoh GR IV HDF – HDF standing for Highlight Diffusion Filter.
This intriguing camera follows on from the recently released Ricoh GR IV, with the HDF filter designed to ‘diffuse highlights and deliver soft photographic effects with the touch of a single button.’
Otherwise, the new camera looks very similar to the GR IV, which we praised in our review back in August.
The HDF filter is not an entirely new feature as the Ricoh GR III HDF and Ricoh GR IIIx HDF, launched last year, were the first models to include it.
The idea behind the HDF filter is that it enables you to add softer, more ’emotional’ effects (Ricoh’s phrase, not ours) to your pictures – useful when you don’t want everything to be pin sharp and are after a different look.
The filter can be turned on and off as needed, so we can see it being used to enhance portraits and family shots in particular. Anything where you want softer, moodier, more ’emotional’ effects, really!
Ricoh GR IV HDF key features
- 25.7MP APS-C BSI-CMOS sensor
- 28mm equivalent f/2.8 lens
- ISO 100-204800 (standard)
- 5 axis image stabilisation
- 4fps continuous shooting
- 3in, 1.04m-dot fixed touchscreen LCD
- Full HD 60p video recording
You can see the full list of specifications here
Big in Japan
This release makes sense for Ricoh as the Ricoh GR IV is selling well in Japan – indeed it was the best selling camera at Map Camera’s Tokyo stores in September, beating interchangeable lens models. It’s another reminder that the compact camera revival shows no sign of running out of steam.
It has been nearly 30 years since the Ricoh GR1 film camera, the first in the GR series, was released in 1996, and exactly 20 years on October 21 since the GR Digital was launched in 2005.
Further details, pricing and global availability are still to be confirmed but Ricoh said the GR IV HDF will be released ‘this winter or later.’ See some good deals on the ‘standard’ Ricoh GR IV below.
